A/N: Not much to say here. One of longer chapters in this story so hopefully the wait was worth it. This is also probably one of the most important chapters in the story and in more ways than one so read closely. I know it's a little dialogue heavy but it just had to happen. This is the last chapter before the Festival begins. Finally, school started up this past week and though I have the least amount of credit hours I've ever had in my college career I've never been busier. So, as a heads up, the updates might take a little longer to get out. Sorry. If I could make a living on this site I'd probably be churning out a chapter a day. But alas…I cannot.
Last Time: A party was thrown at the new Uzumaki compound to christen the uninhabited estate and to loosen the nerves of the Night Angels before the big mission. The remaining members of the Konoha 12 showed up along with Hiashi, Hanabi, Tsunade, the Anbu Commander, Hare, Boar, and the Konohamaru Corps. Naruto was then elected the fourth head of the Uzumaki clan and formerly recognized as a clan in the eyes of the Hidden Leaf Village. Then Sai was "adopted" into the clan, further cementing his bonds with Naruto and the others. Shortly afterwards Jihibiki and Naruto rounded up the members of the mission and took them to the third floor of the mansion to find a secret control center of the village. Jihibiki then showed the members present the 3-D map of Konoha complete with real-time feed of every person present in the village. When combined with Shino's Justice Mask, the ninja could then mark all of their targets and have a bird's eye view of the entire mission. Rejoining the party, the group found everyone completely wasted and a sloppy mess. Seeing Renge was much the same way, Naruto took the opportunity to ask her about the fall of Uzushiogakure.
Chapter 36: The 15th Day
"Naruto!" Jihibiki hissed, glancing around them. "This is hardly the place to be talking about that!"
Naruto simply stared at his grandfather impassively. "More like you just don't want to relive it. I've waited long enough to hear the full story. Either tell it to me or let me accept what Kurama's told me as the whole truth."
"Damn right I don't want to relive it, let alone put Renge through it!" Jihibiki said.
A tense silence followed as the two stared each other down.
"S'kay Jihibiki," she said in low voice. "He has a right ta know."
"I know that!" He snapped, "But the others don't!"
"I wash jusht getting ready to leave acshually." Hiashi said as he stood up with a stumble. Looking over at youngest daughter he said, "Hanabi, be a dear and help daddy home."
"But what about Konohamaru-kun and the others?" Hanabi asked in more concern than she should have. It seemed the alcohol was causing the situation to become life or death for the young teen.
"Bah!" Haishi said waving his hand and nearly causing him to topple over. "They can come too!"
"Yay! Come on Kono-kun!" Hanabi shouted as she pulled the Sarutobi heir to his feet. "Come on guys!"
Turning back to the table he said, "Neji…I trusht you can shee Hina…ta home?"
Neji squinted at Hiashi for a second as if he were trying to make out who was speaking. When he finally realized who it was he shot him a sloppy thumb up. "You got it chief!"
"We'll be taking our leave as well." Shino said. On his back was Tamamushi, snoring softly and giggling. Next to him was Shikamaru, who was hoisting Choji over his shoulder with the help of Temari while Ino pulled Kiba along. Rei, Kenshi, and Akira were already silently walking through the house to the front door. Typical Anbu move, never say goodbye.
"Alright, thanks for coming out guys!" Naruto said with a grin and a wave.
"We'll see ourselves out, see you tomorrow Naruto." Shino said with a nod.
Samui shifted uncomfortably when she realized she was the last person there who wasn't immediate family or intimately familiar with them. "I can leave if I'm an inconvenience."
Renge just cackled and waved her off, "We're all teamin' up in the war and havin' ta repeat myself after Sai gets back from escortin' ya home would be a pain. Besides," she said with a sloppy evil smile, "wouldn't wanna go runnin' off a future Uzumaki."
"W-W-What?!" Samui sputtered out with a crimson blush.
"Teasin'!" Renge sang with a wink.
"Get used to it…" Hinata muttered as she leaned against Naruto shoulder.
"Back to the topic at hand," Naruto said taking control of the conversation and looking at the Uzumaki matriarch. "Baa-chan, what bridge burned on the day Uzushiogakure fell? And why?"
Renge was silent as the memories began to lap up to the front of her mind like waves on the very beaches she used to call home. Her eyes narrowed, not in anger but in the way a veteran remembers painful scars from a war. Letting out a tired sigh her alcohol sodden eyes roamed over the group before finally settling on Naruto's eager yet firm face.
"Where ta start…I s'ppose from the beginnin', yes?" She half muttered to herself and pulled a picture from her pocket.
Sliding it across the table, Naruto, Hinata, Sai, and Karin all leaned in to look at it. The photograph was worn and old, the edges tattered and yellowing despite being a black and white. In it, two women dressed in regal kimonos sat in front of the camera—their smiles lighting up their already beautiful features. They were sisters no doubt, the similarities in their nose, cheeks, and smiles said that much, and they looked to be in their early twenties. Their features were familiar to Naruto, but he couldn't quite figure out why. Young, beautiful, and apparently of noble birth—the two women were most certainly well off in the world.
"They're beautiful," Hinata said softly, trying to keep the envy out of her voice.
"Thanks sweetie," Renge said with a small smile. "That picture is of me an' Mito on the day I was inaugurated as the third Daimyo of Uzu."
"Heh, well that explains why they look so familiar." Naruto said taking a closer look at the picture. Noticing the one on the right had some sort of jeweled chain with a gem running across her forehead, Naruto took a guess. "This is you right," he asked pointing to her. Getting a nod from her he laughed, "I'd say age hasn't been kind to you, but for a hundred and forty-eight year-old you look pretty damn good."
Renge chuckled and shook her head. "I can't argue there. But notice someone else in the picture?"
