AN: There are some who have questioned my mental health. For what its worth, I have never been diagnosed with any mental disease. But I am a history minor, and since this is an anime, I have taken alot of inspiration from Japan. One of these inspirations include Imperial Japan which the country of Mountain is loosely based on. During WWII, Japan waged total war in which civilians are barely differientiated from combatants. During this time, Japanese war crimes included Area 731, comfort women, the Rape of Nanking, and other various atrocities that come with war. I don't need to search the dark recesses of my mind, its already there in human history and at present. War is war.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto


Lesson Twenty-Eight

Changing Tides


x


Naruto Uzumaki stoutly believed that the warmth of the sun's touch on his skin was the best feeling in the world. Grass softened around his feet and curled between his toes. A slight weight rested on his stomach and he could feel the lightness of his son's beating heart against his chest.

Naruto didn't flinch when Ame vaulted over him with a laugh that embodied mischief. Kusuro soon followed with honey dripping in globs down his face, leaping over Naruto, and capturing Ame in a cocoon of grass.

Then Ame disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Agh! What is with this family and shadow clones?!" Kusuro yelled as he scoured the grassy hill.

The Uzumaki family decided to take advantage of the warm day of a waning winter. It couldn't have been a more perfect day for a picnic.

Tomu laid out the food across the picnic blanket, taking extra care to stack the sandwiches perfectly, arrange the fruits, and spread the chips. If he showed as much viciousness against the ants as he did in his training, he would be a terrifying ninja.

Naruto laughed when he peeked over and Tomu crushed a line of ants in quick succession. "The ants have to eat too."

"I did not make food for them," Tomu complained.

"But what about when Mushi gets here?" Naruto asked.

"First off, Mushi's beetles do not steal my food and-" Tomu dropped the juices and the sandwiches towered over. Naruto reached out and grabbed one. "You invited Mushi?!"

"Yeah, what's wrong with that? I figured since she was back she'd like to join us."

"You can't invite her," Tomu argued.

Naruto frowned after he shoved the sandwich into his mouth. "Why not? I thought you two were going out or something."

A blush came across Tomu's cheeks and he actually generated a small amount of killing intent, which only succeeded in amusing Naruto.

"Mind explaining to me what I did wrong?" Naruto asked.

"Ugh, I blew it okay?" Tomu said angrily. "The night we umm," Tomu's entire face grew as red as the apple he was holding. "It didn't go so well. She probably never wants to see me again."

"Tomu," Naruto said seriously, all joking aside. "She's been through a lot. You are not about to hurt her because you're scared. Believe me, being too scared to face them only makes it worse. Man up and talk to her."

"I don't know what to say," Tomu whispered.

"Well," Naruto scrunched his eyebrows and realized just how hard this was. "I just kind of… go with it."

"That is the worst advice you have ever given," Tomu grumbled.

Naruto had never planned out a conversation, no matter how tough it was. He was always better in the pressure of the moment, which didn't always work to his advantage. "For what it's worth, my first attempted try, I almost killed the girl."

"That makes me feel a lot better," Tomu said sarcastically.

"Better about what?" Ame asked as she topped the hill atop Kusuro's back.

"Nothing," Naruto quickly replied as Kusuro dropped Ame and she landed on the picnic blanket.

"I definitely do not want to have any siblings," Kusuro said rather adamantly as he crossed his arms.

"Don't you love me Nii-chan?" Ame pouted as she clutched his leg.

"I woke up this morning with bows in my hair," Kusuro complained. Ame gave him a look of unbridled innocence.

"I don't like picnics. They're boring," Kusuro complained. "Can't we train or something?"

"We are training," Naruto yawned and stretched like a cat. "Relaxation strengthens your spiritual energy."

"You just made that up. I've never learned that in school."

"You're questioning the strongest ninja in the world?" Naruto asked, hiding a grin. He watched as Kusuro groaned and then collapsed on the ground in the grass. He blew out a frustrated breath.

"Ame, you can't bite a sandwich and put it back," Tomu complained.

All Kusuro wanted to do was train. He didn't like to take the time to pause and think about how his life had changed so drastically. "Naruto," Kusuro said as soft as the wind through grass. "Do you know when my mom is coming home?"

"I don't know," Naruto answered honestly.

Konoha was slowly returning to normal. Chouza and Tsume's unit were laying siege to Mountain's hidden village, and what Naruto understood from the Hokage's explanation, a siege was a long and lengthy process but hardly required as many ninja out in the field.

But Kagome had decided to stay on the front until this war was officially over. Kagome had ghosts to confront before she could even entertain the idea of settling down. Naruto sure wasn't the person to criticize someone's ghosts.

Naruto didn't warn Tomu when he sensed Mushi coming up the hill.

"Nee-san!" Ame exclaimed. After Ame slid down from a hug, Mushi and Tomu exchanged a furtive glance.

Tomu had stumbled to his feet, quickly deflected his eyes and stared intently at the grass. "I um- you know… I'm really sorry and-" Tomu's voice faltered when Mushi neared him with a weak smile, then fell into his arms, breaking down in tears.

"Hey," Tomu whispered and pressed his face against the side of her hood. He didn't even mind when her beetles came out to greet him and tickled his skin.

When Mushi's tears subsided, she further pulled her hood over her face, as if it could protect her from the sudden rush of emotions.

Naruto reached over toward the pouch of water they had brought for the picnic, upended it, and water fell glistening into the grass. Then he threw the empty pouch at Tomu. "Go get some more water."

"Very subtle," Tomu grumbled as he slung it over his shoulder. The two teenagers caught the obvious hint. Mushi reluctantly followed and they walked towards the river. She held herself inwardly, keeping her long sleeves tucked to her body. The sun didn't touch her skin.

"I heard you hurt your leg," Tomu said softly.

"It's better now." But the rest was left unsaid. She didn't limp anymore. It wasn't serious enough to end her ninja career. It wasn't pretty to look at.

They approached the river and Tomu kicked a rock into the water. "I'm glad you're safe." There was awkwardness in the silence. "While everyone was gone, I've been thinking… everyone is putting their lives on the line and that maybe, perhaps… the sharingan, it could protect people right?"

Mushi's head snapped up. Her hood hid the horror on her face. "No, I don't want you to become a ninja. You have a choice. I never did. An Aburame knows their path in life the moment we are chosen by a hive. I knew since I was a baby I was going to live and die a ninja. You have no idea what it means."

"I know what it means," Tomu said angrily. "You didn't see the way Naruto looked when he finally came back home. He cried. It hurts because I know he's doing it for us. It's not fair that the entire village expects him to protect everyone. They only see him as the hero who will get anything done. They don't see him at night when he comes home, they don't see. No one comprehends how much he sacrifices because he loves this village."

Tomu watched the flow of the river, which winded around Konoha and eventually found its purpose to the sea. "A ninja means sacrifice."

"I don't want to watch you grow hard and bitter and angry."

Tomu scoffed, "I'm already bitter and angry."

"Not all the time," Mushi whispered. "Not with me."

Tomu blushed as he looked away. Mushi reached and dared to place her hand in his. They savored the touch. "Tomu, be my boyfriend," the Aburame demanded.

Tomu gave her a startled look. "But I'm just a street rat and I've never finished school or anything-"

"I do not understand how any of that matters."

"It matters. What would your family say?"

"I do not understand why they would say anything. If you are worried about meeting my father I can assure he will me amiable. He already knows about you, your background, and our tryst."

"Your dad knows all that stuff?" Tomu blanched.

