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I, Raymond Smith, own nothing

Hollow

Chapter 8: Friends on the Other Side

The first thing Yoruichi took note of regarding her new surroundings was that she was engulfed in a dense forest filled with massive trees and a foreboding sense of danger in the air. The danger wasn't anything she couldn't handle, but it was still giving off a natural tension that kept her from feeling relaxed.

"Curious… I don't remember the last time I felt this way so quickly," she mused before extending her senses outward.

Like a sonar, her spiritual sense echoed from her position, seeking out anything that could echo back to her. After getting nothing, but feeling signs of more intelligent life, she decided to head closer to the civilization and try once more. To her interest, the forest she had been in was actually fenced off with signs warning those without clearance or a certain rank to refrain from entering, lest they wish to risk their life.

"What sort of world is this…?" she asked aloud before sending out another pulse of spiritual energy. After a few moments, she perked up when she felt something that she was familiar with.

The reiatsu of a Hollow.

Naruto stood beside Neliel, staring down his teacher for the few years he was away from home. He and his friend had just finished explaining everything to the man regarding the blonde's spiritual journey after he had chosen to take responsibility for Nel.

They explained about Mito's spirit tethered to the Uzumaki Mask Shrine.

They explained reiatsu, and how Naruto was able to harness it.

They explained Naruto's encounter with those two Hollows.

They explained Binding Threads and how it gained its abilities.

They explained how Mikoto was still around but had become forever changed as a Hollow.

They explained how Naruto kept Gaara's spirit from leaving his body permanently.

And finally, they explained about Nel and Neliel; how both were two sides of a single person who would eventual become whole once more.

Now, they were waiting for how the Toad Sage would respond. Naruto was still annoyed with how the man felt entitled to know everything about his life when he never even met his absentee godfather until he had already learned to live independently as a Genin.

And even then, the man never introduced himself as such; coming off as some renowned ninja who proudly proclaimed his own perverted nature and stated that he had trained the Fourth Hokage. Never was there a mention of his connection to Naruto, nor was there any sort of concern for the life he had endured or his current state of mind and health.

It wasn't until Naruto had vented his frustrations against both Sannin that the truth had been revealed, and it only served to further infuriate the blonde Uzumaki.

"It's a lot to take in," the man finally commented.

"Welcome to my life," Naruto snarked, prompting Neliel to place a hand upon his shoulder to calm him. He was too annoyed to fully do so, and he wanted to make sure Jiraiya understood that.

"Now that we've explained everything to you, Jiraiya-san, what are your thoughts?" Neliel queried. "Surely you can understand the need for discretion, and hopefully you can understand where Naruto was coming from when he refused to share."

"I still think he should've come to me about this," the Sage stubbornly answered.

"Fuck you," Naruto immediately fired, though he said it was an odd calmness. "You expect me to trust someone who is practically a stranger to me with all my life's secrets? Maybe if you were around – gave me some sign that I had a family – I would be more inclined; but you weren't, and I don't feel like sharing anymore."

Neliel gave her friend a sad glance, but she understood his stance on the matter. She couldn't blame him after he explained his feelings about everything concerning his estranged godfather; but she still didn't like seeing him so angry and hurt.

"It's not that simple, Naruto," Jiraiya tried defending himself.

Naruto would have none of it.

"No? Then tell me why I found you by chance peeping on women at the outdoor baths. Explain to me why I never heard about our connection until the day I returned home and argued with Tsunade. Give me an answer for why you never let me know that there was someone who knew my parents who left me alone. Go on! Enlighten me!"

Jiraiya cringed at the end of Naruto's rant, having rarely seen his apprentice so angered. Absently, he noted that Neliel had a firm grip on the young man's shoulder; as if holding Naruto back from outright lunging at him. She leaned in and whispered something he couldn't hear, but he was relieved to see that the Uzumaki had lost some tension and decided to wait for an answer.

"If I had made contact with you, people would've started asking questions. You look so much like your father that many people are living in denial that there's any sort of link between the two of you. Given how it's common knowledge that he was my student, and people wouldn't have been able to deny the connection for much longer. They'd start talking, and rumors of the Fourth's Heir would've spread far and wide, reaching the ears of people who hated Minato and wouldn't be above killing an innocent kid just to get back at his ghost."

"And?"

"What do you mean And?! I stayed away to keep you safe!"

"Is that right? Maybe I need to remind you about what sort of life I lived and see how that falls under your critique of safe? Maybe I should regale you with the lonely nights, the feelings of doubt, the moments I nearly gave up, and the rare occasions I contemplated looking for an out?"