Looking again, Naruto noticed a young man standing between the two girls in the background wearing armor of the warring states era. Slightly older than the women, he already adorned scars from previous battles he'd seen during his life. He stood at attention, the Uzumaki emblem displayed proudly on his chest and long hair pulled back in a ponytail that fell down past his shoulders. Despite his formal posture though, his body seemed to be ever-so-slightly angled towards Renge as well as his eyes even though he looked forward. Holding the picture closer, Naruto's own eyes widened when he recognized a familiar nose and chin.
"Jiji?" Naruto breathed out.
"In my prime!" Jihibiki cheered before taking a drink. "Newly elected commander of the Uzuguard, the elite guard of the Daimyo."
"So how does this fit in?" Karin asked.
Renge pointed at the photo. "Shortly after my rise, Mito left fer Konoha ta marry Hashirama. While upset, I was also happy my baby sister was gettin' hitched. The two had been courtin' fer some time an' we were both gettin' tired of waitin' on him ta pop the question."
Naruto glanced at Renge and silently evaluated her. After that last explanation it was safe to bet she was drunk. Shitfaced in fact. He hadn't heard her accent that bad since she caught Jihibiki trying to peep on the girls' bath house.
"'m off track though," Renge mumbled waving her hand back and forth slowly, her head dipping every now and then. "Not too long after she left, the Leaf had its first traitor."
"Uchiha Madara…" Tsunade muttered.
A loud shattering cut through the silence and everyone's heads jerked over to Jihibiki who was clutching a shattered sake bottle. The tell-tale signs of anger quickly draining from his face, he looked over at the group and gave an embarrassing smile. "Sorry," he said with a hiccup, "gettin' too inta the story."
"An' fer good reasons." Renge said with a deep nod.
"Why's that?" Neji asked, his eyes narrowing in confusion as well as drunken focus.
"'Cause after he lost ta Hashirama, he didn't die at the Valley of the End like 'verybody thought." Renge said slamming her cup down after another drink. Her eyes could barely stay open and her sentences were starting to become less coherent. "Nah, the bastard came crawlin' ta our doorstep clingin' ta life and beggin' fer help."
"And you did?" Naruto asked incredulously.
"Course we did!" Jihibiki scoffed, his own drunkenness increasing with each glass he drank. It was obvious he was trying to drown the memories. "We knew nothin' 'bout his and Hashirama's little cat fight. An' by the time we did, me an' the rest of the Uzuguard couldn't do anythin'…"
"Why's that?" Hinata asked sitting up. The story was quickly gaining her interest and slowly clearing her mind.
"Ah…" Renge said looking down with a blush. A fucking blush! "That one was my bad. Madara might've been a few cards short of a full deck, but he certainly knew how ta sweet talk the women."
"He seduced you?!" Naruto said with his mouth agape. He then shook his head and looked at Jihibiki. "Sorry, now I get why you didn't want to talk about it."
"Ha!" Jihibiki barked out. "That ain't even the best part!" Standing up, he began to stumble around the deck swinging his arms wildly. "He knew I secretly loved Renge! He knew what he was doin'! The bastard made sure ta rub it in my face every time I saw him!" Turning he looked at the group, his face red in a mixture of embarrassment, anger, and alcohol. "I tried ta warn Renge! Tried ta explain ta her he was just usin' her, but noooo! The red eyed bastard was a changed man—wanted ta settle down an' start a new life with a second chance!" Jihibiki collapsed back into his seat with a scoff. "My hands were tied by the very woman I loved. I couldn't disobey her, I'd lose the guard an' the only position I could be closest to her an' watch over her."
"So what happened?" Sai asked.
"He proposed." Renge said softly catching everyone by surprise.
"He…proposed?" Hinata echoed.
"An' I said yes," Renge said before suddenly looking like she was about to cry. "…An' then I lost Jihibiki."
"What do you mean?" Karin asked looking at said elder. He was obviously there.
"I left the guard." Jihibiki said crossing his arms. "I was offered a position away from it all an' when she said yes…I jus' couldn't bear ta be around her anymore."
"What were you offered?" Samui asked.
Jihibiki gave a messy grin. "My time as commander in the Uzuguard wasn't over looked. Got me a one way ticket ta the seat at the top."
"I don't understand," Hinata said.
"Uzukage…" Naruto muttered with wide eyes. "You became Uzukage?"
"The Sandaime Uzukage ta be correct." Jihibiki said proudly. "But more importantly it gave me the opportunity ta keep a closer eye on Renge and the Uchiha-teme while gettin' some space."
"What did you do?" Sai asked.
"A detail of twelve shinobi was assigned ta keep an extremely close eye on Madara. Everythin' he did, I knew about. At first, the unit I assigned thought I was crazy an' heartbroken an' just couldn't let go. That all changed nearly a year after I assigned the mission; when they caught him in the hospital laboratory runnin' experiments."
"What kind of experiments?" Naruto asked.
"Gene splicing." Jihibiki answered. His eyebrows knitted together as the details resurfaced in his foggy mind. "He was tryin' to graft…cells…cells of Hashirama onto his own body in an attempt harness his wood release. While that wasn't necessarily a big problem, the documents we found with him were. Scrolls detailin' ancient medical seals, theories on gene heritage an' manipulation, as well as the Uzumaki ancestry bloodline were with him when he was caught. These scrolls were kept under strict security—limited access—only the Daimyo, Uzukage, top echelon researchers, and elders had access to them. Which could only mean one thing…"
"He attacked the guards and broke into the vaults," Renge finished. "When they found him in the laboratory he ran ta me an' tried ta convince me it was nothin' serious. When that didn't work…he took me hostage."
A pregnant silence fell over the group as they listened on, captivated by the story unfolding before them.
"How did you manage to escape?" Hinata finally asked, breaking the silence.