"Of course he does, he's my dad," Mushi explained patiently. "He just wants me to be happy." Mushi pulled her hood from her face. The sun danced on her skin and lit her smoky eyes. She looked at Tomu with a smile, "and you make me happy Tomu Uzumaki."

Then Tomu wrapped his girlfriend in his arms and savored every touch of her skin, every smile on her lips, and every moment that they had. Because in a world of ninja, you never know.


His light brunette hair was slicked back and tucked neatly behind his ears. His glasses hid the laugh lines at the corner of his eyes. His natural scent was a fresh breath of cinnamon and had an easy smile.

"Wow, I admit I was really nervous to meet you Uzumaki. I've heard so much about you." The man bumped against the corner of the table as he attempted to bow, and then quickly reached to shake Naruto's hand in his nervousness. His palm was soft in comparison to Naruto's rough calloused hands.

"Nice to meet you too," Naruto greeted amiably. "If you've got ramen on the menu that would be perfect. No salt, please."

Sakura groaned as she placed her head in her hands. In the first few seconds, Sakura knew this meeting was going to be a disaster. "I told you to bring the kids."

"Yeah, but I thought-" Naruto noticed the difficult expression on Sakura's face. She wasn't dressed up, but wore a comfortable loose dress with flats. Then Naruto realized stupidly that this wasn't a date.

"Naruto," Sakura said gently. Naruto's expression grew more perplexed when Sakura slid her hand down the arm of the person who Naruto assumed was the waiter and grabbed his hand. "I want you to me Kohei Uchimura, my fiancée."

Naruto sucked in a constricting breath.

"Your what?"

"I know this might seem a little sudden," Kohei attempted to explain but was completely brushed to the side when Naruto moved him out the way as if rearranging the room.

"He's my fiancée Naruto. We are going to get married," Sakura explained as if to a child.

"Is this some kind of damn joke?" Naruto demanded. His rising voice caught the attention of everyone in the restaurant. Before they were asked to leave, Sakrua quickly snatched Naruto's shirt and dragged him outside to the soft patters of rain on the ground.

"No, this isn't a joke. I am serious. Look, he's really nervous about meeting you and he hasn't even met Ino yet. I was hoping you'd be the easy one."

"But fiancée Sakura? Kiba isn't even three months dead yet. You're not thinking straight. You're taking this way too fast."

"No, I am tired of people thinking that I'm crazy just because Kiba is dead. I know exactly what I am doing. This war is winding down and I want a family."

"But you can't love him."

"Love is overrated." Sakura shrugged, dismissing the word as nothing more than myth.

"But this isn't right!" Naruto insisted. "You're disrespecting Kiba's memory and-" A slap suddenly popped in the air, and a slap from Sakura meant Naruto suddenly found himself stuck to the ground. "Don't you dare think you have the balls to tell me how I should respect Kiba's memory!" Sakura snapped at him. "You listen to me Uzumaki, you are going to go in there, you are going to sit down, and you going to act like your fucking happy for me!"

"This is insane Sakura!" Naruto yelled as he stood. He gave her a frustrated expression as rain dripped down the corners of his frown. He asked softly, "What about us?"

Sakura's expressions softened. "There was never an us."

"I just thought since," Naruto shrugged his shoulders, attempting to capture the right words. "We're best friends and we've known each other for a long time and we get along well, I thought it made sense. I was willing to wait however long you needed, but this- I don't understand."

"We were never going to work the same reasons why Kiba and I weren't going to work. You're a ninja Naruto and that's not what I'm looking for. I've tried that route and I've been hurt enough times to know it's not what I want. I want safe and I don't care if that means I settle for the next best thing."

Naruto sucked in a disheartened breath. "Look at him, he can't even protect you."

"I don't need anyone to protect me Naruto. Kohei is a good guy. I want someone to come home to at night when I get home from work or a mission. That is all I want," Sakura bit her lip. "I want this Naruto."

Naruto placed his hands in the pockets of his sage cloak. He should have known it was never going to work. He knew what he felt for Sakura had turned platonic over the years. He was just wanted… something.

"Would you please come inside and try to be nice to him? Besides, I'm starving."

"Alright," Naruto finally agreed. "I'll try."

Sakura's face brightened and eagerly shoved Naruto into the restaurant. They found their food already waiting for them on the table.

Kohei smiled nervously. "I hope you don't mind. I already went ahead and ordered for you. I seem to remember you wanted ramen."

"Yeah thanks," Naruto grumbled as he sat down. Sakura kicked Naruto's leg on the way to her chair. "And I'm sorry about earlier."

"It's no problem. I was forewarned," Kohei assured him, when there was an awkward pause, he continued to keep the conversation alive. "You should have seen the list of things she gave me to prepare. Do not say anything negative about ramen, do not wear any cologne, do not grumble, do not..." His voice wound down when he noticed Sakura's threatening expression. "I hope I'm doing good so far," he peeped.

Naruto shrugged his shoulders. "Well, we haven't gotten very far. How did you two meet because I have never seen you around before, ever."

Kohei gulped. "Well-" Then he accidently knocked over his cup of water and Sakura nonchalantly reached to catch it.

"We've known each other for years, Naruto." Sakura answered. "He owns a small business that I commission to create my custom medical tools."

"And how come you haven't gotten married before now?"

Kohei coughed into his napkin, taken aback by the sudden personal question. "I suffer from a medical condition that has made relationships sort of difficult."

Naruto looked at Sakura in alarm. "Medical condition? What medical condition?"

"None of your business Naruto," Sakura snapped.

"But-"

"It's not life-threatening," Kohei assured him. "It's rather embarrassing actually. On another note, I hear you have children?"

Naruto didn't miss the way the man changed the subject. Naruto didn't answer and turned to Sakura. "And Ino hasn't met him?"

"No," Sakura admitted. "She hasn't gotten in from the war yet."

"You do realize she's going to tear him apart and have him weeping in seconds?"

"Naruto I would appreciate it if you stop scaring him. Ino isn't that frightening." Sakura said as she patted Kohei on the arm.

Kohei grumbled under his breath, and Naruto's ears caught his tossed away comment, "That's what you said about Uzumaki."

Suddenly Sakura frowned as she held a napkin to her mouth. "Excuse me I'm going to go to the bathroom. Naruto, be nice." She quickly said before she rushed from the table.

The silence was deafening.

Kohei's nervousness showed through every motion, how he stirred his chopsticks through the noodles, the drops of sweat down his neck, the way he deflected his eyes. A ninja would never give away emotions so easily.

Then it truly dawned on Naruto that this man had never killed anyone in his life, never felt blood on his skin.

"So," Kohei said slowly. "That's an odd scar you have there. I've never seen anything heal like that before."

The chair screeched back. "Tell Sakura I'm sorry, I can't."

"Wait was it something I said?"

Naruto didn't blame Sakura. He wouldn't want someone as tainted as himself either. Naruto placed his hands in his pockets and walked out of the restaurant into the rain.


"Free ramen!" Ame yelled. Naruto hefted the large pot of ramen onto the table, which groaned at the weight. It was Saturday morning and time for the Uzumaki's clan's weekly community service project, sponsored by Ichiraku Ramen.

"Thank you so much," An elderly woman replied, as she led her tiny grandchildren to the line. They were grass refugees and came to Konoha with nothing but the clothes on their backs.

"Of course," Naruto grinned brightly and whispered as if it was a secret, "I'm on a mission to officially make Saturday ramen day."

The old woman chuckled. "Bless you."

