(And here's the latest for you.)
It was two years since Naruto and Jiraiya left on their training trip. During the time that passed since then Naruto and Jiraiya had been traveling to just about all of the Ninja land, even to places Naruto hadn't even known about. Currently they were in Yugakure (Hotsprings Village) where Jiraiya was off flirting with women while Naruto was left to explore the town.
Naruto had just finished some ramen at a local stand, "Ah that definitely hit the spot," he rubbed his stomach before paying for his meal and leaving, "Now what to do? Maybe see if Ero-sennin's finally done with fooling around."
Suddenly he heard an explosion and he looked down the street seeing some man dressed in a horrendous pink and light purple outfit while piloting a mechanical puppet confronting two women one who was about Naruto's age and wore a beige cloak with the hood up, and a woman in her thirties who had an imposing figure, along with a slender physique and a very angular face framed by short brown hair along with a dark shade of red lipstick. She wore a short, backless, red, full-body suit over mesh armor, along with a pair of arm-length gloves, a long apron skirt opened in the front. She also wore bandages on her wrists, covering all of her right left as well as her left thigh and leg. And strapped to her back was an extremely long and thin katana.
"What's going on over there?" Naruto asked himself as he watched.
"Don't you ever give up, Kokuyo? The older woman asked the man identified as Kokuyo.
"My business is not with you. I only desire to fight the princess." He motioned to the cloaked girl.
The woman turned to the girl, "Princess there's no need for you to dirty your hands to this gutter trash."
The girl approached, "Please Tokiwa, allow me." She approached the puppet as Kokuyo spoke.
"Beautiful as always. Why don't you just hurry up and become my bride? It'll save us both so much trouble."
"I've been promised to someone already, Kokuyo. How many times do I have to tell you this?" The girl answered throwing off her cloak revealing herself.
This girl had fair-skin sported a noticeably curvaceous frame and large bust. She had green eyes and waist-length black hair in a hime-style tied in a high ponytail with short bangs and chin-length strands framing her face. Behind her bangs was a black forehead protector with the symbol of a flower on it and wore a form-fitting kunoichi uniform that was grey-colored with a right shoulder-armor, grey gloves, and an opening in her shirt which reveals her cleavage which went noticed by Naruto making him blush but shook it off as he watched what happened next.
"Nadeshiko style! Roaring hurricane kick!" she called jumping high into the air delivering a drop kick onto the robot breaking it's windshield and going further breaking the machine in half. This resulted in it exploding and Kokuyo was sent blasting off into the air screaming.
The pedestrians were in awe and applauded thinking it was a performance, while Naruto stood with an agape jaw, "Wow, that kunoichi's got some serious skills."
'I'll say, and I thought your mom was wild.' Kurama thought.
Suddenly he noticed the two ladies looked in his direction and were focused on his headband, "You there, sir!" the woman known as Tokiwa called to Naruto.
The two approached him as Naruto looked confused, "Uh yeah, can I help you ladies?"
The older woman continued, "Judging from your headband you are a shinobi from Konohagakure."
"That's right." Naruto answered.
"May I ask you something?"
"Ask away."
"It's about Jiraiya-sama of the legendary Sannin," she continued making Naruto surprised to hear Jiraiya being mentioned, "Do you know anyone in your village or such who was ever his student?"
Naruto was surprised wondering if he should answer, but knew if he withheld his answer he wouldn't understand what she wanted with someone trained by Jiraiya. He thought about saying his dads name but remembered he was suppose to be dead through the eyes of everyone who wasn't in on the Rangers secrets, "Well now that you mention it. I'm his student. My name is Naruto Uzumaki."
The younger girl was surprised at his answered while Tokiwa looked intrigued, "Are you really?"
"Correct," He answered and noticed the younger girl was blushing a little, "But who're you two and how do you know Ero-sennin?"