Renge smiled softly. "Jihibiki saved me." Everyone shifted their gaze to them and he gave a cocky smirk. "The sneaky bastard went an' placed a summonin' seal on a pair of my favorite earrings. All it took were a few hand seals and I was away from the bastard and in the arms of this man here," she said patting her husband's hand. "Knowin' he'd lost Madara ran, but not before swearin' he'd return and raze Uzushio to the ground."
"It seems he'd been doing a lot of that." Naruto muttered to himself with a huff.
"Jihibiki sent our best ninja after him," Renge continued. "But they either came up empty handed…or never returned. Six months later Jihibiki and I were married and a month after that I found out I was pregnant with our only child, Ryuzu. We hadn't heard anything of Madara in that time, an' figured he'd either died or gone inta hidin'. Ta be safe, we never stopped searchin' and even warned Hashirama of his possible reappearance."
Renge's eyes grew distant as another wave of memories surfaced. "A year later…he returned. Just appeared one day on the bridge that connected Uzushio to the mainland. He demanded Jihibiki be executed, we accept him as the new ruler, I marry him…and we kill Ryuzu."
"That's…That's horrible!" Hinata said bringing a hand to her mouth.
"Not as horrible as how he wanted us to kill him!" Jihibiki snarled slamming his fist down on the table. "My son…my very pride…and he wanted us ta throw him from the wall of Uzushio inta the strait, the one that feeds inta the very whirlpools that protected out great country!"
"Naturally we declined his offer, an' politely asked him ta fuck off." Renge explained with a giggle. "So he left, an' a week later a force of over twenty thousand shinobi appeared on our doorstep."
"You just let him leave?" Sai asked in shock.
"Shadow Clone." Jihibiki and Renge said at the same time in irritation. Evidently they hadn't planned on letting him leave.
"The fall of Uzu," Karin whispered. "That's what happened next, right?"
"No," Renge said shaking her head, "even with their forces they couldn't penetrate our defenses. The whirlpools Uzu takes its name from served us well, and the only points of attack were from the bridge connecting Whirlpool ta Fire Country an' the strait that divided our village in two. However, in order ta enter the strait one would have ta thread their way through multiple whirlpools, so we bolstered our forces at the bridge and created a bottleneck on Fire Country's side. Fer two whole weeks they tried ta push us back and hold the bridge, intent on claimin' our only connection ta the mainland. Layin' siege an' starvin' us out, that was their goal. But with Jihibiki spearheadin' our efforts, we easily held them at bay."
"They're mistake was in thinkin' they could lay siege ta us." Jihibiki said with a knowing smirk. "Little did they know Uzu had five years worth of provisions sealed away in case such a thing occurred. So over two weeks, little by little we gave ground—layin' traps, seals, ambushes, anythin' that would hurt their forces. By the time they arrived at our gates, their forces had been halved and their morale was nearly broken. Combined with the seals that protected our walls, it was only a matter of time before we won."
"So how did we lose?" Naruto asked the question on everyone's mind.
"The bane of our existence returned." Renge spat out. She glared at the contents of her glass, her knuckles turning white from her grip. "Madara turned the army's attention away from bridge an' towards the strait. They were skeptical at first, they had tried twice before ta make it through the whirlpools an' both attempts ended in utter failure. But with him…things changed drastically."
"The Rinnegan." Jihibiki explained. "The bastard had figured out a way ta unlock it. An' with its abilities he was unstoppable…A true god amongst men."
"Yes, we're familiar with the ego that comes with it." Naruto muttered.
"Ya know nothing!" Renge scoffed, surprising the blonde. "What Nagato possessed in skills barely scratched the surface in terms of what the dojutsu's true capabilities were."
"He started by makin' a shadow clone," Jihibiki said, his thousand yard stare bringing his past back to life. "Then he split the forces in two, his shadow clone stayed on the bridge and began ta destroy the seals while the real Madara took the other army and approached the heart of the village by water."
"At first, our main concern was the gate and focused our attention there." Renge explained. "While I restored the seals ta the walls, Jihibiki lead wave after wave of Uzu shinobi out ta the bridge ta push the army back. We didn't think Madara would make it ta the strait…it shouldn't have been possible for anyone…but he wasn't jus' anyone."
"The first report of something wrong trickled inta my office a little past noon on the fifteenth day." Jihibiki said, his eyes narrowing. "Reports of earthquakes rockin' the village and causin' minor damage were the first signs of somethin' comin'. At first I assumed it was from the fightin' on the bridge…then a report came of a large mass appearin' on the horizon of the eastern side of the island. My initial fear was that Kiri joined the battle an' was attemptin' to attack from our backside. It turned out ta be somethin' far worse."
"If it wasn't Kiri then what was it?" Sai asked.
"A mountain," Jihibiki said bluntly. The rest of the group looked at him with blank faces. "More specifically, mountains. Madara was shiftin' the very floor of the ocean. Causin' a range of mountains ta spring up and disrupt the whirlpools. It was then I knew we would need aide if we were ta survive, so I sent a plea ta Hashirama."
"But the aid never came." Naruto said.
"No it didn't!" Renge yelled slamming her fists on the table so hard she knocked over all the glasses. "The bastard lost his spine, an' 'cause of that we lost our home!" Everyone was silent as they watched tears begin to run down the old redhead's cheeks. "The gates fell first. The seals that guarded our village for decades failed us. An' so many of our clansmen lost their lives tryin' ta push them back from enterin' the city. They were outnumbered an' outclassed—nothin' more than squads of inexperienced genin-level trainees lead by green chuunin. Jihibiki had taken the more experienced ninja ta deal with the force comin' by water."