Her two grandsons peeked over the table and grabbed the warm bowl of ramen. Tomu handed them as he served the portions. Tomu usually did all the hard work, attempting to keep up as the line grew longer, while Naruto had a habit of getting caught up talking to people.

"I never noticed how many refugees there were," Mushi replied. She was attending the community service event for the first time and helping Tomu serve the meals.

"No one really does," Tomu explained as more people joined the line for food or for the rare opportunity to talk with the Great Naruto Uzumaki. The crowd gathered, helped by Kusuro's effort who knocked on people's doors and gathered people from the street. He was well-known among the grass community of refugees.

"Ame, ramen!" Tomu shouted. Ame saluted and sprinted toward Ichiraku's where more pots of hot ramen were waiting.

Naruto never turned anyone away. He gave food to the construction workers who were working nearby, to the homeless, to the unclean, or to anyone walking by, with a smile on his face. Naruto felt compelled to give back.

"Great," Tomu grumbled when he noticed a messenger ANBU on the roof of the closest building.

"No skipping," Naruto chided when the ANBU dropped down.

"The Hokage requires your attention."

Naruto knew if the Hokage hadn't called him by his tattoo, it wasn't urgent. "Ramen?" Naruto asked.

"I'll pass."

Naruto suddenly threw a bowl of ramen in the ANBU direction and the ninja instinctively caught it. Naruto grinned, "I'll be there eventually."


"Sometimes you're worse than Kakashi," Tsunade rolled her eyes when Naruto finally arrived in the office. "That's why I always have to tell you hours ahead of time."

"First of all, I'm on vacation. I was under the impression that for at least the next couple of weeks I was not on your leash," Naruto replied.

"I know and I apologize but this mission is literally one no one else can do."

Naruto pouted, scattered the papers on the floor as he sat on her desk. He sighed. "What is it?"

"I've lost all contact with all our spies in Kirigakure. There has been some civil unrest but as of two weeks ago, the country was completely locked down. I'm very worried that whatever is going on can reach a level more serious than Mountain. I am sending you to Kirigakure under the cover of conducting a marriage alliance between you and the Mizukage in order to find out what really is going on."

"So I'm not killing anyone?" Naruto asked.

"No. Just make appearances with the Mizukage and gather what information you can." Tsunade handed him a mission debriefing. "The details of a few people you can get in contact with are in there."

"This actually sounds rather easy. I'm surprised the Mizukage agreed to this."

"I am too. Quite honestly I was grabbing at straws for any excuse to get someone in the country. Agreeing to entertain what she knows is a farce means she wants something. I'm curious to know what she's up to."

Naruto slid from the desk with the folder in hand.

"And Naruto…" Tsunade pursed her lips and folded her hands, then said with resolved calm. "I know how Mei operates. Don't let her seduce you. Don't fall into her trap. Can I trust you to do that? I know you've had relations with her in the past."

Naruto knew how the game was played by now. "I won't do anything stupid that will endanger Konoha."

"That wasn't a no, Naruto."


Her breath landed across his ear like a wind at sea and every time he pivoted forward was an inch closer.

"Uzumaki…" Mei Terumi panted, her hands stuck to the slickness of golden skin, her legs tightened around his waist like an embrace. One perfect thrust, that greeted her sex-starved loins, sent her over the edge. The pulsing began at the tip of her toes and continued as the walls of her vagina massaged the welcome visitor.

Naruto breathed through his nose with a hitch, fought through the tide threatening to take him over, and continued to pound at her shore. His tongue lapped at the salty skin of her breasts and demanded more from the woman who had dominated him before.

The exhaustion that began to etch into Mei's face quickly dissolved as she was turn over, without severing their connection, Naruto's arm hooked around her leg and his hand was granted better access to her clit. Mei's hold on his hair, his arm, the sheets, tightened as she was assaulted from two fronts.

"Uzumaki!" Mei screamed as a second orgasm struck her like the force of a typhoon. Naruto was drowned in her wetness that demanded him to pull home and finally dock. Naruto conceded, thrust forward deep, hitting against the back of her cervix and in turn, drowned her body in his warmth and fluids.

"You've certainly gotten better at this," Mei noted when Naruto pulled out and left behind an emptiness.

"Lots of practice," Naruto admitted. In the last few months, he was more likely to deal with stress through sex than his usual method of training till he dropped from exhaustion. The adrenaline was higher, the sensations were better, and it was more satisfying. He either found a partner through Anko or any kunoichi willing in the ANBU underground and most were always willing after a mission. Often times, it was nothing but masks and naked bodies bumping against each other.

They both lay back in the bed, flushed with red, attempting to recover from the rendezvous.

"Why am I here Mei Terumi?" Naruto asked, as he stared at the domed ceiling above him, decorated with elaborate paintings of ships swallowed by the sea.

"To negotiate a marriage alliance, obviously."

Naruto turned to the woman beside him, who no doubt trusted him any less than he trusted her. "Must we play this game? You and I both know that if a marriage alliance should occur between Konoha and Kiri, it won't be between us. Is honesty too much to ask for?"

Ninjas lie, to protect their mission, their village, but ultimately themselves.

"You are here because your dear grandmother sent you here to spy on my village," Mei answered.

Naruto turned and arced over the Mizukage who watched his every move. There was a kunai underneath her pillow. His lips traveled down her skin. Her breasts courted gravity. Scars decorated her seasoned body like jewelry.

"You are wrong. I am here to convince you to marry me."

Naruto searched for water between her legs. She called his name as she arched her body further into his mouth, wanting to be pleased.

If she was going to play this game, he could play it too.


A shadow clone traveled through the Village Hidden in Mist under the darkness of midnight. It was a difficult village to navigate if you were an unwanted guest. The mist obscured the sight of any buildings until you were close enough to walk into it. The village was not bound by land and entire neighborhoods were often built on top the water.

But was what curious and immediately caught the clone's attention, was that there were no civilians wandering the streets at night. Ninja patrolled the streets and more security than Naruto thought was necessary guarded the village's borders.

There was certainly something going on in Kirigakure.


Nothing seemed amiss in the early morning. Fishermen were already out on the water. Children took advantage of their weekend off from school and were already chasing each other around the village. Businesses were opening, prepared to barter their way into a profit.

Mei was giving Naruto a tour of Kirigakure but Naruto was under no illusions that she was only doing it to watch him.

"Does it ever get sunny?" Naruto asked. So far he had spied only a sliver of sun through the mist but the rest were varied shades of grey. It was cool but his clothing already seemed drenched by the dampness.

"This is a normal day," Mei explained with her hands wrapped around his arm. Naruto didn't miss the way her breasts would push against his bicep. With a constructed smile she pointed, "And over there is the Academy where our children will graduate after you move to Kirigakure."

Naruto replied coolly, "You should see the room I have prepared for them when you move to Konoha."

Naruto could see the annoyance behind her smile. Naruto had to admit he was having too much fun at this charade. "How many children do you think we should have?"

"One or two." Mei answered. "A boy and a girl."

"I already have two children but I wouldn't mind two more," Naruto answered truthfully.

Mei suddenly stopped and gave Naruto a flustered look. "I thought that was just rumors. You really do have two children?"

Naruto chuckled. "I adopted them. Ame and Ichigo."

"Why would you adopt?" Mei asked. "They can't carry on your bloodline."

"Why not? Everyone needs a home."

Mei stopped in front of a small beach house built along the shore. "Uzumaki, can we stop pretending while we are visiting? I don't want to get their hopes up."

"Who said I was pretending?" Naruto asked. When Mei dropped her smile, Naruto quickly nodded and agreed he would stop

Mei walked into the house without knocking but did not surprise the pregnant young woman cooking in the kitchen.