"My name is Tokiwa and this is Princess Shizuka," the girl named Shizuka bowed her head in respect as he returned the gesture while Tokiwa continued, "We come from the village Nadeshiko no Sato (Pink Flower Country)."
"Nadeshiko, isn't that supposed to be a village composed of only kunoichi?" he asked.
"It is." The woman answered.
"So why would you two be looking for someone like me?"
"Didn't Jiraiya-sama tell you anything?" Tokiwa asked curiously.
"Tell me what?" Naruto asked in confusion.
"Well I guess I'll tell you then," the woman began, "Many years ago Jiraiya-sama had traveled to our village."
"I can't imagine why." Naruto said in sarcasm.
"Our former leader who was Shizuka's mother chased Jiraiya until they dueled it out. And the only thing on the line between them was Shizuka's mothers hand in marriage."
"I've got a bad feeling about this." Naruto started feeling nervous.
Shizuka spoke, "Our village law is matrilineal, only women are born into our line."
"Right. So?" Naruto asked as she continued.
"Our code is that we kunoichi of Nadeshiko only marry men we deem strong enough to be our husbands."
"And what does this have to do with me?" Naruto asked not getting where he ties in all this.
Tokiwa continued, "Though Jiraiya-sama and Shizuka's mother fought long and hard, the duel was left unresolved in the end. Finally they compromised that if the future students of the two should ever meet they would continue the fight with the same price on the line."
"Wait so you mean that?" Naruto was shocked as Shizuka approached him and took his hands into hers.
"You and I are meant to duel on behalf of our mentors. Should you win I will gladly make you my husband."
Naruto stumbled backward falling on his back from the shock and surprised the two women as he got back up, "Hey this is all so sudden! I mean I was just told this. You can't honestly expect me to go along with some ridiculous promise my master made!"
"Please denying a request to duel would bring shame to our village." Tokiwa reasoned with him.
"Well I'm sorry to disappoint any of you but I already have two girls back home in my village waiting for me." Naruto dismissed them further.
"Please you must do this for Shizuka's sake." Tokiwa pleaded.
Naruto sighed knowing getting rid of them won't be easy and if he tried to make a run for it they would only track him down, "Before I say anything I think it's best Ero-sennin joins us in our conversation," he summoned a Kage Bunshin, "Find Ero-sennin and drag him here by force if you have to!"
The clone saluted before heading off as the two ladies watched in amaze, "Kage Bunshin no jutsu, impressive." Shizuka admitted.
"One of my trademark moves." Naruto nodded.
Soon the clone returned carrying Jiraiya who was roped and tied up extra tightly, "Naruto this better be important! I was this clone to…" he froze noticing the two ladies beside Naruto, "Well what do we have here Naruto? I see you found us both someone to talk to, you make your master so proud." He grinned.
"Ero-sennin!" Naruto growled, "When were you planning on telling me you've arranged a marriage duel?"
"What, what're you talking about?" Jiraiya asked playing dumb.
"Don't play stupid with me! Look at the headbands on these two!"
Jiraiya noticed the Nadeshiko symbol on the kunoichi's forehead protectors making him remember, "Oh that marriage duel," He chuckled sheepishly but could feel the killer intent radiating off Naruto, "Look give me a chance and I can explain everything."
"You imbecile!" Naruto answered as he and his clone went postal on Jiraiya while the two women watched in amusement.
Soon Jiraiya sat beaten to a bloody pulp, while Naruto sat beside him, "I'm sorry I just forgot. I didn't think it would actually happen."
"Regardless sensei, do you realize what you got me into?!"
"Please come back to Nadeshiko with us so we can settle this as Jiraiya-sama and my mother wanted us." Shizuka pleaded.
"But we're on a tight schedule aren't we, Ero-Sennin?" he eyed his master threatening him to agree.
"Now Naruto let's not be rude to the nice girls. Why don't we just join them in their village and work something out?"
"What?!" he shouted but knew he wasn't going to win this argument so he sighed, "All right we'll join you."