"We fared no better against the water force," Jihibiki said staring at the space in front of him on the table. "Before, I coulda taken Madara on no problem…but this time…it was different. Much different. I was backpedalin' the entire time. Too busy bein' defensive, tryin' ta save those around me, I couldn't go on the offensive. So when I heard the front gate had fallen, I ordered the retreat ta Little Uzu."
"What's Little Uzu?" Sai asked.
"Uzushio was divided inta two sections by a strait." Renge explained. "Big Uzu was where everythin' that ran Uzushio was located. Businesses, ports, trainin' fields, the kage tower. Little Uzu was where the livin' accommodations were—anyone who lived in Uzushio lived in Little Uzu."
"So when Jiji ordered the retreat it was chaos, right?" Karin asked. "A slow mass of civilians trying to make their way across the bridge out in the open?"
"No, thank god." Renge said.
"I put the entire city on lockdown." Jihibiki explained. "All citizens were to remain confined to their living quarters for the duration of the siege. The only exceptions were for medical emergencies and to retrieve weekly rations. So instead of thousands of people trying to cram across a bridge it was a few hundred. Much easier."
"The retreatin' force with Jihibiki met up with my force at the gate, allowin' the citizens ta retreat across the bridge an' Jihibiki ta cut loose. Outta sheer dumb luck, I managed ta dispel the shadow clone of the Uchiha bastard, an' once I did the fight came ta a standstill. It was durin' this time I left the fight an' started layin' explosive seals on the bridge. By the time Madara's force linked up with the gate force everythin' was complete, an' with Jihibiki distractin' Madara the plan was gonna work perfectly."
"So everything went off without a hitch?" Hinata asked.
Renge glanced at Jihibiki and saw the tears in his eyes. Reaching out she squeezed his hand and brought it to her lips. "No…" she said softly. "It didn't go off without a hitch."
"What happened?" Neji asked, wrapping his arms tighter around Karin.
"In their panic, the citizens left their belongings scattered across the bridge—carts, wagons, crates," Renge said. "An' amidst the chaos, word never reached the hospital ta evacuate…"
"No…" Naruto muttered as he started to piece it together.
"Yes," Renge said wiping away some tears. "There was too much debris on the bridge, an' the more heavily wounded shinobi were going as fast as they could…but the army was gainin' on them. In a desperate attempt, nearly half the male citizens raced back onta the bridge ta help their guardians and protectors…" Renge trailed off as a sob overcame her. "I've never forget that day…Ordinary men runnin' headlong into battle…Jutsus flying over head…Screams of terror and agony of those injured an' dyin'…An' they just ignored it all. They just charged across with a cry of defiance. Throwin' anythin' they could ta the side or over the bridge, throwin' their comrades over their backs or just draggin' them across the ground…"
Renge's voice then became bitter and she scowled. "But it wasn't enough! The army caught up and was crossin' the bridge, cuttin' down everyone they could. It was a massacre an' only maybe a handful of the injured an' civilians had made it ta the other side. Those on the bridge were out of time an' I was out of options…"
"Oh my god…" Hinata said as tears fell from her eyes and she put a hand to her mouth to suppress a sob. She turned to Naruto and he instinctively wrapped his arms around her. "You blew the bridge."
"No…I did." Jihibiki said in a dead voice, his eyes replaying the past. "Renge froze. She just stood there with her hand in the seal, but she couldn't activate it. Even though the army was getting' closer an' closer she just didn't have it in her ta kill her own people…So I stepped in an' did it."
Looking up slowly Renge said, "After the bridge was destroyed, seals on the banks of Big Uzu activated killin' even more and sendin' half a mile of shoreline inta the strait. The invasion was stopped, but only fer a time. An' in that moment we gathered the last of us in the town center an' activated the emergency seal."
"What did it do?" Naruto asked.
"It was a massive transportation seal." Jihibiki said. "The sister seal was on the southern coastline of Fire Country, near Tea. It was a Homing Beacon seal…so naturally, what was left of the clan was scattered along the coast fer miles."
"And what happened to Uzushio?" Samui asked, speaking for the first time.
"I stayed behind." Jihibiki said darkly. "I stayed behind an' killed every last bastard I could get my hands on…They thought they could ransack my home, my village, so I gave them what they were lookin' fer…I activated a self destruction seal that wiped out the entire village. An' when I finally came ta Madara I let out all the stops. I used the one technique not even he could stop."
A hushed silence fell over everyone. The entire group collectively holding their breath in anticipation for what was about to come. The move that supposedly defeated the most powerful man in the world.
"And what would that be?" Naruto finally asked, unable to wait through the silence and longer.
Jihibiki turned to him slowly. His once bright clear eyes now flat as he remembered the death and horror of that day. Then they darkened, and a crazed smile split across his face. The smile of a man who exacted his revenge in the worst possible way.
"I used the one seal ya've been intimate with yer entire life, Naruto." He said softly, and his grin widened. "The Shiki Fujin."
She managed to find him in the pagoda, sitting silently with his back against one of the support beams staring out across the water. He'd apparently used the hand seals because the whirlpool had fallen silent, and the glassy mirror of water reflected the stars and moon perfectly making it appear as if where he sat was on the edge of eternity. She hesitated for a moment, torn between going to him and giving him space. She watched him drain the contents of his sake bottle and toss it to the side—her eyes growing when she saw it come to a stop by all the others he'd already drank.
She quietly made her way out to him.
"I was wondering when you'd show up." Naruto murmured as he opened another bottle of sake. "My bet was bottle number twelve." He held the bottle up and examined it. "Guess you're early."
"Naruto-kun," Hinata said kneeling down beside him and halting his hand from bringing the bottle to his lips. "Please stop."
"I'm not drunk Hinata."
"I know, b-but drinking when you're upset is n-not a good habit to start."