"Is that you Mei? Breakfast is almost ready."

"I've brought a guest," Mei said before she reached the woman and kissed her on both cheeks. "This is Uzumaki Naruto. Naruto, this is my younger sister, Bai."

Bai turned with a startled gasp. "Oh wow, Mei. He's hot."

Naruto chuckled. "Thanks? You're stunning yourself."

"And he's charming. Please tell me this is what you call a date?"

"Sorry to disappoint. Naruto is a rather celebrity in the ninja world. I'm his chaperone while he's visiting Kiri."

"I didn't know ninja had celebrities," Bai said impressed. "What do you have to do to get that sort of status?"

Mei looked at Naruto awkwardly. Win a few wars, hold a demon, and kill a lot of people, but Mei decided not to say that. "It's ninja stuff. I'll go wake up the boys," Mei said as Bai motioned Naruto to sit at the table in the other room.

"Thanks for the breakfast," Naruto said eagerly.

Bai sniggered. "It was the only way you were going to eat. Mei can't cook at all. Have her in the kitchen for more than a few minutes and you're sure to get a fire."

Naruto smiled and watched as Mei ushered twin boys to the table, who sat down on the floor with grumpy expressions. "These are my nephews," Mei introduced. "Boys, this is Naruto Uzumaki."

The twins snapped awake. "The Naruto Uzumaki?!"

"The very one," Naruto answered and watched as Mei and Bai walked from the kitchen and set the food onto the table.

"They say you can turn into a giant fox demon."

Bai paused when she entered the room and chided, "No ninja conversation at the table, mind your manners."

"Good morning, Mei."

Naruto turned when a man walked into the house with a fishing pole slung over his shoulder. He slipped off his sandals and leaned the pole against the wall.

"That's my husband Ko," Bai introduced.

When everyone was sitting at the table, an eager, "Itadakimasu" rang out through the room and everyone moved for the food. Naruto took a bite and soured when he got a taste full of salt.

"Do you like it?" Bai asked enthusiastically.

Not wanting to be a bad guest and not willing to admit he had diet restrictions to the Mizukage, Naruto nodded his head and swallowed. It couldn't hurt him this once.

"So how would you feel about dating my sister Mei?" Bai confronted Naruto eagerly.

"Bai, I can take care of myself."

"Obviously not, your biological clock is ticking! You need to start popping out babies or it will be too late."

Mei had accustomed to wearing long bangs for these moments in particular where she needed some place to hide. "Can we please get through breakfast once without getting into my dating life?"

"See you later Aunt Mei." In seconds the twins had finished eating and were racing each other outside.

"Don't go too far out!" Bai yelled and then turned back to the table, picking up her conversation as if she had never left. "Please tell me she hasn't slept with you yet?" Naruto avoided her gaze and focused on the food on his plate. "Mei! You can't expect to keep a man if you keep giving it up the first night. It's not respectable of a woman."

"Do we have to do this now when we have company?" Mei asked exasperated.

The husband drank his tea, rather familiar with the conversation.

"I'm telling you, if you want to keep a man, you've got to make him chase it." Bai was undeniably the only person who could criticize the Mizukage's love life and live. Family can get away with a lot of things.

"Right honey?" Bai asked her husband.

Ko nodded into his newspaper. "Yes, babe, I chased that ass."

"See? And now I'm popping out babies. It's that easy."

"It's not that easy," Mei sighed and refrained from using the old 'You're not a ninja' adage. It was hard to date when you couldn't trust the person you slept with, and even harder to trust when an entire village's protection was dependent on the secrets you kept.

"Naruto, would you marry my sister?"

Naruto grinned, looked over at Mei who shook her head. "Yes, but I don't think its going to work between us. We're from two different villages."

"So, just move here," Bai said as if it was simple.

"We're from two different hidden villages," But Naruto saw she didn't understand what that meant either. "I can't just move and uproot my entire family." But that was the easy answer. The hard one was an answer Naruto could not express in words. He couldn't leave Konoha. At this point, he's invested too much, given too much to Konoha to turn back now.

"I see," Bai said sadly, "and I'm sorry to say Mei loves that big hat of hers to go anywhere else. A shame, I think you two would have made a cute couple."

Mei emptied her plate. "I have meetings to attend at the tower. I was wondering if Ko would take Naruto out on the water?"

"Hmm," Ko answered.

Mei got up and pointed at Naruto. "I'll be back to pick you up in a few hours." Naruto didn't need to be told he was being watched.

After breakfast, Naruto went out in the boat with Ko and dropped a fishing line. He sat back against the boat and watched Kiragakure come alive. Fishermen were checking nets, academy students were mock fighting, and civilian and ninja alike, enjoyed the cool day on the misty water.

It hadn't been a hard task to slip away from Ko unnoticed, who had fallen asleep in the first several minutes. It was even easier to lose the ANBU Mei had ordered to babysit him. These ANBU had no idea the difficulty of the task handed to them.

Naruto was henged in an outfit similar to the civilians and continued to Kirigakure's market. He stopped in front of one of the many fish stalls. A green piece of cloth winded around one of the poles.

Naruto looked over the merchant's selection. "Do you have anything flame-broiled?"

The merchant nodded, prepared a piece of raw fish and packaged it for Naruto. When Naruto walked away he searched the package and found directions to a location scrawled across the paper.

Naruto navigated the dampness of Kiri until he sat down on a bench. The bench overlooked the Academy grounds vacated by the weekend. Five minutes later a man, different from the merchant, sat down beside Naruto.

"I never really liked the snow," Naruto responded nonchalantly, hoping this was the contact.

"But you can make snowmen out of mist," The contact replied. The man looked around, searching.

"There are no other chakra signatures in the vicinity," Naruto assured him.

The contact relaxed. "I'm surprised Konoha managed to get someone inside. They've set up checkpoints along the road and increased security. I've been afraid to send out any message at the risk of compromising my cover."

"Do you have any idea what's going on?" Naruto questioned.

"It is my opinion that Kirigakure is on the verge of a civil war."

"But it seems rather peaceful."

"The Mizukage has done a good job of keeping it largely hidden from the civilians but they've become anxious since she's established the curfew. There are a group of rebels attempting to overthrow her, not exactly new for Kiri but could be a problem for Konoha considering limited options in succession since Terumi's heir apparent, Chojuro was killed at the exams."

"What can you tell me about these rebels?"

"I haven't had personal contact with them because so far they seem to confine their activities to the ninja. They've certainly proven to be a thorn in the Mizukage's side. Because of them Mist ninja have gone missing and Terumi has already survived two assassination attempts."

"What do they want?"

The contact frown, rubbed his hand together as if a nervous fishermen searching for signs of the weather. "They want to bring back the Bloody Mist."

Naruto could feel the unsettled dread in his stomach. The last thing Konoha needed was a Bloody Mist while they were still finishing business with Mountain. Not to mention, Mist was a Great Country and undeniably a greater enemy. No one in history has ever successfully attacked the Hidden Village of Mist. It was located on an archipelago surrounded on all sides by water, hidden in mist, and protected by prestigious water elemental users. Mist has always fallen from the inside, not the outside.

"Perhaps Konoha needs to intervene."

"Mist could use the help but the moment Leaf ninja show up in numbers you'll have ninja who don't believe in the Bloody Mist ideal joining the fight against you. Once the situation has become so extreme that a Kage needs foreign ninja to secure the village, it's already over. Mist is lost."