"You still managed to live a life without assassins looking to end it."

"At the cost of being hated and ostracized by my own home," Naruto fired back easily. "How would you feel, Jiraiya, if you were in my shoes? If you believed you had no one and had to learn how to live on your own, only to have someone waltz in and demand to know all your secrets just because they're some supposed family member who couldn't prove they gave a shit?"

"You know that's not true."

"Do I? Do I really know you care? Or am I still under the belief that you couldn't give two shits about me and were more focused on your own life?" He scoffed before asking, "Tell me, how many of those stupid books were you able to publish before I met you?"

"I don't have to answer that," the man denied.

"Must've been at least a couple then. That's fine. I was expecting something like that. After all, giving into the so-called Shinobi Vices is obviously more forgivable than abandoning the son of your late student and his equally late wife. I'm sure they'd understand and look past your failures as the one they chose to be their child's godfather."

The Toad Sage wanted to lay into Naruto for using a dirty tactic; but the truth wasn't dirty. In all sense of the word, Jiraiya had failed to be responsible for Naruto as his godfather. He had failed Minato's boy, and he wouldn't be surprised if Kushina was ready to rip him a new one and more after he kicked the bucket.

"I'm done," Naruto concluded, turning away from the man. "I did what Tsunade told me and now you know everything; even if you didn't have the right to know. Take care of yourself, Jiraiya." He looked over his shoulder and finished, "It's what you're best at."

With that, he and Neliel vanished in a blur of speed, leaving the self-proclaimed Super Pervert alone atop the bust of his late student; the man he had loved like a son, yet failed by ignoring his own child.

"Dammit…"

Having reached where she felt the source of Hollow reiatsu, Yoruichi prowled the rooftops of what looked to be an abandoned housing district of the village neighboring the fenced off forest. Based on the symbol adorning multiple homes, she could only assume that this place belonged to either an organization or a clan, similar to the Noble Clans of the Seireitei.

Nearing the source, she peered over the uppermost part of the rooftop she was on and spotted the Hollow in question. If she had to describe it, she'd say it looked like a gryphon, but with Raven features instead of eagle.

What made her pause was seeing a woman's face without any visible sign of a mask covering it. Her eyes weren't even the common sickly yellow or glowing red that most Hollows had; instead appearing crimson with black markings decorating the irises.

She tensed when she saw the Hollow perk up before being surprised at the sight of a Human male and what looked to be a Human woman with a Hollow mask adorning the top of her turquoise hair. Staying out of sight, she crept closer to listen in.

"I appreciate you visiting me every day, Naruto-kun," the Hollow spoke, addressing the blonde male.

"I don't want you to think you're alone anymore. It's a special kind of hell that I don't want other people to experience…"

"…you should've been looked after by me…"

"Hey," he began, placing a hand on her feathered shoulder, "none of that. You had your only family and personal problems to deal with. Looking after a kid not part of your Clan would've just complicated things. Especially with the Uchiha being under suspicion during that time."

"I swear, you're far too forgiving, Naruto-kun… Do you not hold any grudges?"

A bitter chuckle escaped him. "You'd be surprised…"

"We just concluded a meeting with Jiraiya-san," the turquoise-haired woman spoke up next. "We explained everything concerning Naruto's spiritual connection and his experiences as of late."

"So, he's aware of my existence?"

"Yes, but Naruto left him with much to ponder; especially after showing the man how frustrated his inaction and demands have left Naruto."

Naruto frowned at that. "He's had that coming for a long time…"

Yoruichi watched as the woman grasped his hand and he turned to her, seeing her give a supportive smile. "I'm not saying he didn't deserve it. I'm just concerned how long you'll hold onto this anger in your heart…"

He kept his frown for a few moments before dropping it for what Yoruichi guessed was an exhausted sigh, based on the tone it held. Whatever happened between this young man and this Jiraiya person must've left quite a mark on the blonde's heart.

Suddenly, the turquoise-haired woman perked up and gripped her sword tighter while taking a defensive stance. In response to her actions, the blonde repositioned himself to cover her back while the scarf around his neck split into countless threads and reformed itself as fingerless gloves.

"Whoever is out there, reveal yourself! You can't hide for much longer!" the woman ordered, and Yoruichi knew she'd been made.

It didn't help that the Hollow stood beside them with a fierce scowl on her face.