Naruto stared at her. He could tell that she didn't like standing up to him, it was all over her face. Almost like she was in pain. Letting out a sigh he lowered the bottle and turned his head and look down, staring at his reflection. Locking eyes with himself, Naruto let out something between a disgusted scoff and rueful chuckle.
"Tell me, Hinata." He asked still taking in his appearance. "What do you see when you look at me?"
Hinata struggled to find the words to ease his mind. Renge and Jihibiki's story was difficult to swallow, but what they said afterwards had been world shaking. She knew he'd taken the news hard. Hell, she was taking it hard herself. And if she was upset about it, then there was no telling what the blonde in front of her was feeling. But she hated seeing him like this. She hated seeing him so tormented and hurt on the inside. And she knew if he was going to get better then she needed to be strong for him.
"I-I see…s-someone whose had a hard life and is s-stronger because of it." Hinata said softly.
"Bullshit!" Naruto said throwing the bottle to the side. "You're only one of a very few people I trust wholeheartedly, Hinata. Don't ruin that by saying things that aren't true."
"Th-Then what do y-you see?"
Naruto went back to looking at his reflection. He peered into his tired eyes and scowled.
"I see a boy who was beaten down his entire life, physically and mentally. I see a ninja who's been handed a task so great no one could ever hope to accomplish it." His scowl hardened even more until anger was oozing out of his words. "And I see a man whose entire life has been created for the sole purpose of being some kind of sick joke for the gods."
"So tell me Hinata." Naruto asked again, turning to her as he fought back frustrated tears. "What do you really see?"
Hinata gazed into his tired eyes and felt her heart break from his soul's desperation. She knew what she needed to say, she only prayed he wouldn't hate her for it.
"I see…" Hinata replied softly, her own eyes starting to moisten. "I s-see a man who's in over his head. I see a m-man whose will is about to b-break, whose principles are a-about to be crushed. I l-look at you…and I see a man who is trying with all his strength…b-but in the end will f-f-fail!"
Naruto stared at Hinata with his mouth hanging slightly open and eyes unblinking. His breathing became shallow and the slightest trace of a smile appeared at the corners of his mouth for a fraction of a second before disappearing. Turning away from her he let out something between a weak laugh and exhale. They both sat in silence, the only noise being Hinata's sniffles as she patiently waited for his response.
"Well," Naruto said taking a breath in. It seemed as if it had become impossibly difficult to breath, and his body felt heavy and dull. "I guess if you don't even believe in me then I'm fucked…huh?"
"That's n-not what I said, Naruto-kun."
"Yes, it pretty much was!" Naruto snapped causing the girl across from him to flinch. Realizing what he'd just done, Naruto ran a weary hand over his. "Please leave me alone, Hinata."
"Naruto-kun…" Hinata said as she felt hot tears start to streak down her cheeks. It hurt. It hurt to see him like this. It hurt to hear him tell her to go. And it hurt, unbelievably so, to hear him say her name with nothing else—no suffix, no emotion, nothing at all.
"I'm serious; I just want to be left alone." Naruto said looking out back across the water.
He was dismissing her, or at least trying to. And for some reason that made her upset. Maybe it was because she was sick of being dismissed. Her father did it all the time. Neji as well when they were younger. But hearing it from Naruto ignited something within her so hot and volatile the poor blonde had no hope of being prepared.
"No!"
"What?" Naruto asked in surprise, whipping his head around. He instantly regretted his decision when he turned head on into a smack causing his head to shoot back the way it came. Blinking the stars away and holding a stinging cheek he looked back at Hinata in a mix of confusion and anger. "What the hell Hinata?"
"I don't know what it is about you Uzumaki and you alls self-pitying but it has got to stop!" Hinata said as loudly as she could without being disrespectful to the monument. Grabbing him by the front of his shirt she gave him a hard look. "I believe in you! I always have and I always will! But you've got to understand something and by god I won't leave you alone until you do! Every human has a breaking point! There's only so much a single person can carry! Only so much before they finally crack and give up! And last time I checked, you were only human!"
"So what are you saying?" Naruto asked glaring back at her.
"I'm saying that you need to realize you can't always be the hero! There's only so much you can do."
"So I should just give up? Just roll over and stop fighting?!"
Another smack echoed across the water and Naruto now held the other cheek in his hand. God the girl could make that sting!
"I never said that!" Hinata said defiantly. "I never once said that and I never will! You mean the world to me; you're my inspiration, my goal, my…m-my everything!" Her face started to burn as she lost momentum and started stumbling over her words. "I l-love y-you and I pray you never forget that! B-But if you e-ever give up Uzumaki Naruto…I'll…I'll n-n-never f-forgive you!"
Naruto stared at the girl clenching his shirt with the same hand she used to smack him, tears slipping down her cheeks, eyes hardened, and lip trembling. Feeling his anger and frustration ebbing away, Naruto cast his eyes away and let out an exhausted sigh. "What's your point?"
"M-My point?" Hinata echoed. "My point i-is that you shouldn't t-try to do this alone w-when there are others w-willing to help…or else y-you'll end up f-failing."
Naruto was quiet as he processed what she told him. It helped to hear her words but at the same time she had no idea what was happening. A smile slid across his lips at his predicament. It made him feel immensely better and antagonized him at the same time. Damn life was a bitch.
"Thanks Hinata," Naruto said softly looking back at her. She mistook his smile and smiled herself. Grabbing her hands he gently pulled them off of his shirt and said, "But this is something I have to do on my own. No one else can help me."
The emotions that flitted over her face passed so quickly he didn't even try to read them all. What he did catch though, was she was hurt, upset, and angry. She opened her mouth to argue but was cut off when he pushed a finger to her lips causing her to blush fiercely.