Now that Naruto knew what was going on, he of course needed to do something about it.


Mei Terumi crumpled the paper in her fist, tossed it to the floor, then stomped towards her office. Since the day Ao and Chojuro died, she's literally been living in a nest of sharks. She couldn't trust her own ninja, she couldn't trust her advisors, she couldn't trust anyone. She never knew who was in allegiance with the rebels. Before the exams it was just one person. Afterwards, treachery has spread through her ranks like a debilitating disease.

Then molten lava covered the room when Mei whipped around. It hardened against the melted wall. She could have sworn-

"I just came by for a visit."

Mei cursed as she turned to find Naruto sitting in her Kage's chair.

"Where are the ANBU that are supposed to be following you?" Mei demanded. This was absolutely not acceptable.

"Probably following one of several shadow clones," Naruto answered and then said more seriously, "You need to be more careful. I could have assassinated you."

Mei scowled. Now she had Leaf spies in her village.

"What are you going to do about these rebels?"

"None of your business," Mei replied as she leaned to snatched the papers from her desk and tuck them from his view. Naruto leaned back and didn't make any effort to look at the documents.

"Mei, Konoha isn't going to sit back and watch. We can't afford a civil war if you lose."

"I don't care what Konoha thinks." Mei replied after she stashed everything in a drawer. "Now get out of my seat."

Naruto spun around in the chair and looked at the scenery through the window as a school of orange fish swam by. The Kage's office was completely submerged under water which colored the room in fluorescent blue.

"Konoha is going to get involved in your affairs and it's up to you to decide if we are going to help each other or not."

"Konoha steps one foot into my village and I'll see they never step out," Mei threatened. "I do not want Konoha's help."

"What about my help?" Naruto suggested. "You have to trust me a little to have allowed me here."

Mei slammed her hands on the armrests of the chair and stopped Naruto's spinning. She leaned into Naruto's face with a crooked smile. "You are only here because I need something from you, no more."

Naruto sighed. "What I had in mind isn't going to be successful without your help. I wanted to infiltrate your ANBU and gather information. All I need is for you to give me a mask."

"Don't you think I already have people on the inside of ANBU?" Mei questioned. "Second, to infiltrate my ANBU underground you're going to have to know how to hold your breath underwater for at least two hours. Without Kiri's secret underwater breathing technique it is impossible for you to infiltrate my ANBU and I am not sharing that secret with you."

Naruto could imagine how much a technique like that protected the village. With a sigh he realized that any attempts to help would have to be without Mei's knowledge or he was going to have to find a way to earn her trust.

Naruto looked up into the eyes of the woman adorned with the large hat and white cloak of Kiri. She wasn't Gaara who trusted him without question. Mei and Naruto were allies, but they could easily become enemies. Kiri was willing to trust Konoha when it came to teaming up against outside enemies but not when dealing with their own internal affairs.

"Is there anything I can do to earn your trust?"

"You can start off by being where you are supposed to be and stop sending my ANBU off on a wild goose chase." Mei responded as she straightened and crossed her arms. "Second, the spy in my village who told you these things? What is his identity?"

Naruto's eyes hardened. "And what are you going to do to him?"

"Kill him of course," Mei smiled as she leaned over, displaying her cleavage and trailed her finger down his shirt, "I do not tolerate spies. Give up your contact and perhaps I'll start trusting you more."

"You know I can't do that," Naruto answered.

Mei snapped away as if the touch suddenly burned. She moved away from her desk and stared out of her window, to her unrivaled domain of the sea. "Then leave, I was wrong to call you here."

"Mei," Naruto left the chair and crept behind her, placing his arms around her waist. "I'm supposed to be visiting for a week. If I leave too early what would everyone think of the state of our alliance?" He asked.

"I don't care," Mei answered. "Everything is all going to shit anyways."

"You don't really want me to leave," Naruto attempted to convince her.

Mei turned in his arms, looked up into the piercing blue of his eyes. "And why would I want you to stay?"

Naruto gave a stunning grin before he leaned in to kiss her. "I haven't given up trying to make you my wife."

Mei pulled away, tasting him when he swiped her tongue along her lips. Sometimes the charade was easier than the truth and Mei was willing to play along a little more.

Naruto pulled her up to his hips and carried her to the desk where he eagerly stripped her off her clothes until she wore nothing more than the white Kage's robe. The ANBU monitoring the office placed a much needed obscurity and silence jutsu on the room.


"Will you be on your best behavior and stay here?" Mei asked after she spread the purple pastel along her lips. Naruto watched in curiosity from the bed as she stared closely into the mirror and lined her eyes in black.

"But who is going to protect you?"

"My ANBU," Mei said obviously. "Besides, I am the Mizukage of Kirigakure. If I can't protect myself then I deserve to get assassinated."

Naruto pouted. "I won't listen in on anything important. I just don't feel-

"Naruto, I'll be right back. Then we'll go over my sister's house for dinner," Mei answered as she finished her make-up. "Are you this overbearing with all the women you sleep with?"

"No," Naruto answered. Naruto did not consider himself as overbearing at all, just protective. There was nothing wrong with that. "I could just send a shadow clone-"

"Naruto," Mei interrupted. "Don't try my patience."

"Alright, fine, I'll stay."

After fretting over every new wrinkle, Mei stood from the mirror, her heels tapped against the glass floor. She walked across an the two swirling sharks that patrolled the waters underneath the glass. Mei Terumi left her house.

Naruto stayed still until he sensed her leave. Then he climbed out of bed. Naruto got dressed and then paused. Naruto sniffed through his pants until he reached his tool belt and smelled Mei's scent all over it.

She had gone through his stuff while he was asleep. Naruto cursed, he admitted he had let his guard down after the several other times they've slept together. He went through all of his items to make sure they were there but felt a sense of dread when a scroll was missing. It was the only scroll he carried locked with a seal.

Naruto decided barging in during a council meeting was the wrong time to confront her about it. He was going to have to wait until she came back. Naruto climbed through a window of the house and when he reached the roof, two ANBU stepped in his path.

"Want to talk?" Naruto asked as he crossed his arms and leaned against the railing.

The ANBU looked at one another. "You think we're going to talk with you just because you're fucking the Mizukage?"

"No. By the way, what happened to the two that were following me around a few days ago?"

"She had them killed," The ANBU answered.

"Oh," Naruto sighed, "Look, I won't run off and get you guys in trouble if you sit and keep me company. Do you play cards?" Naruto asked.

Shrimp and Piranha silently conceded that it would be cool to say they beat the Naruto Uzumaki at cards. They certainly didn't want Uzumaki running away because they knew they wouldn't be able to catch him.

"Do you know how to play goldfish?" Piranha asked as he sat down and shuffled the cards.

"You're going to have to teach me that one," Naruto answered. Sometimes he wondered how he managed to talk his way into things, like a card game with two Kirigakure ANBU.

"What do you two think about these rebels and assassinations? Do you guys really want a return to the Bloody Mist?"

"We did get paid better," Piranha answered. "The leader of the rebels claims to be a new coming of the Seven Swordsmen."

Shrimp scoffed. "Those fools know nothing about the age of the Seven Swordsmen. No one claiming to be one, is one."

"Well, Mizukage-sama sure hasn't announced a new Swordsmen of her own."

"Who the fuck do we have right now to be one?" Shrimp asked angrily. "Mist isn't what it used to be. That's why those fools are chasing the Bloody Mist ideal. They want the old glory back."

"What if this guy really is good enough to be a Swordsmen?" Naruto asked curiously.

