Disclaimer: I do not own the original Naruto characters used in this fiction, just the couples' kids.
Parents:
Sasuke & Sakura—Kiku and Daisuke; Neji & Tenten—Cho and Ryuu; Naruto & Hinata—Kitsune and Naien; Shikamaru & Temari—Shikarou, Tomoko, and Takara; Kiba & Ino—Misaki (and Shiroko); Itachi & Hana—Katai (and Chairomaru); Kakashi & Kurenai—Rei; Gaara & Matsuri—Yua; Unknown—Raiden, Osamu, Manako (and Aoko), Soshina, Takeshi
Ages:
Kiku, Raiden, Cho, Osamu, Katai, Manako, Rei, Takara, Tomoko—all 16; chuunin
Daisuke, Misaki, Kitsune, Shikarou, Ryuu, Yua—all 13; genin
Parenting 101
Story 36: Turning Point
It's funny how things always work out in the end—if this is even the end.
"Sakura," a deep voice said, alarm tainting its tone, as Sasuke suddenly appeared at his wife's and daughter's side. And suddenly, the field got a lot more crowded. To Kiku's left, Kiba and Akamaru stood near Shiroko, as well as Ino, Shino, Lee and Chouji. To her right, on the other side of Shikarou, stood Shikamaru and Temari and, spread out beside them, were Naruto, Hinata, and Shizune. On the opposite end of the field, behind where Kitsune's possessed body stood, Itachi, Hana, Kakashi, Kurenai, and Gai had her cornered. And then Kiku finally made sense of it all. They were creating a barrier around her, making sure each side was strong enough to keep her contained.
Kiku felt someone grasp her wrist and she whipped around to see Cho standing beside her. Rei, Katai, and Chairomaru were standing slightly behind her, all wearing comms pieces. "Back up behind us," Sasuke whispered and Kiku turned to look at him and nodded.
"Protect them," Sakura added, gesturing towards where Daisuke, Shikarou, and Misaki were standing. "They're your priority."
The chuunin nodded, backing up behind the adults to huddle around Daisuke, Shikarou, and Misaki. Kiku pulled Soshina back with them as they moved. Shiroko spotted her master retreating and ran behind Kiba and Akamaru. She was at Misaki's side in an instant, whimpering uneasily while Misaki absently petted her with shaking hands.
Cho flicked on her comms unit and whispered into it. "Chirashi," she whispered, using Takara's codename. She listened for a moment and then sighed in relief. "Really? They're alright? Thank goodness." Then she was serious. "Yes, it seems pretty bad here. She's surrounded." More listening. "Yeah but—yes. Be careful. And come around the back way." Then she switched if off. "They're coming," she announced.
They nodded at this. It would be more helpful if Tomoko and Takara were in the picture, and they would be able to keep an eye on Ryuu and Yua as well. Although, Kiku realized, she wasn't sure what kind of state Yua might be in if she was brought near the Kyubi while it was dominant.
Kyubi looked around with a calculating face, studying everyone that surrounded her.
"Kitsune," Misaki said loudly, weaving through everyone that huddled around her.
"Misaki, what the hell are you doing?" Katai hissed as he, Chairomaru, and Shiroko stepped forward with her. She stopped before she was past Sakura and Naruto, and everyone seemed to be holding their breaths as they looked between her and Kyubi with wary eyes. Though Misaki made a motion for them to back off, Katai, Chairomaru, and Shiroko did not retreat from where they were stood beside her.
She ignored everyone who watched and focused her eyes on Kyubi, who stared back at her with the same wariness as everyone else.
"Kitsune, I'm so sorry for what I did," she said.
Beside Kiku, Daisuke flinched.
"I'm sorry about everything," she continued, her voice becoming shaky as she could feel the tears coming on. "I… betrayed you, and I'm sorry for it. You're my best friend in the entire world but I didn't treat you like it. I know it's unforgivable." She paused, shaking her head. "But don't jeopardize everyone else if it's me you're angry with."
There was a moment of silence.
"But I know that this isn't you," she added, her voice suddenly fierce. "This is the Kyubi's doing. But please hear me out anyway."
Kyubi eyed her strangely with an expression none of them could quite decipher.
"What's Misaki talking about?" Rei asked in a hushed tone to no one in particular. Daisuke and Shikarou exchanged glances.
But Kyubi spoke, grabbing everyone's attention. "Kitsune was never mad at you," she said, and Misaki's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. A breeze passed through the training ground, blowing stray leaves through the air. "My sister's known that secret of yours all along."
"Sister?" a strained gasp choked out, coming from Hinata.
Kyubi turned her head in Hinata's direction, and there was a distant look in her eyes. Her entire expression softened as she took in Hinata's face.
"Hinata, what is it?" Naruto asked worriedly, turning to look at his wife, who looked like she'd received good yet terrifying news.