"I know you don't want to hear that from me." Naruto said with regret. "But you need to understand that life is full of hearing things we don't want to hear, accepting things we don't want to accept, and dealing with things that we'd rather not. So I need you to understand Hina…" Moving his hand up, he brushed some hair behind her ear and stared into her soft lavender eyes.
Her face was burning up and he could feel heat radiating from his own. His chest was starting to constrict again and he could feel his hand starting to shake. His eyes drifted down to her lips and he felt a longing to press them against his own. To taste whatever wonderful flavor they were. To sense her soft succulent skin pressed against his.
"I need you to understand that I accept the burdens I carry wholeheartedly. I accept they may wear me down…crush me…leave me broken and scarred. That it's something I must do alone. But it's something I accept if I can protect those precious to me." His hand traced around her ear and cupped her cheek. His eyes softened and the smile only for her, her smile, graced his cheeks. "So I need to ask a favor of you…"
Hinata blinked. Favor? What kind of favor could he possibly want?
"And maybe I'm just being selfish…"
Hinata's heart seized and her eyes widened. The memories erupted from her mind in an explosion of adrenaline. The sun glaring. The dust choking. The blood and pain unimaginable. All to utter a phrase. A phrase that started like that. A phrase that left her lips only a month ago.
"But when the time comes," Naruto continued softly. "When I'm beaten down, broken, cracked and about to give up. Please…believe in me." Moving his thumb gently over her cheek he did his best to keep the desperation out of his voice. "Be strong for me. Stand by me and help me back up…because I know I'll need it…" His head dipped for a moment before looking back into her eyes. "I know I'll need you…"
"Naruto-kun," Hinata whispered breathlessly. Her cheeks were on fire and her eyesight was going. This was too much. Did he have any idea what he was doing to her?
"Promise me, please." Naruto said as his other hand squeezed hers.
The conversation paused for a moment but neither one of them moved. Each afraid to end the moment and too embarrassed to know what to say afterwards. In her timidity, Hinata's head shift ever-so-slightly up and caught the moonlight on her face.
Naruto stopped breathing.
The moon revealed her porcelain skin tinged with blush. Her midnight hair shone with radiance like silk as it swayed slowly around her. And her eyes. God her eyes came alive under moon. The lavender orbs Naruto had come to love sparkled with such purity he couldn't start to breathe again if he wanted to. There was only one thought he could ever hope to process in that moment there with her.
"God you're beautiful."
They both blinked—surprise and shock quickly spreading across both of their faces.
"Shit, did I just say that out loud?!" Naruto panicked as he brought both of his hands back to his lap in an instant.
"N-N-Naruto-kun?" Hinata said woozily as she held her furious cheeks.
"I-I'm sorry!" Naruto said quickly looking away.
"D-Do y-y-you really think th-that?" Hinata asked her voice just above a whisper as she struggled to remain conscious. She slumped to the side and was forced to support herself with her arms.
"Of course," Naruto said just as quietly, his own face now on fire. "I've thought that ever since I got back to the village…I just never realized it."
Hinata felt a rush overtake her body and suddenly she wasn't about to faint. Suddenly, she was viewing the conversation and the world around them in a much sharper clarity.
"You a-asked me t-to be strong and n-never stop b-believing in y-you." Hinata said as she shifted towards the blonde. The movement caught his attention and he turned to look at her. "B-But you should r-realize by now that y-you don't have t-to ask that of m-me…because I'll a-always believe in you." Closing the distance to mere inches Hinata looked up at Naruto with the most sincerity she could must. "Because I love you, Naruto-kun."
She moved in and wrapped her arms around his waist, squeezing him tightly against her and trying with all her strength to pass on the love she felt inside for him.
Naruto hesitated, only briefly though, before returning the hug. He couldn't deny it any longer; he'd been fighting it for too long. It was eating away at him on the inside and the weight was threatening to crush him. He shouldn't do it. He shouldn't say it. But his actions were no longer his own.
Shifting his head slightly he murmured into her ear, "I love you too, Hinata-chan."
She froze in his grip. He actually felt her stop breathing. Then slowly she leaned away from Naruto and stared up at him wide eyed.
"N-Naruto-kun…l-loves…me?"
Naruto's throat closed and he felt his teeth clench painfully together. This was wrong. He swore he'd protect her, that'd he keep her out of harm's way, but this was the opposite. He was putting an even bigger target on her back. Yet at the same time he didn't care. Maybe he was right, maybe tonight he was being selfish.
"Yeah," Naruto whispered with a small smile. Moving forward he closed his eyes. "I love you too, Hime."
Their lips met in the middle and the only thing Naruto could think about was the jolt of sensation across his. They were so soft, so warm, and felt so damn good! His arms moved, one slinking around her waist while the other cupped her cheek. His thumb moved to caress her skin while his mind memorized every detail about her lips, tasting sweeter than anything he could've ever imagined. They're heated breath mixed, spiraling together and then teasing one another with its passion-filled fingers tips.
How long they stayed like that Naruto didn't know, but when they finally pulled apart the reaction on her face was priceless.
"Are you okay?" Naruto asked with a soft chuckle.
"You kissed me just like you always did in my dreams…" Hinata said with a faraway look.
"Ah…" Naruto said slightly embarrassed, how were you supposed to respond to that?
"When I was thirteen." Hinata finished as her face suddenly deadpanned and looked…irritated? Offended even? "A-As you can see, I'm not thirteen anymore."
Before Naruto could say anything Hinata reclaimed his lips, but this time her kiss was much different.
She pressed against him roughly working her jaw, every now and then sucking on his lower lip eliciting a soft pop every time she did so. Her hands ran up his chest feeling every inch of power hidden behind his tightly coiled muscles until they finally tangled themselves in his hair. Then, tugging his head forward she deepened the kiss even more.