"If he's that strong, if he's the real deal," Shrimp shook his head. "Then the Mizukage doesn't have a chance. I've spent a few years spying in Konoha and the difference between our villages could be night and day. In Konoha your clans share power with the Hokage. In Kiri, it is the Swordsmen that share power with the Mizukage. They are the power, they are the respect, a good team of swordsmen faithful to the Kage is the only thing that can keep Kiri together for so long. I knew this day was going to come, it was only a matter of time."

"So you don't care if Mei dies or not?"

"Mizukage-sama," Shrimp corrected.

Piranha answered, "An assassination, a coup, a mutiny, its not exactly anything new. Peace never lasts in Kirigakure. Unrest is like a storm. You can prepare for one but trying to fight it will only get you washed out to sea. Most ANBU are rather ambivalent. It's a force of nature that would be pointless to stop. Kiri has been through so many upheavals one more would hardly matter."

Then the air shook with a violent noise. Naruto turned in alarm as smoke began to waft from the direction of the Kage's building.

Naruto dropped his cards and raced towards the fallen ruins of the left side of the building. ANBU were attempting to throw off the rubble. Naruto helped with ease, digging towards the chakra signatures he sense underneath. When he arrived and hit a hardened hump of molten lava, he knocked on it. The ground crumbled and Mei coughed as she brushed the dust from her face.

"The council elders," she coughed, "Get them out."

"Mei, I don't sense anymore chakra signatures. They're dead."

"Fuck," She screamed. Naruto could feel the dangerous heat coming off her as he helped Mei to her feet. She turned to her ANBU. "I want every single one of the ANBU that were guarding the tower today in front of me this instant."

Seven ANBU lined up in front of Mei. Naruto realized too late what she was intending to do. With a terrifying smile, Mei Terumi breathed a stream of lava from her mouth and the ANBU before her was drowned in heat.

"Next time, I'm killing all of you." Mei spat and then turned on her heels angrily.

"What was that?!" Naruto demanded as he followed.

"There is nothing that motivates people more than fear. Next time, they'll try a little harder to protect me."

"That's insane," Naruto answered. "That solves nothing."

Mei stopped and turned to Naruto. "Who are you to determine how I should run my country, Fox Demon of Konoha?"

Naruto frowned at the spiteful nickname. He wanted to argue and yell at her that it was wrong but he simply placed his hands in the pockets of his cloak. He's done worse.


When the Mizukage was angry she went for a swim. It had taken several shadow clones until he came across her chakra signature and even then he couldn't hold his breath long enough to find her in the water. Naruto waited impatiently on the sandy shore of the small island where she had left behind her clothes. Naruto eventually fell asleep against the coconut tree.

Naruto woke up to the splash of water and the first sight he saw when he opened his eyes was Mei Terumi emerging from the ocean in a blue bathing suit. Naruto's chest constricted as he watched the water hug her body.

Mei pulled her hair over her shoulder and leaned to rinse it out, leaning in a suggestive curve, knowing Naruto was ogling her. Mei lips pursed together when she asked, "What are you doing here?"

This was Mei's place, her island where she came to get away.

Naruto straightened when she neared him, his mouth was dry as he attempted to explain, "I'm here to protect you since your ANBU aren't efficient enough to do so."

"Really?" Mei asked as she pulled closer, Naruto smirked, and Mei sat down wet atop of his lap. She pulled off his shirt and her damp breasts pressed against his chest.

But first, Naruto had business to attend to.

Naruto caught her waist. Before she could counter, slammed her against the sandy beach, and twisted her hands above her head to prevent her from using jutsu. "You stole something from me and I want it back."

Mei bucked her hips into Naruto's sensitive erection with a tease. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Naruto slammed his knee into her stomach to keep her still. "Where is the scroll you stole?"

Mei's lips turned into a cruel smile. She could feel the heat of her anger boiling in her chest. "Or what? You're going to kill the Mizukage? I obviously do not have it with me unless you want to strip me of my bathing suit but I think you were already doing that."

"Enough games. Tell me where you've put my medicine and I'll release you, the rest of your fingers intact."

Mei smiled. "I'm not telling you until you do something for me first."

The Hokage had warned Naruto about falling into the web.

"I can't trust anyone in Kirigakure. I can't trust my advisors, I can't trust my ninja, I can't trust my ANBU for fear that they are in league with the people that want me killed. I need someone not connected with the village."

"What do you want?" Naruto asked.

"When you leave from here I want you to take my family to a contact in Tea. I am losing control of Kiri and I need my family out the country completely when I plan to make my move against the rebels. Once I have received word from my family that they are safe, I will give you back your scroll but if you dare try to use my family as hostage in one of Konoha's schemes, I will sell your scroll to the highest bidder."

Naruto released her. Mei watched from the sand, studying his response as Naruto crossed his arms. "I would have done it without the blackmail. You want to protect your family, I get that."

"I needed collateral to be sure." Mei said as she sat up and nurtured her aching wrists. "Would you really entrust your children to me on blind faith?"

"No," Naruto answered. "But once I do this for you, how do I know you're going to give it back?"

"I guess your going to have to trust me," Mei said slyly with a twist to her lips.

Naruto slapped his hands against his face. "I'm so fucking stupid."

"I wouldn't say that," Mei said softly as she watched him, enjoying the way how the sun played on his skin. "We can't keep our guard up all the time. We're only human." Mei looked at Naruto slyly. "So, medicine is in that sealed scroll?"

Naruto tensed.

"I was wondering what was so important that you'd have to lock it up. I sent it to my fuuinjutsu team this morning but they haven't cracked it yet. Konoha has gotten a rather good fuuinjutsu expert."

Naruto looked at her with a smug smirk, "It's just a prototype but thanks for the compliment."

Naruto never would have gotten into making seals if it wasn't for Hinata and that had been a disastrous attempt at trying to help.

"How sick are you?" Mei asked curiously.

Naruto scoffed. "I'm not telling you that but I would really appreciate my medicine as soon as possible."

Mei smiled and knew she had found a weakness. "I wonder, was the Fourth Shinobi War Uzumaki Naruto's prime?"

That question suddenly caught Naruto off-guard. Since the war he's certainly experimented with various different things like seals and elemental jutsu, but he's never felt as if he was getting stronger.

Mei caught Naruto's expression. "You've never asked that question of yourself have you? They say a ninja's prime is their late teens and everything goes downhill from there. You get slower, and weaker, and your body just can't keep up with what you want it to do. Then suddenly it's our experience that's more valued. I don't like to see the wrinkles. I don't like to feel myself withering away. Getting old sucks."

Naruto chuckled. "You're not old." Mei laughed, genuinely laughed as Naruto playfully pressed her into the sand and left kisses along her skin. "You're like the sexiest woman I have ever met."

Mei smile and enjoyed the way he lavished his attention on her. "I am vain. I can make a few heads spin sure but what about in a few years? Who wants to die ugly? Half a kunoichi's power is in their looks. Why do you think the Hokage never looks her age?"

Naruto paused as he pressed his cheek against the inside of her thigh. "I don't think it's because she's afraid of looking old. When she looks her age, people want to help her up the stairs. Granny is the most powerful kunoichi in the world and I think she hates being treated as weak."

"Naruto, Tsunade Senju is old whether you want to believe it or not. All the Kages made a bet during the exams on how much longer she was going to last. Everyone is waiting for her to die."

"Hey," Naruto said affronted. "I can assure you Granny is plenty healthy."

"Would she really tell you if she wasn't?"

"No," Naruto mumbled.