Hoping to reach a peaceful conclusion, the black cat leapt down to the ground from her previous perch before walking towards them and sitting calmly. "No need for any hostilities, I assure you," she spoke up, still sounding like a male in her cat form.

"…That's not a Summon," Naruto noted with a suspicious frown. "What are you?"

"To be blunt, I'm a Soul taking on a temporary feline form. My name is Yoruichi Shihōin, and I promise that I mean no harm. If you could all relax, hopefully we can speak calmly."

"Your reiatsu," the woman spoke up, not dropping her defensive stance. "It's that of a Shinigami."

"Shinigami…?" Naruto repeated. "Aren't those the military force from that place you mentioned before?"

"The Seireitei; home base of the Shinigami and where Souls who have been absolved of their sins go. Shinigami like to pride themselves as just and fair despite their hit first and question later stance on Hollows."

"So, you are a Hollow," Yoruichi mused aloud.

"I've become much more than that, Shinigami," she corrected.

"Neliel…" Naruto spoke softly, dropping his stance to try and calm down his friend. "Let's hear her out, at least. We can decide how to deal with her afterwards. We don't even know if she came alone or not."

"I was the only one able to make the trip from within the Dangai Precipice World. A man named Aizen has been slowly thinning the natural walls that separate it from the other worlds," Yoruichi explained, finally getting Neliel to drop her stance for a look of shock.

"Aizen? Why would he…?"

"He's responsible for many things that the Seireitei is blind to; including the framing of my friends which got them set for execution before I saved them, and we fled to the Human World. This place you live in; it doesn't have a natural connection to the Dangai. I was sent as a scout to see if anyone else under Aizen is here, and to warn those with spiritual awareness about him."

"You won't have to tell many people," Naruto spoke up. "So far, only myself and maybe two other living people are spiritually aware to my knowledge. And out of all of them, I'm the only one who's learned to harness my spiritual power."

"And the Hollow…?"

"She's a friend of my late mother, and the mother of someone I thought of as a friend before he abandoned the village and nearly killed me."

Mikoto winced at that, saddened that her youngest son had fallen so far.

"I see… How are you handling her cravings for Souls?"

Naruto frowned at the wary looks the cat was giving Mikoto. "First off, you can stop acting like she'll attack any second. I've taken care of her instincts as a Hollow by feeding her some of my spiritual energy periodically. She becomes aggressive when she's about to relapse, but I stay on top of it."

Not wanting to upset him, Yoruichi nodded in understanding. "Of course. I apologize for putting you on the spot."

Neliel scoffed at that. "First time for everything," she muttered, earning a pleading glance from Naruto. She dropped her frown at that, knowing that he was trying to keep the peace during this talk.

"How did you awaken your spiritual power?" the cat asked Naruto.

"I've always been able to see Souls. I've only recently learned to harness my reiatsu around a couple months ago," the Uzumaki answered, which got him a shocked expression.

'Only recently awakened it, and yet he has enough to continuously keep a Hollow's hunger sated? Either he has a naturally large pool of spiritual energy, or his liberal usage of it has increased its potency.'

Neliel suddenly winced as the eyes of her Hollow mask flashed pink briefly. "Not now…"

"I've got you," Naruto calmed her, giving her a reassuring smile as he reached up and placed his hand upon the crack of the mask. His eyes closed for a moment and white fire danced around his palm before seeping into the crack, which made Neliel visibly relax.

"…thank you, Naruto," she whispered gratefully.

"Anytime," he replied, still smiling at her. To Yoruichi's interest, she smiled back and the two held each other's gaze for a few seconds before Naruto returned his attention to her; unaware of the slight frown Neliel gave her.

'Incredible… From what I can feel, her spiritual energy is damaged but is restoring itself; and Naruto's reiatsu is helping smooth out the process. There's also an obvious bond between these two; one that has solidified through an unwavering level of trust and care.'

Human and Hollow bonding together… She found herself curious just how deep their bond was.

"You control your power well," she complimented the blonde.

"Thank you. I've been going off instinctive feel ever since I started harnessing my reiatsu. I even took down two smaller Hollows not long after first awakening my power."

"Impressive."

Truly it was, especially for a Human with no experience dealing with Hollows.

"Have there been any other Hollows since those two and Mikoto-san?"

"Not from what I've seen or sensed. We've never had Shinigami here either; save for the one that can be summoned."

"I'm sorry; summoned?" Yoruichi repeated incredulously.