"Wonderful. Please meet us at the docks in twenty." Tokiwa said as the two men left to pack their things at the hotel.
"Honestly Ero-sennin, do you have any idea the awkward situation you put me in?"
"How many times do I have to apologize?" Jiraiya asked.
"What will my parents say if they found out what you did? My mom would kill you!" he warned the old man who cringed until it hit him, "And you're just as lucky that they ran into me and not my old man, after all he was your student too!"
"But it wouldn't count seeing as how he's already married and older than Princess Shizuka to boot." Jiraiya countered.
Naruto still scowled, "Whatever happens in the outcome Ero-sennin, I'm still holding you responsible."
Jiraiya sighed accepting his fate as the two met up with Tokiwa and Shizuka at the docks boarding a boat ride that would take them for Nadeshiko. After a two day ride the group arrived at the Nadeshiko village which was located on two small mountains connected by a bridge while both mountains were surrounded by forests.
"So that's the village huh?" Naruto asked.
"Looks just the same when I was last here." Jiraiya noted.
"You better hope the kunoichi there don't remember you." Naruto warned him as he paled on the possibility.
When the boat docked, Shizuka and Tokiwa escorted the group up the mountain to the village. Upon entering they looked around the place seeing numerous kunoichi wearing the same kind of kunoichi attire Shizuka was wearing and what Jiraiya and Naruto were more focused on were their rack sizes that was comparable to Shizuka's. Most of the kunoichi paused and stared at the guests accompanying their leader eyeing Naruto, and Jiraiya being men and all. Naruto walked feeling like a minority from all the staring and being surrounded by so many women where men were not allowed.
When they reached Shizuka's palace, the princess herself turned to her attendant, "See that our guests are properly welcomed here, and make arrangements for tomorrow's match."
"At once my lady." Tokiwa nodded.
Soon Tokiwa had shown the two to their rooms where they got settled in, and within the hour it was dinner time with Naruto and Jiraiya sitting with Shizuka and Tokiwa at a dinner table with a wide spread of food, "Wow this sure looks good." Naruto admitted.
"Eat up." Shizuka beckoned them and so both Naruto and Jiraiya chowed while Tokiwa and Shizuka ate regularly.
After dinner Naruto was sitting out on a balcony in thought, 'I can't believe this tomorrow I'm fighting against a kunoichi for marriage.'
'I know how lucky can ya get?' Kurama thought.
'Focus Kurama, because if I win I'm going to have to marry her, and if I lose… Actually I'd rather not even think about the consequences if it goes that far.'
'Would marrying her be so bad to you?'
'It's not that I don't like her believe me I won't deny she's hot. But I barely know her, and I have Sakura and Ino.'
'So add a third one to your list it's not like it'll kill you.'
'Maybe it won't but Sakura and Ino would!'
'I see your point, but come on you've always been risky in chances.'
'I'd rather not be risky for something like this. I'm not that stupid.'
Suddenly he was broken out of his thoughts by Tokiwa, "Naruto?"
Naruto jumped before looking up at the woman, "Oh Tokiwa, I didn't hear ya there."
"I sense you are distressed." She took a seat next to him.
"I'm way past distressed. When I woke up this morning I wasn't counting on an arranged marriage proposal as a result of something my master promised years ago. I mean seriously why does it have to be me?!"
"I know it's so sudden, but I should tell you this is more than just about the promise between yours and Shizuka's masters, but to restore Shizuka's belief in love." She explained.
"Huh?" the blonde was confused.
"Perhaps I ought to explain why Shizuka trains so hard," she began, "You see she's always despised how our village traditions, and many years ago she was in love with a man named Sagiri but due to our village customs was forbidden from seeing him. One day Sagiri was killed and Shizuka resigned never to love again. Since then she's done nothing but train herself so that she would be stronger and never lose someone dearest to her again. Such an act is only punishing herself away and soon she will eventually never be able to love again permanently."
Naruto finally hearing this about Shizuka could only sympathize with her, "I see."