Mei tilted her head, her auburn hair spilling over her shoulders like water. She analyzed the disturbed expression on his handsome face. "You two are really close, aren't you?"

"Yeah," Naruto said softly. "I don't know what I would do without her. I don't know what Konoha would do without her. My job is to keep her alive at all cost."

"You don't want the title of Kage?"

"Did you want the title of Kage?" Naruto asked in turn.

Mei smirked as she turned into the breeze. "Yes, I wanted the power. I was a scrawny little kid but I was good at jutsu and it made me feel powerful. I loved that feeling and I wanted more."

"Wow. That's very selfish."

"Ao straightened me out soon enough. He was the best teacher I could have ever had." In her voice, Naruto could tell she missed him. "He was the one who should have been Kage."

"Did you ever find out who killed him?"

"We never even found the damn body," Mei spat. "The person who killed Ao wasn't the same person who killed Chojuro. Chojuro was a message, Ao was…" Mei sighed, "bad luck. I wouldn't put it past Konoha if they had a hand in it. Konoha certainly had a motive."

"Konoha wouldn't," Naruto paused. "I admit it could have been Konoha. Granny doesn't tell me everything. I'm sorry."

"People die. I've seen my entire graduating class die. When you get to be my age it hardly fazes you anymore. You grow numb to it and sometimes you want to feel something, but-" There were tears in her voice when she replied, "I don't feel anything."

Naruto's hands washed against her skin and Mei leaned into his touch. Naruto took in her scent – like the salt breeze across the ocean. They melted into each other's touch and consumed each other in something more than lust.

Naruto's blue intensity pierced into her chest. "You feel me don't you?"

"Uzumaki," Mei admitted, "You're the only thing I've felt in a long time."

The waves of the ocean lapped at their skin as the clothing and the lies and the fear were abandoned into the brilliant white sand. Their bodies rocked like the tide.

When the sun set below the horizon and stars sparkled through the misty sky, Naruto and Mei laid in the sand, still, hearts beating in terrified rhythm.

Naruto soaked in the experience he had been chasing since the moment Hinata had left him cold in the bed. He hadn't felt like this since Hinata and it was that comparison that made him realize he really liked the Mizukage. He could slap himself in the face. What was wrong with him? Why did he always go for women he couldn't have?

"I don't think we should do this again."

Because it was all just a game, until it was real.


"I've just received confirmation from my contact in Tea Country that my sister and her family have made it there safely."

"My scroll?" Naruto asked.

Mei reached for a summoning scroll, applied chakra, and summoned Naruto's scroll from an undisclosed location. She handed it to him and Naruto checked to make sure it was authentic. The seal on the scroll had obviously been tampered with but unbroken.

"Well," Mei said as she leaned forward at her desk. "It sure has been an interesting week. Be sure to tell the Hokage that I'm sorry but I don't think a marriage alliance will work between us."

"I'll be sure to let her know," Naruto replied. He turned for the door and paused. "Mei, you should come with me to Konoha. It's not safe here for you."

Mei smiled at the man who couldn't help but to save people.

"The Captain goes down with her ship," Mei said fearlessly. "Let the mist be my grave."


"You could have just returned to Konoha in an instant and retrieved more medicine from Sakura."

"Mei didn't know that," Naruto said as he sat atop the Kage's desk. "But her request wasn't unreasonable. I figure I'd let her believe she had the upper hand."

Tsunade shook her head. Naruto was beginning to get good at playing this game. "I am worried about the situation in Kiri. The Mizukage obviously isn't going to accept our help. I might need to send in a byakugan or Yamanaka. If we find the rebel leader we could contain the situation."

"Those were my thoughts exactly," Naruto answered. "Should I get together a custom team?"

"That probably would be best."

Naruto hated to ask, "Is Butterfly back from the war?"

Naruto still hasn't forgiven her for hijacking his body without his permission.

"She has returned while you were away. And its Wasp now, her mask has changed. You should also bring someone else who can manipulate chakra."

Naruto cringed when he suggested, "Is Fox back from her mission?" Naruto paused suddenly. He didn't know what made him think she was on a mission when he could obviously sense her in the village. Naruto found only a blank.

"Not Fox, I need her in the village for something."

Naruto swiveled his head around. "What something?"

"Oh what do you know, look at all this paperwork?" Tsunade suddenly focused on the papers Naruto was sitting on.

"What about Crane?" Naruto asked slyly.

"Busy."

"He's in the village."

"Busy."

Naruto leaned in unrelenting, "Are you about to make a move against the Hyūga?"

"This has been carefully planned out. Naruto, I don't need you to do anything that can compromise the situation." Tsunade pushed Naruto off her desk.

Suddenly ANBU Captain Cat arrived in the office. "Hokage-sama."

Tsunade snapped up. "Yeah what is it?"

"We've just received the reports and I've already sent someone to confirm-"

"What is it?" Tsunade demanded.

Cat straightened and took a step backwards.

"The Daimyo's palace has been bombed."

Naruto's face dropped. He could see the anger creep into the Hokage's face.

"The Daimyo?"

"He's dead."

Naruto jumped out the way when Tsunade threw her desk out the window in a rage, as heated as the Country she protected. After she indulged in the moment to vent, she straightened the cloak on her shoulders and turned to Naruto.

"The capital, now."

Naruto leaned down until he had hefted the Hokage onto his back.

"You better not drop me."

"Perhaps if your boobs didn't weigh- ow," Naruto staggered from the force she used to hit him in the head. He activated his chakra cloak and blasted out of the office.

"How did bombs get in?" Naruto questioned. "From what I remember the security is really… thorough."

"It has to be an inside job. I'm suspecting Mountain, probably something they had in plan before the siege."

"If the Daimyo is dead what happens?"

"I have to stay in the capital until the next Daimyo succeeds him, which means I'm away from the village until this entire mess is sorted out. I'm sorry Naruto, but Kiri has officially dropped to a priority two. While I'm gone, I need all your chakra concentrated on protecting the village."

Naruto's jaw dropped when they arrived at the capital and took in the extent of the damage to the palace. The moment Naruto landed Tsunade dropped from his back and hounded through the wreckage. Naruto followed the rampaging Hokage until she charged forward and swept the Captain of the Twelve Guardians into her fist.

"Is anyone of the royal family fucking alive?!" She demanded. "And what the fuck were you doing?! How the hell could you have allowed this to happen!"

Naruto quickly pulled the Kage off the man before she punched him into the rubble.

"Hokage-sama," the Captain bowed immediately. "We hadn't expected your arrival so soon. We're still trying to survey the extent of the damage ourselves."

"Then give it your best fucking guess."

"Well, the Daimyo was hosting a party among his closest family members for his birthday and- we might have lost all of them."

Then the Captain paled when his focus shifted passed the Hokage.

The Hokage and Naruto turned, when a palisade pulled up. A fanciful golden slipper stepped from the curtain, until it was drawn back. "What happened? Am I too late for the party?"

"Are you related to the Daimyo?" The Hokage asked urgently.

The small chubby man attempted to straightened, as if his title could add to his height. "Of course I am. I am Tahiko Yamamato, the Fire Daimyo's great nephew."

Naruto could feel the sinking in his stomach when Tsunade went to her knee and bowed. "As of now you are the next heir to the throne and ruler over all of Fire Country."


"I heard someone killed the Fire Daimyo," Mei Terumi said in bed as if political intrigue was pillow talk.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Naruto grumbled.

"Sure you don't." Mei rolled her eyes. Mei slipped on her silk night gown and braided her hair to avoid tangles in the morning.