"Naien-chan?" she gasped.
Kyubi stiffened, and all the adults seemed to freeze at the name.
"Impossible," Naruto finally choked out after what seemed like an eternity of silence, turning his head to look at Kyubi.
"It really is her," another voice corrected, and Yua, who was suddenly standing on the other side of Shiroko, looked at Kyubi intently. Neji, Tenten, and Matsuri entered the gab between Shizune and Kakashi, and Tomoko and Takara were suddenly with the others as well.
Kyubi stared back at Yua with the same intensity.
"How do you know about Naien?" Shizune asked.
Yua looked over at Shizune, and then to Naruto and Hinata, before her eyes fell on Kyubi once more, who nodded.
She took a deep breath. "I know Naien-chan because she's been with us all along," she announced. The way she spoke, it was as if the words had always been formed in her mind and were just waiting to come out. "Kitsune and I have known about these demons since we were younger, and that's when we found out Naien didn't really die at birth. Her life is still alive in Kitsune, and so is Kyubi no Yoko's. Kitsune is the host that keeps them both alive."
"Is that even possible?" Sakura asked.
Yua nodded. "None of us can see Naien-chan as herself because we are still seeing Kitsune's face."
"Yua, you don't have to do this," Kyubi spoke, although when they all looked at her, they had a strong sense that Yua's words were true. The demon possessing Kitsune's body was not much of a demon at all—it was like another person entirely.
Yua shook her head and smiled. "I know that Kitsune would want everyone to see you for who you are."
Naien broke into a smile as well, and Hinata gasped again.
"It really is Naien-chan!" she cried.
"But how can you tell?" Shizune questioned.
It was Matsuri who answered for Hinata, a smile adorning her face. "A mother has no doubts when it comes to her children."
Hinata raced forward, Naruto right behind her, and engulfed Naien into a hug. At first, Naien's eyes were wide in surprise. But then the shock was replaced with tears that wet her face and she hugged Hinata back with equal longing. Naruto stood beside her, and Hinata reached over so that Naien was hugging him as well.
"I'm so sorry," she cried, though it was slightly muffled because her face was pressed into Hinata's and Naruto's shoulders. She was trembling as she tried to keep an arm around the both of them. She kept shaking her head, crying even more. "I'm so sorry. I'm… I'm sorry for everything."
In her head, Naien could hear Kitsune's voice, which was also emotional but it was blissful as well.
'See, imouto? You deserve happiness,' Kitsune reassured. 'You deserve your family, and family means no one gets left behind. Or forgotten.'
Naien nodded, crying even harder.
"It's alright, Naien-chan," Hinata cooed softly, rubbing her daughter's back. "It's alright. Everything's going to be okay. Everything will be okay."
"I don't think I can take anymore surprises for tonight," Kakashi admitted.
"Neither can I," Naruto agreed, exasperation coloring his tone.
"Ah, the joys of parenting," Gai chuckled.
"Of course, you wouldn't really know them, now would you?" Kakashi asked and Naruto laughed.
The scene changed dramatically in just a matter of minutes. No one would've guessed what had previously happened based on what everyone was doing now. It just looked like one large, misshapen gathering of friends and family in the middle of the night. Separate conversations were happening all at once, there was jokes and laughter being exchanged, and everything just seemed so… so right.
There were so many different interactions going on at once.
Rei and Tomoko were deep in a conversation. Misaki and Takara were laughing while playing with Shiroko, Chairomaru, and Akamaru. Katai and Cho were talking with Ryuu (about an embarrassing topic, most likely, due to the fact Ryuu was reddening in his cheeks and the two chuunin were laughing). Kiku was talking with Daisuke and Kitsune. Yua seemed to be teasing Shikarou about something. Naruto was talking with Kakashi and Gai. Sasuke was holding a conversation with Nej, Shino, Itachi, and Hana. Kiba, Shikamaru, Chouji, and Lee seemed to be "debating" over some unknown topic. Sakura, Temari, Tenten, and Ino were laughing about some inside joke, and Hinata, Matsuri, Kurenai, and Shizune were holding a pleasant conversation not too far away from the other women.
"Well, I think it's become late enough," Ino was saying before putting a hand over her mouth as she yawned.
"Ready to go home, babe?" Kiba asked, encircling his arms around his wife's waist as Akamaru stood beside them.
She nodded sleepily, planting a kiss on his lips.
"Ah, I almost forgot all ANBU personnel have been asked to work overtime lately, huh?" Sakura asked. "Must be tedious."
"It is," Tenten agreed, looking a little tired herself.
Neji walked over to her side and placed an arm around her waist. She twisted to rest her head on his shoulder, placing her own arms around his waist while doing so. Sasuke and Shikamaru were also at their wives' sides, placing a brief put loving kiss on their lips. Sakura and Temari smiled.