" I'm hoping you fighting her would be able to help her love again and not close herself off."
Naruto started processing all this about Shizuka having originally thought this was all just about a promise made years ago realized it was much more. He smiled before speaking, "All right then, I'll be ready for tomorrow."
"Really?" the woman asked surprised at his change in behavior.
"Yeah when it comes to changing people's outlooks I've been known to be a natural at it." Naruto smiled recalling past experiences with Inari, Gaara, and Tsunade.
"I thank you, Naruto Uzumaki. You have no idea how much this will mean for me and Shizuka's mother."
"Don't mention it." He smiled.
When morning came, every kunoichi in the village gathered inside an arena similar to the Chunin exam stadium in terms of size and space. Jiraiya was given a box seat giving him a good view of the arena. In the stands were just about all the kunoichi in Nadeshiko. On the field stood Naruto and Shizuka warming up until Tokiwa walked onto the field.
"Welcome kunoichi of Nadeshiko to the event you've all been waiting for. Today we bare witness on the long awaited match between our late ruler's daughter Shizuka," Tokiwa began as the crowd of kunoichi cheered her on, "And her challenger the student of the legendary Jiraiya-sama all the way from Konohagakure Naruto Uzumaki!"
Naruto was given boos from the ladies, but he couldn't blame them since he's yet to prove himself to Shizuka or anyone, but heard cheers of support from Jiraiya, "Let the match begin!" Tokiwa called as she stepped away for the fighters to go at it.
"Prepare yourself Naruto!" Shizuka called as she ran forward, "Nadeshiko style! Roaring gale chop!" she called as her right hand glowed with wind chakra and was thrusted forward.
Naruto jumped back avoiding her strike but felt the ground below them shake as fissures erupted on the ground Shizuka stood on, 'Wow she's good, but I can't take chances.' He drew a kunai. He looked up seeing her jump above him holding multiple kunai, "Nadeshiko style! Aerial dance!"
She threw the barrage of kunai that proved to have deadly accuracy. Naruto kept dodging them all using all his martial arts moves he's learned and new moves he taught himself,
"Wow her mom taught her well." Jiraiya admitted to himself.
Naruto kept dodging the kunai until he summoned three shadow clones that jumped at Shizuka using their kunai to fight against her only for Shizuka to spin kick all three with the two clones dispelling while Naruto landed onto the ground on his feet along with the girl herself, "How was that for ya?" Naruto asked.
"You are strong indeed Naruto, but I'm not finished. Spinning waltz!" Shizuka jumped into the air spinning like a top launching needles all around.
"Oh jeez!" Naruto gasped as he summoned multiple clones to shield himself taking the blows forcing them to dispel leaving the real one unharmed, "Jeez I was almost a pincushion."
"Gale fan!" Shizuka called using her wind chakra to expel a large breath of wind forcing Naruto back but he crashed on the ground and Shizuka landed on top of him holding a kunai to his throat, "This is over." She declared.
"Naruto." Jiraiya gasped fearing the worse for him when the match would officially be over.
Naruto only smirked, "I agree." He suddenly poofed away, surprising the Nadeshiko kunoichi, Tokiwa, and Jiraiya.
"What?!" Shizuka gasped until she felt a kunai to the back of her neck. She glanced seeing Naruto behind her, "How did you?" she was confused until she saw a hole behind her Naruto was standing above. "I see, while you were being shielded by your clones you buried into the earth leaving a spare clone in your place."
"That's right." Naruto nodded.
Shizuka sighed, "No one's ever gotten behind me before. Go ahead deliver the final blow."
Naruto scowled as he lowered his kunai and stood down surprising Shizuka and her fellow village kunoichi, "I have no reason to finish this."
"But our duel!" she reminded him.
"It'll prove nothing if I finished you off. But the thing is I don't live by your village rules. I'd marry for love not by force."