"I won't…be denied…anymore…" She said between each kiss. The fire had ignited inside of her. They were finally alone and she'd be damned if anyone stopped them now. She may have been inexperienced, clumsy, and nervous but she read enough of her secret collection of romance novels to know what to do.
Naruto—who'd been shocked into autopilot—switched to overdrive when he heard her words. A low growl rumbled in his chest before his hands made their way to Hinata's waist, resting on her hips. He felt her body shudder in delight under his touch: the thin silk of the kimono doing little to hide the goose bumps that appeared from her excitement. After a few more minutes of intense kissing, Naruto allowed his hands to slowly wander. If he had any worries about Hinata being uncomfortable with what he was doing they were thrown to the wind as she increased her mouthy ministrations in anticipation.
Slowly dragging his fingertips along her skin, Naruto stopped when his hands finally made it to Hinata's ass. Relishing in the way her supple body felt to the touch, he was forced to bite back a groan when a rush of desire overcame him. He couldn't, however, bite back his arousal which was growing at an alarming rate.
"Hin-Hinata." Naruto panted out in a weak warning.
"Naruto-kun…" Hinata moaned into his mouth, either not understanding or not caring. She even used the opportunity to sneak her tongue into his mouth and set off another frenzy of lustful passion as they grappled with the new sensation and each other. The vibration against his lips made his mind spin and her tongue wrapping around his left him in such a drunken state he lost control. And in that lapse of control Naruto's hands gave Hinata's cheeks a firm squeeze.
Her head shot back and moan of pure pleasure escaped her throat. Her kimono parted and her black laced cleavage fell into Naruto's face. On instinct, Naruto firmly gripped her ass and pulled, forcing her to straddle him and fall forward at the same time.
Hinata let out breathless gasp when Naruto pulled her on top of him before letting out another drawn out moan as he began to pepper her neck and breasts with kisses. So much was happening. It was terrifying and exciting and every second brought a new sensation she absolutely relished. She could already feel herself soaking through her new pair of underwear she'd just changed, and the desire coursing through her begged for release. It didn't help she was pressed up against "little Naruto," which pleasantly wasn't very little at all. If things continued on the way they were…
Her thoughts were interrupted when Naruto kissed her throat and let out a groan. Pulling her ass towards him, he ground his erection against her causing her to shudder and buck when the new sensation teased her dripping sex. Her lips crashed back into his in desperate need, her tongue seeking out and caressing his in heated passion and throwing them both off balance.
They fell back, Naruto landing on his back with Hinata on top of him, lips still locked and tongues dancing between heated breaths. Her hands tangled through his blonde locks and his own groped her rear, guiding her hips into his. It was getting impossibly hard for her to breath. Each time her hips rubbed against his she felt the knot tighten a little more. The fervor increased with every contact, getting closer and closer to the edge. This teasing. This indirect petting. This light grinding she caressed against her sensitive lips was what she had sought after for over a month. Her dreams, her own experiments, nothing compared to what he was capable of doing right now—and they weren't even doing that much! But she could feel it through their clothes, his hard member teasing her wet folds, splitting them ever so slightly and massaging her tender little bundle. It was all pushing her towards a lust-filled insanity and she had a first class ticket on the crazy train to get there.
Naruto's eyes snapped open when he felt Hinata's presence leave him. Eyes adjusting to the sudden brightness, they quickly came into focus and on the giant fox sitting under a willow tree. Crimson slits met ringed azure and the two stared at each other wordlessly, the forest around them even growing quiet.
Kurama narrowed his eyes and Naruto did the same.
A low growl escaped the fox and Naruto folded his arms.
Naruto raised an eyebrow and Kurama shook his head and snorted.
Kurama turned his back to Naruto and lay down; Naruto turned his back to the fox and began to walk away.
Neither one of them knew of the smirk the other had across their faces.
Naruto returned to the outside world only to hear a moan escape Hinata as she shuddered and bucked on top of him. Putting his silent conversation away, Naruto turned his attention back to the Hyuuga heiress who was attempting to ride him through the floor. Deciding to end their fun, he figured what better way of saying I love you than to give her the big finish she wanted so badly.
Naruto's hands went to work. First they grabbed Hinata's hips and brought them hard down on him. She gasped in shock and ecstasy as she was floored with an overwhelming rush of pleasure. Then, holding her tightly against him, he began to slide her up and down before stopping, grinding her hips in a few circles, and then repeating the process. It only took a few seconds for Hinata to catch on before she started to do it herself, allowing Naruto's hands to roam. One made its way back to her lithesome ass to give it a few loving squeezes before trailing his finger tips up her back, causing her to shiver and moan in more lustful revelry until he tangled his hand in her hair. His other hand then made its way across her stomach, teasing the sensitive spots along her waistline before making its way up and resting it lightly on her breast—gently kneading it while occasionally running a thumb over where her nipple would be.
By this point Hinata was no longer able to kiss him. Her eyes were squeezed shut in concentration and she had a death grip on his shoulders. Her breathing was hot and shallow and the occasional buck told Naruto she was close. Which was a good thing, since he realized the woman was starting to push him to the edge as well. It was time to end their fun.
"I love you Hinata," he whispered into her ear in a husky tone. Then giving her breast quick squeeze and a sharp but gentle yank of her hair, he began to kiss the nape of her neck—swirling his tongue around and humming in bliss against her skin.
The results were as he expected.
"Oh god…" Hinata wheezed out, before going rigid for a split second and then bucking wildly. "Oh god!" She said again louder, followed by moan after husky moan. Her eyes squeezed even tighter and her hands gripped his shoulders so hard he actually winced. She buried her face into the side of his head in a vain attempt to muffle her throes of orgasm filled passion. "Naruto-kun," she hissed rocking her entire body against his and riding out the waves of her climax.