"Misaki, let's go," Kiba called.
Misaki looked up as her name was called. "Alright," she said, and then her eyes met with Kitsune's.
Kitsune smiled brightly at her, and it was obvious that Naien's words were right: Kitsune was never mad with Misaki to begin with. "See you tomorrow, Mimi-chan," Kitsune said as she walked over and pulled Misaki into a huge hug, which Misaki gladly returned.
She nodded. "Yeah," she said, pulling away. Then she turned to the others, though when her eyes reached Daisuke they lingered. "See ya."
Daisuke nodded lightly, though when she turned around and began to leave with Shiroko, he sighed, confused more than ever. Ryuu nudged his shoulder reassuringly, though didn't say anything. They were all too drained, and everything could always be put off until after a good night's sleep.
"Cho, Ryuu, let's go," Tenten said.
They both nodded.
"'Night, man," Shikarou and Daisuke said, while Kitsune simply smiled at her cousin.
Ryuu nodded, smiling back. "Goodnight."
He turned around and was face-to-face with Yua, who beamed sleepily at him. "Night," she said before pecking his cheek.
He blushed but smiled as well, nodding. Cho hugged Kiku, Rei, Takara, Tomoko, and Katai, and waved to the others. "Goodnight," she said, and she and Ryuu raced up to their parents, walking back towards their home.
Shikamaru and Temari looked to their children, not having to say anything for them to understand.
"See you tomorrow, I guess," Shikarou said to Daisuke, who grinned and nodded.
"If you get out of bed, that is," Yua laughed playfully at her cousin. "Night."
He nodded to the both of them, turning to face Kitsune, who was beaming at him. "Goodnight, Shikarou-kun," she said, pulling him into a hug. "And thank you."
A smile spread across his face, which didn't go unnoticed by the others, though he ignored the way everyone was grinning at the two of them. "There's nothing to thank me for," he reminded. She gave him a meaningful look and he grinned back. "But yeah, I guess that means you're welcome."
He walked over to his parents, rolling his eyes at his sisters, who were smirking at him but otherwise said nothing. Chouji walked away with them as well, talking with Shikamaru and Temari.
"Let's go," Hana announced. She, Itachi, Sakura, and Sasuke were already waiting halfway across the field.
"That's our cue," Katai chuckled, placing a hand on top of Chairomaru's head.
Both Katai and Kiku hugged Rei goodnight and stood to wait for Daisuke, who was being told "goodnight" from Yua. He turned to Kitsune, unsure of what to expect, but she was smiling at him and nodded, as if saying everything was alright. He smiled, nodding back, and turned to leave. "Oh, and Daisuke-kun?"
He looked at her.
"Naien-chan says she's sorry about everything."
Daisuke smile. "Oh. Well tell her to not worry about it," he grinned. "But she's forgiven, too."
Kitsune beamed. "Goodnight."
"G'night." And he turned, walking away with Kiku, Katai, and Chairomaru.
"Ready to go, Rei?" Kurenai asked, appearing at her daughter's side. Rei nodded, waving to Kitsune and Yua, before walking with her mother to where Kakashi was waiting for them, and Shizune walked away with them as well, talking with Kurenai. Shino, Lee, and Gai made their leave as well, bidding everyone a goodnight and promising to see them tomorrow, before disappearing into the night.
Kitsune and Yua walked over to Naruto, Hinata, and Matsuri, and the mothers placed their hands on their daughter's shoulders as they walked back towards the hokage tower, Naruto walking behind them.
'Just how it's supposed to be, huh?' Kitsune heard Naien ask in her head, and Kitsune grinned.
A lot of things had happened that night, maybe more than anyone could really wrap their minds around—truths were revealed, and where some things were brought to an end, other things had just begun. But, as they were walking through a peaceful Konoha, Kitsune couldn't help but think that this was the turning point for it all.
Quote from Chapter 35: "Faint hearts never won fair lady."—from Peter Pan
Clichéd ending, I know, but I couldn't help it—I just HAD to put it in. It completed everything xD
Well that's the ending to (coincidentally) another 4-part-saga.
Oh, and I forgot to mention this in Chapter 33 when I made the first correction, but thank you to Chiisai Senpai for correcting me on the Aka-san/Oka-san thing. I had found the "Aka-san" on a website so I'd always written mother like that. Thanks for pointing it out(:
And I'm sorry for any spelling/grammatical errors I overlooked in the past four chapters. I shall really re-edit everything after the new year!
HAPPY NEW YEAR'S EVERYONE!!!
Thank you for being such wonderful readers!
Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Criticism? Flames? Don't hesitate to make your opinions known in a review or PM, whatever suits you.
Ciao! Au Reveoir! Zai Jian! Hasta Lavista! Ja Ne! Goodbye (till next time, at least!)