"Love?" Shizuka asked but before anyone could respond there was a crash in the arena putting all kunoichi on guard. Entering onto the arena was Kokuyo with dozens and dozens of his mechanical puppets contraptions.
"This again?" Tokiwa growled.
"I knew I'd find you back here." Kokuyo smirked.
Shizuka frowned, "You're butting in on our private matter!"
"So sorry, but I came here with one thing in mind, to make you my bride!" he declared, "And I will do it by force!" his puppets started swarming into the arena.
Naruto frowned, "This guy is too persistent."
"All Nadeshiko kunoichi defend Lady Shizuka!" Tokiwa ordered as they all piled into the arena and started fighting Kokuyo's puppets.
Naruto decided to join in on the action, but had to slip into something else. Quickly he summoned a Kage Bunshin to stand in while he went into a blind spot and took out his morpher, "I think it's time the reputation of the Power Rangers was spread to Nadeshiko."
Soon Naruto's clone had gotten to Shizuka who was ready to face one of the puppets until Green Rangers swung in swiping it with his sword as it blew up. The two saw the ranger land before them, "You two ok?"
"Green Ranger, aren't you a sight for sore eyes." Naruto's clone said acting relieved.
"Green Ranger?" Shizuka asked until she realized that title, "So this is the green warrior the ninja lands have talked about. A member of the ninja land's renowned Power Rangers."
"Well glad to see you kunoichi here know about us as well. Now what do you say we show this slob what happens when you meddle in others affairs." Green Ranger got into a stance with Shizuka and Naruto's clone as they all went at it with the puppet army.
Jiraiya formed some hand signs, "Doton: Yomi Numa (Earth style: Swamp of the Underworld)!" with that a swamp appeared below various puppets pulling them in destroying them.
Soon just about all of the puppets were destroyed by the Nadeshiko kunoichi, leaving only the main mechanical puppet Kokuyo was piloting, "Naruto on my go, be ready!" Green Ranger ordered the fake Naruto. The fake nodded as Green Ranger crossed his weapons firing his blast at the puppet destroying it making Kokuya fall to the ground, "Go!" the ranger ordered.
Naruto's shadow clone had been in fact charging up a Rasengan in his palm but this Rasengan was instead the size of a basketball. He ran at Kokuya ready to shove it, "Try my latest jutsu, Oodama Rasengan (Big Ball Spiral Sphere)!" he thrusted it into the man's chest sending him blasting off into the sky with a ping.
The Nadeshiko kunoichi cheered in victory while Jiraiya smirked as his disguised student and clone pounded it. Shizuka approached Green Ranger with Tokiwa, "We thank you kindly for your help Green Ranger. How can we ever repay you?"
"I only wish I could do more miss," Green Ranger answered, "Well I must go now." He teleported away when really he teleported back to a blind spot and used substituted with his clone that dispelled.
"I'm sorry the duel has been cut short my lady." Tokiwa apologized.
Shizuka held up a hand to silence her, "What's done is done Tokiwa, besides I already know the victor of this match. He's proven himself worthy to me," she looked at Naruto before announcing, "Naruto Uzumaki is the winner!"
Before anyone could respond Naruto spoke, "I didn't win because of my strength in jutsu and all. It's because I had something to fight for."
"And that was?" Shizuka asked.
"To bring you back to your senses," He answered confusing her, "It's painful to lose somebody you love I can tell. But training yourself like crazy to protect those you care about can only get you so much, but unless you are able to love then it'll be harder to protect those who mean something to you. Believe me I know. And if I am supposed to marry you I will accept your terms, however I don't know you and you don't know me. I do not want us to be forced together because of your law. I want us to get to know each other more that way your heart will be able to tell if I am the one for you."
Shizuka was surprised at his choice of words while remembering Sagiri and how much he meant to her. And this boy who she was promised to one day face in battle defeated her claiming that he won because he was trying to help her learn to love again. She could only smile and shed a tear, "Naruto, arigato." She embraced him.