Taking a moment, Naruto explained the Shinigami of the Elemental Nations and how was responsible for all who pass on as the sole Avatar of Death. He even explained how summoning it can allow the caster to seal away someone else's soul into the stomach of the Avatar; but the cost was their own soul suffering the same fate.

"…I came in contact with its reiatsu on the night of my birth," Naruto confessed. "It's how I gained spiritual power and could talk to Souls when nobody else can; unless I awaken their own spiritual power."

"And I assume you've done this…?"

"Only with one person; someone I trust that I will keep unmentioned until I know I can fully trust you."

"To be fair, you have given me a lot of what could amount to sensitive need to know basis information," she calmly argued.

"Only to keep you from attacking Neliel or Mikoto. I've been told of the bad blood between Shinigami and Hollows, and I won't let you try to kill my friends."

He glared as he flexed both his chakra and reiatsu, covering his form in an outline of white fire while his blue eyes gained white rings. To Yoruichi, if she didn't know better, it almost looked like the young man had tapped into near divine power.

"I'd die before I let any of them do so," he declared firmly, stating and showing his stance on the matter.

"Fair enough."

"You said you alone were sent to scout this place," Neliel brought up. "Why only you?"

"The walls of the Dangai were only able to be pushed open so much. In this form, I was able to squeeze through safely while my partner was left behind. Also, I have a history with stealth and espionage, and my speed amongst the Seireitei is unmatched to this day."

"Pride cometh before the fall, Shinigami."

For the first time since talking with the three, Yoruichi actually smirked. "You call it pride; I call it fact."

"I see the Shinigami are still arrogant as ever…"

"Neliel, please…" Naruto softly appealed, earning a reluctant sigh from her. "I know that there will always be a tension between Hollow and Shinigami, but I don't want things to come to blows; not with everyone else in the village unable to do a thing about it."

She cringed at that, understanding where Naruto was coming from. "I'm sorry…"

He smiled reassuringly once more. "I know…"

Yoruichi smirked again at that. 'This'll be something to keep tabs on. My money's on Foxy confessing first,' she mused internally with a mental chuckle.

It may seem odd and go against Shinigami propaganda, but she found herself wanting to root for the two souls from different worlds. They obviously cared for one another very strongly.

"So, was that all you needed to know?" Naruto questioned cautiously.

"Yes, I'd say I've gotten plenty of information. Still, I'd like to stick around and see if any other spiritual sources can be discovered here in your world. I'll help you further learn to control your reiatsu in exchange," she offered.

Neliel looked bothered by that, not liking the idea of her friend possibly being influenced by this Shinigami. "I can teach him just fine," she cut in tersely.

"I'm sure you can," the cat agreed sincerely. "However, I still feel I should compensate for imposing myself on your village; even if you three will be the only ones aware of my imposition."

Naruto hummed thoughtfully. "What else can you teach me?"

"Well, as I said earlier, I'm well-known for my speed and the techniques I've developed with it. If you wish, I can help you improve your own speed and teach you how to fight effectively with it. I can also help you improve your hand-to-hand skills."

The Uzumaki looked interested in that before he turned to his friend. "I'll let you decide, Neliel."

She was touched by that, grateful that he was taking her feelings on the matter into account. While she didn't like the Shinigami sticking around, she also knew that Naruto would need more instruction on how to further understand his power.

"…I will tolerate her for now," Neliel agreed.

She may not like it, but she would do so for Naruto's sake.

"Wonderful," Yoruichi replied with a smile. "Since we'll be seeing more of one another, I suppose I shouldn't keep my true form a secret."

Covering herself in spiritual energy that changed into slightly obscuring smoke, the black cat before them was engulfed in the shadows of the smoke as its outline grew, stretched, and smoothed out before the visage of a nude, dark-skinned woman with purple hair and yellow eyes was revealed; her womanly assets still covered by the smoke created.

Naruto, not expecting this at all, was left blushing brightly at the sight while Mikoto was also blushing; though it was due to the scandalous image.

As for Neliel, she frowned at this and gave Naruto a sidelong glance. To her relief, while he may have been blushing, his eyes were clenched tight to avoid seeing something he shouldn't. She let out a breath she was unaware had been held at that, pleased he wasn't reacting any further than that.

"Wasn't expecting a naked lady from a cat with a dude's voice," Naruto grumbled with his eyes still clenched shut.

"Aww, you won't even peek? You're no fun, Foxy," Yoruichi teased, winking at Neliel as she gathered the clothes that had appeared on the ground beside her. "Still, I can't blame you for thinking I was a man due to the voice. Even I can't understand why my voice changes so much; but I won't deny it's a treat to see peoples' reactions to my true form."