Hinata continued on for a few more seconds before a long exhausted sigh escaped her and she collapsed on top of Naruto. They stayed like that, panting and gasping for breath, basking in the afterglow of their pseudo love making. The pond and shrine calm, quiet, and perfect creating blanket for the two lovers to shield themselves from the outside world.
Finally, when his breathing was back under control, Naruto cracked a grin and asked, "You ever plan on gettin' up?" When he got no response he cocked an eyebrow. "Hey, you didn't pass out on me did you?"
His only response was Hinata shaking her head no while still hiding her face from his.
"Are you okay Hime?"
She hesitated in responding to that question. How could she not be? The two of them had just done something so lewd, adult, and inside a shrine no less! She was embarrassed, beyond embarrassed, but at the same time she didn't care. But the emotions swirling around in her were so confusing and frustrating she couldn't help but feel tears in her eyes start to well up. She felt like a slut, dirty and tainted, but at the same time liberated and free!
"D-D-Do y-you r-r-really l-love me?" She asked in a near inaudible whisper.
Naruto kissed the top of her head and smiled. "More than anything in the world."
Sitting up slowly, Hinata ducked her head down and hid it in his chest. Letting out a soft chuckle, he propped his back against the same support beam and turned Hinata around gently until she was sitting against him. Once she was settled in, he wrapped his arms around her and held her in a gentle but strong and warm embrace. Together, they slowly watched the moon climb higher into the sky across the pond.
After a few minutes Hinata finally found her voice. "I-I don't want th-this night to end."
Naruto was silent nodded before saying, "Neither do I, but at the same time I do."
"W-What? Why?" Hinata asked.
"Because I'm excited to see where tomorrow takes us, Hime."
Hinata blushed. He hadn't said it in a suggestive way, but her mind took it that way. She was genuinely excited to see how their relationship would grow, but at the same time she wanted to know what else Naruto was capable of. Speaking of being capable, she realized a certain someone was still making their presence known against her back.
"U-Umm, N-N-Naruto-kun…" Hinata trailed off, not knowing how to continue. She settled for simply shifting her back against the not-so-offending object.
"I-I-I know," Naruto said quickly with an embarrassed laugh. "Please just ignore him."
"H-Him?" Hinata echoed and was forced to suppress a giggle.
"H-He has a mind of his own!" Naruto defended a little too quickly.
"S-So y-you're saying you d-don't find me a-attractive in th-that way." Hinata pouted mockingly while rubbing against him.
"Hina-chan…" Naruto whined.
They both laughed and then fell into a comfortable silence. After a time though, a small frown formed on Hinata's face.
"Naruto-kun, a-about what Jihibiki a-and Renge-sensei s-said…"
"I don't want to talk about it right now Hinata-chan." Naruto said as his face hardened a little. "I just want to focus on this right now…on us."
"I know," she said softly and brought her arms up and held onto his. "J-Just know th-that it doesn't m-matter to me. W-We'll get th-through this."
Silence fell between them for a few heartbeats before a small appreciative smile grew on Naruto's face. Nuzzling the back of her, he breathed in her scent and memorized it to heart.
"I love you, Hinata."
"I love you too, Naruto."
The two sat in silence again, the warmth they felt for each other radiating from them and permeating the air in a loving ambiance. This was perfection. This is what the two of them had longed to have but never could. But now they had it, and they'd be damned if they ever let it go.
Unfortunately, the world around them finally caught up, and they're peace was short lived when a cleared throat sounded from behind.
"I hate to be interrupting, Naruto." Neji said ominously as he stepped forward onto the pagoda, "But we have a situation on our hands."
"And what sort of situation is so important that you felt the need to interrupt us, nii-san?" Hinata asked with a slight frown.
"Shit, shit, shit! How long was he there?!" Hinata panicked. "Oh God, please tell me he wasn't here when we were doing that!
"Sai is cooking again." Neji said flatly.
Hinata cocked her head. She didn't understand—why was that such a big deal? In the back of her mind though, a red flag began to wave. The type of warning that went off when they were about to walk into an ambush or something bad was about to happen. The kind of foreboding feeling she got when a fight to the death was imminent. Her fears were only confirmed when she felt Naruto go stiff.
Then, faster than Hinata thought was possible; Naruto threw her up in the air. By the time her feet hit the wood he was already at the tree line screaming at the top of his lungs.
"God dammit Neji!" Naruto yelled in a mix of irritation and horror. "Why did you let him into the kitchen?!"
"It's not my fault! I was distra—er—preoccupied with Karin-chan!" Neji shot back before noticing the odd shape in Naruto's pants. "WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU DOING TO ME COUSIN?!"
"The same thing you were doing to mine!" Naruto replied flippantly.
Breaking through the tree line, Naruto's fears were only confirmed with he saw thin wisps of smoke slipping out from the windows and underneath the door.
"No!" Naruto cried. "No, no, no, no!"
He repeated the word over and over as he rushed across the yard and up the deck, as if some secret black arts ritual of chanting the negatory response would reverse reality. Slamming the door open, Naruto was once again met with a wall of blinding black smoke. "SAI, STOP!"
An unearthly wail filled the house and turned the blood of those who were present to ice, followed by the insane cackle of the newly minted Uzumaki himself.
"It's aliiiiiiiiiiiiive!"
Frankenslime is back from the dead! Couldn't resist folks, I've had that ending planned out for some time now I just didn't know where to put it. So the truth is finally revealed about what happened on the day Uzushio fell. Granted, it's my own version of how it fell since not much is known about it. But now something else has been revealed! Something so shocking and impossible Naruto doesn't even know how to react! Not to mention Naruto and Hinata are a thing now!
So how is Jihibiki still alive after using the Shiki Fujin?
What did he tell the group that left Naruto in such a tormented state?
How will Naruto and Hinata plan to get through it?!
Find out next time on Our Ninja Way!