Suddenly the kunoichi and Tokiwa applauded for the two while Jiraiya kicked back smiling on a job well done. Later that night, Naruto was once again sitting on his balcony looking up at the night as Shizuka approached, "How are your injuries?"
"Not bad, I heal quickly. What about you?"
"I'm fine."
"That's good." He smiled.
"Naruto can I ask you something?"
"Shoot."
"Are you the Green Ranger?" she asked bluntly making Naruto jump.
"What?"
"Are you the Green Ranger?" she repeated.
"Shizuka, how can I be the Green Ranger when I was right there beside you when he arrived?"
Shizuka stared, "Call it woman's intuition, and I know you could've swapped yourself with one of your clones to cover. Talk to me Naruto I won't tell anyone."
Naruto seeing she wasn't going to let it go and he had no other way out decided to come clean, "Yes Shizuka I am as you believe I am."
"How did you acquire such a power?"
"My tale is complicated, but you'll have to hear everything from the beginning of my life." Naruto explained.
Shizuka listened in as Naruto told her his past ranging from his birth to how he became a ninja up to how he became a Power Ranger and all he's dealt with up until now, "I had no idea." Shizuka gasped.
"Well it's all true, the stuff I said about Kurama and Tommy sensei is legit." Naruto assured her.
"What a horrible life you endured." Shizuka was saddened.
"Yeah, but that's all in the past. I've proven to everyone I'm not just some jail cell for a demon, but I'm a ninja who will gladly lay my life on the line for my village as any dedicated ninja would."
"Very noble." She admitted.
"Which is why I must ask you to not tell anyone not even Tokiwa. In fact when I get back Tommy-sensei's going to give me a good talking to even more than Sakura and Ino will when they find out I'm now engaged to you."
Shizuka nodded knowing their arranged marriage has put him in a pickle with two other girls he's been seeing but smiled, "Tell you what, I'll help you write a letter to them and your Hokage explaining the situation and take full responsibility for this."
"Are you sure?" Naruto asked.
"Yes you've trusted me with your secret, so I shall help you in return." Shizuka nodded.
Naruto smiled, "Thanks Shizuka, but we're gonna have Ero-sennin join us in writing this letter. He is still to blame for his recklessness that happened years ago. Still if not for that promise I never would've met you."
"Likewise." Shizuka nodded.
The two smiled as they gazed into each other's eyes, "Let's you and I have a wonderful life together, me, you, Sakura, and Ino." Naruto said.
"Yes, and I'd look forward to meeting these two kunoichi's." Shizuka added as the two leaned in closer until their lips met into a passionate kiss that lasted for five minutes due to both being so caught up in the warm sensation, especially Shizuka who had been closing off her feeling of love for years.
The next day Naruto, Shizuka, and Jiraiya wrote a letter to Tsunade and Naruto's two girls about what happened with them. They sent it my Jiraiya's messenger toad and soon enough got a response from Tsunade. In the letter Tsunade was bashing Jiraiya for his stupidity as always along with Kushina writing a bit of bashing of her own against him much to the guilt Naruto already put on him. Naruto got responses from his dad who was impressed he was able to land a Nadeshiko kunoichi in one of their arranged marriage duels, while Sakura and Ino wrote they would talk to him about this when he got back home.
Soon it was two days afterwards, as Jiraiya, Naruto, and Shizuka stood before Tokiwa ready to depart, "We'll miss you Shizuka." her attendant said.
"So will I Tokiwa, but we'll always be friends. Take care of the village for me." Shizuka answered.
"You can't count on me," Tokiwa said as the two embraced and Tokiwa turned to Naruto, "Take good care of her Naruto-sama."
"Can and will." Naruto replied.
"Well you two we better get going." Jiraiya reminded them as they nodded and followed the old man heading out once again but this time with a third member.
Tokiwa watched them leave and smiled while thinking, 'Your mother would be proud Shizuka.' she thought.
(And that's the chapter for now.)