After watching Yoruichi get dressed, Neliel gently nudged the whiskered blonde. "You can open your eyes now."

Trusting her, he slowly unclenched his eyes and took in the thankfully clothed form of the Shinigami women. She had dark skin, golden eyes that gleamed with mischief, and dark violet hair that was waist-length and kept in a ponytail with chin-length bangs framing the sides of her face. Her attire consisted of a black backless and sleeveless undershirt, an orange over-shirt with two white straps on each shoulder, a large beige sash around her waist, and black stretch pants with a pair of lightweight brown shoes. Finishing off the outfit were long beige wrist and leg warmers, each secured by bands.

If he was being honest, the woman was gorgeous and was almost as beautiful as Neliel.

'Wait… Where did that thought come from?' he mentally asked himself, fighting an embarrassed blush. Thankfully for his own sake, he kept the blush from showing and composed himself by clearing his throat. "So, when would you be able to help train me?"

"I can start now, if you'd like," Yoruichi offered casually with a smile. "I find myself curious just how far someone like yourself will go. A Human with access to spiritual power on top of an already existing source of energy. I doubt many people like you can exist in your world."

This time, the blush broke through; but it was because of the sincerity of her compliment. He still wasn't used to genuine praise from others, after all.

Though, he missed the frown Neliel shot at Yoruichi, who kept her smile.

"I'd be more than ready to start now, but I honestly can't," he confessed before turning to Mikoto. "I wanted to tell you that we received some intel during our mission to recue Gaara, and it concerned a meeting with Orochimaru in a few days."

"Then… That means," Mikoto started to say before Naruto nodded once.

"Yeah… It means we could run into Sasuke."

Neliel kept a calm expression as Naruto spoke with Mikoto while Yoruichi looked a bit lost, which was understandable since she never heard of Sasuke. Though, she could guess that he was the friend that Naruto said abandoned the village years ago.

'The one that almost killed him,' she reminded herself with a well-hidden wince.

"…please tell him that I never left; that I'm waiting for my son to come back home," Mikoto pleaded her late best friend's son.

Naruto gave her an encouraging grin at that. "I already promised to tell him, remember? And you know my nindo by now."

Mikoto gave a tearful smile at that. "You never go back on your word…"

"Damn right, I don't. I'll knock some sense into Sasuke, even if it knocks him unconscious. Then I'll drag his ass back home if I can."

"…thank you…"

His grin softened to a smile as he nodded to Mikoto before turning to leave. "I'll have a Clone around to keep you company like last time. Keep your head up, Mikoto."

With that, he and Neliel with Yoruichi following left the Uchiha District. Upon leaving, Naruto and Neliel took to the rooftops of the village while Yoruichi easily kept pace. From the higher vantage points, she was able to see the village more openly, and she could admit it gave off a welcoming feel. She admitted to herself that she could see her having a life here if she finally decided to drop everything back home.

"Do you have a way to let people who aren't spiritually aware see you?" Naruto asked without looking back.

Yoruichi expected that question and answered, "Yes, I can use what's called a gigai to have a fake body that can interact with those of the living. Will I need it soon?"

"Humans here can't see Hollows, but I'm exempt from that," Neliel explained. "I won't say why that is, but I doubt you can be seen, and it'd make things easier for us if others can see you."

"She's right," Naruto called back. "Right now, only the person I'm taking us to will be able to see you, but it'd make things easier if I didn't have to have her send everyone else out of the office just to talk with you."

"Makes sense," Yoruichi relented. "You mind if we stop so I can put it on? It'll only take a few seconds."

Instead of answering verbally, Naruto landed on a nearby rooftop free from witnesses and stood patiently while Neliel stood beside him. Yoruichi pulled out a dark pellet that she crushed in her hand before it erupted into smoke and revealed a limp copy of herself. While slightly disturbed watching her spiritual form fit itself into the fake body, Naruto was amazed at seeing the gigai in action.

Whoever created it must've been a genius.

"There we go," Yoruichi declared, now in the fake body.

"An interesting invention," Neliel complimented. She may be wary of Yoruichi, but she knew that being civil at the least was needed so long as she stuck around.

No sense in acting on the bad blood between Shinigami and Hollow; not in Naruto's home.

Resuming their trek, Naruto led them to the Hokage Tower and up to Tsunade's office. Knocking once, he waited for permission before he entered the office followed by the two women.