"But curiously," Naruto said as if he lifted his head from the pillow and watched Mei's nightly ritual. "Let's say the Fire Damiyo is dead, what would a hidden village like Kiri do?"

"Well," Mei said as she sucked on her bottom lip. "The Princess is most likely confined to the capital until at least the coronation ceremony is finished. She probably also has to bolster security in the capital with her own ninja. Konoha would be vulnerable, but since I'm busy with people trying to assassinate me right now, I'll just use the opportunity to implant more spies."

"More spies?" Naruto said incredulously.

"Did that slip?" Mei chuckled with a quirk of her lips. She crawled into bed and stared at the kunai embedded in her headboard.

"I'm still trying to wrap my head around this. Konoha can send its best asset to anywhere in the world in a matter of seconds with one kunai?"

Naruto chuckled. "I can run to anywhere in the world in a matter of seconds, but it saves time."

"And what would happen-" Naruto jumped over and snatched her hand away from the kunai before she poured chakra into it.

Naruto looked at her very seriously. "You will die. You do not have sufficient chakra to make it to the kunai it's connected to."

"So basically only a jinchūruki can use this technique?" Mei asked with a frown. "There's always a damn catch."

It was much more complicated than that, but Naruto decided to let her make her own assumptions. If the paired kunai were close enough anyone could make the jump, but there were so many different types of seals used that only a fūinjutsu user would be able to differentiate what the kunai did in the first place. Some were paired, some were connected to a specific place, multiple were connected to one, or one connected to multiple.

Mei stretched in the bed and curled next to Naruto before she asked, "I wonder what your Granny will do when she finds out we've been having a secret affair?"

"To have an affair I'd have to be married," Naruto grumbled.

"You're married to Konoha. Is she a better lover than Kiri?" Mei playfully asked.

Naruto really should be in the capital with the Hokage but Naruto figured a clone was enough to go through the tiring rigors of court. Naruto knew if Granny found out he's been in Kiri without her permission and sharing the Mizukage's bed… "Granny would probably neuter me."

"I could only imagine. She has a temper on her."

"You can't talk about anyone's temper. I honestly don't know which of you are worse."

Mei playfully hit Naruto's chest. "Oh you have not yet seen the extent of my temper."

Naruto smiled and placed kisses along her neck and trickled down her spine. "You can only imagine mine."

Mei twisted in his arms. "And what makes you angry, Naruto Uzumaki?"

"When someone I care about is threatened," Naruto said seriously. Mei's breath hitched at the intensity of his stare. Mei jerked away and moved to her side of the bed, tucking the covers underneath her.

But even from where he lay, Naruto could hear the rapid beating of her heart. "Good night, Mei."

"Why do you come here if you're not going to have sex with me?" Mei turned and asked angrily.

"You were the one who said you had a meeting in the morning. Did you want to have sex?"

"No, I have a meeting in the morning," Mei said exasperated.

"I'm confused."

"Go to damn sleep," Mei snapped as she tightened the covers around her. Naruto had to admit he didn't understand women sometimes.

He dared to cross the chasm in bed and attempted to slip his arm around her waist. When she didn't resist, he tightened his hold and pressed his face into her hair. "I like the way you smell."

"I am the hottest woman in the Land of Water and you come all the way here every night, risk the Hokage's wrath, and your village because of the way I smell?"

Naruto chuckled into her hair. "Yes."


"I think that's enough," Naruto replied as he retrieved the cup of alcohol from the Kage's hand.

"Have you talked to that little prick?" Tsunade snarled during the reception after the coronation ceremony.

Naruto crossed his arms. "This isn't my first time running into him," then turned suddenly when Tsunade snatched the cup from his hand and quickly chugged it down.

The scathing frown on her face corrected as the Captain of the Guardians neared. With a deceiving sweet face that welcomed him, Tsunade punched him in the stomach. "What have you found out about the attack?"

The Captain held his stomach and wheeze. After he managed to catch his breath he answered, "We haven't been able to trace the bombs but it was certainly an inside job."

Tsunade knew that the moment she stepped into the capital. "And let's say, hypothetically, Tahiko was the culprit, hypothetically."

The Captain frowned. "Then hypothetically there is nothing we can do. The guardians protect the Daimyo whoever it is. We will give our lives. I swear on my honor that I will protect him with my life."

"Of course," Tsunade smiled sweetly, "Of course."

"You think he did it?" Naruto asked under his breath after Tsunade dismissed the Captain as if he was an annoying fly.

"I don't think this is a coincidence," Tsunade replied. "If you believe in coincidences, you're not a fucking ninja."

The next day was hours and hours of meetings. Naruto stood behind Tsunade and half-listened to the conversation about security and their plan of action for the state of affairs. He straightened when the Fire Daimyo suddenly interrupted the meeting.

Tsunade smiled sweetly. "It is nice for you to join us," she said even though he was supposed to have been here hours ago.

The Fire Daimyo stopped before the table of the most important people in all of Fire Country. "I've been thinking that this country needs a few changes."

"Oh," Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "And what type of changes do you suggest?"

"Most of the taxes that the Daimyo collects goes to the military. Fire Country has never had a war on its soil. Why should we still pay Konoha so much to defend us?"

Naruto could feel the frown Tsunade was hiding. "You're suggesting cutting Konoha's budget?"

"The money that Konoha needs is exorbitant!" The Daimyo claimed. "I could use it for more useful purposes like building a second castle."

"I can assure you that the money is spent responsibly. I have sent you the reports detailing Konoha's finances. Nothing is extraneous."

The Fire Daimyo scoffed. "I have seen the reports. I think the village is using my money for its own purposes. Look at this, Uzumaki Naruto is the highest paid ninja on the payroll."

"I can assure you that Naruto deserves every bit he earns for what he does for this country." Tsunade replied. "And we are currently still laying siege to the Village Hidden in the Mountain."

"You've said yourself Mountain is all but done," The Daimyo argued. "And look at how much money Konoha has given Suna, just given away!"

"Suna was undergoing a famine and the protection of Konoha's closest ally is a security issue."

"Suna is a parasite," The Daimyo declared. "Perhaps this alliance is weakening us."

"We now have ninja intermarrying freely between the two villages. It's taken years to get to that level of trust," Tsunade argued.

"I order that the military budget be cut to half of what is used to be."

Tsunade looked aghast. Naruto peeled himself from the wall and decided to get the Hokage out of here before she attacked the Fire Daimyo. Naruto dipped and said loudly into her ear. "There has been an urgent message from Konoha."

Tsunade smiled weakly and bowed, "Excuse me."

"Wait." The Fire Daimyo said as if wanting to rub the salt into the wound, "and I want Uzumaki's reassignment. If he the strongest ninja in the world, then that's the person I want protecting me. Surely Uzumaki, you will accept the invitation to become one of my Twelve Guardians?"

Before the resounding 'No' came out of Naruto's mouth, Tsunade shoved her hand into his face.

"Of course he will," Tsunade said sweetly. "He would love the honor."

When they exited the room Naruto gave her a horrified look. "What?"

Tsunade snatched Naruto's sleeve and pulled him close. "You have just been assigned a new mission," Tsunade couldn't believe the words that were about to come out of her mouth.

"I want you to assassinate the Fire Daimyo."


x


They say a ninja's prime is their late teens and everything goes downhill from there. You get slower, and weaker, and your body just can't keep up with what you want it to do. Then suddenly it's our experience that's more valued. I don't like to see the wrinkles. I don't like to feel myself withering away. Getting old sucks.


AN: Updated 06/23/14