"Naruto?" Tsunade asked in slight surprise. "Did something happen?"

"Sort of," he answered, wordlessly offering seats to Neliel and Yoruichi while he leaned against the wall. "Maybe you should bust out a little sake."

At his suggestion, the Hokage immediately pulled out a bottle, much to Yoruichi's amusement. "This ought to be good…"

"How many gray hairs do you plan on giving me, brat?" Tsunade grumbled and she rested her forehead against her palm.

Sheepishly, Naruto answered, "Honestly? I knew I was gonna give you some, but I didn't wanna be responsible for all of them…"

"Cute," she sarcastically noted, removing her head from her hand. "So, should we expect anymore visitors from the other side?"

"Hopefully, we can make some friends on the other side. If the walls of this Dangai World are already thinning, then I think it's safe to say it'll only be a matter of time before we need to start making some sort of alliance or peaceful treaty that lets them know we don't want any trouble."

Tsunade was pleased to hear him thinking like a Hokage, and she knew his parents would've been proud too. "True, but the question remains on what we should do to prepare. As Yoruichi-san said, this Aizen character is messing with what seems to be the natural order of things. Sooner or later, more Hollows will break into the Elemental Nations."

"Thankfully," Yoruichi spoke up, "the degradation of the natural walls is slow, and doesn't seem to have much of a start. Not counting the hole that we made for me to come through, I doubt there's an opening large enough for many Hollows to come through."

"Or Shinigami," Neliel added. "Aizen is a Shinigami, after all; as are his accomplices."

Yoruichi nodded in agreement.

Naruto thought to himself for a moment before an idea came to him. "You know, we already have quite a few people with spiritual awareness here in this office. Add in Mikoto, and we have four combat-ready people who can handle any foreign spiritual threats. Plus…"

"Plus, what?" Tsunade asked.

"Ignore that last thought for now. I'll look into it and get back to you."

While concerned, Tsunade decided to trust Naruto's judgment on the matter and dropped it for now. "How soon can you two help the brat get fully prepared to tackle spiritual threats?"

"Shouldn't take too long," Yoruichi answered. "He's already got a solid base regarding both his reiatsu and controlling his power. We can help him refine that control and improve his other base skills such as speed and combat."

"I'll help him better learn to wield his sword, as well," Neliel added. "Whenever I can maintain this form, I can spar with Naruto and help him get a better feel for using such a weapon in battle."

"What kind of sword do you have, Foxy?" Yoruichi asked, confused at just what would require so much focus.

"The kind with a blade as long as a human body that was once owned by a Mist Demon," Naruto answered semi-vaguely with a foxlike grin.

That didn't exactly answer her question, but it sounded like an oversized weapon that would require a great deal of strength to wield properly. Which would explain the extra time and focus needed.

"Alright, here's what I've decided," Tsunade spoke up. "Yoruichi, in exchange for temporary dwelling in my village, I'll have you join the Ninja Corps and assigned to Naruto's squad. While a member, you will be paid for missions taken while your temporary home will be covered by me personally."

"Why not just help me get a larger apartment that can hold the three of us comfortably?" Naruto suggested.

"A good idea, but I can't just get a place in an instant. For now, I'll have her in an apartment near yours and we'll find a better place when you get back from your mission at the Tenchi Bridge."

"Gotcha."

"Will this be acceptable?" the Hokage asked the Shinigami woman.

"Sure. You've offered a good deal that I'd be foolish not to take," she answered. "Until I need to return home, I'll be under your command, Lady Hokage."

Nodding, Tsunade rifled through her desk before pulling out a headband with a black cloth and tossing it to Yoruichi, who loosely wrapped it around her neck like a collar. She pulled out a second one and tossed it to Neliel, who tied it to her left arm.

"Figured I might as well induct you as well, seeing as you won't leave the brat's side anytime soon," Tsunade explained, slightly hinting at something with a teasing undertone that the Arrancar blushed faintly at. "Team Kakashi leaves for the Tenchi Bridge in the morning. Get some rest until then, and I'll explain the situation to Kakashi so that he can better prepare."

Nodding, the trio left the woman's office.

Late in the evening, we find two Uzumaki conversing before their people's Mask Shrine.

"Come again, Naruto-kun…?" Mito asked in surprise.

Grinning, Naruto repeated, "I want you to join a team dedicated to handle spiritual threats!"

Team Rei (Spirit) had found its final member.

All done!

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