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"What?" he asked her. She stumbled back as she realized what she had just said to him. Embarrassed, she threw herself back a couple of feet and turned her back to face him. Sakura didn't know what else to say; nothing came across her mind to try and say anything properly for the moment. "Sakura?" he said. "Did I hear your right?" he asked.
Inside, Karin had her ear pressed against the door. Naruto knew she was there but didn't bother to pay her any attention; what was happening between him and Sakura was much more important. "I didn't mean to say it out loud!" she screamed. Embarrassed, she got up and bowed to Naruto. "Thank you for your kind hospitality, Lord Uzumaki!" She began to run off back into the direction of the village.
"What the heck just happened?" he asked himself.
Running away, Sakura kept thinking to herself, "You're such an idiot! Why did you say that to him? Him of all people! The one you really care for!" She kept doing this until she ran into Shikamaru and Chouji. "Hey, Sakura!" said Chouji. "Where you are coming from?"
Sakura tried to speak, but the words that came from her mouth was gibberish. The two friends looked at each other in confusion. Shikamaru, being the smartest of the pair, figured that she went to see Naruto. "You saw Naruto, didn't you?" he asked. She frantically shook her head with worry written across her face. "You told him, didn't you?"
"It slipped out!" she yelled. "I jumped on him to give him a hug and the next thing I knew, it just came out of my mouth!"
"You jumped on him?" asked Chouji.
"To hug him!" she yelled. The two looked at each other and thought it best to give her a slap on the head so she could collect herself. Fortunately for them, they didn't have to since one Lady Hatake, was strolling along the street with her husband by her side, gave her a proper smacking to the head that helped Sakura collect herself for a moment. Shizune looked at the two boys in front of her and smiled while Kakashi went with what was going on.
"No need to worry about it from here, boy!" said Shizune. "I'll be taking it from here. This is something only a woman can discuss with another woman while her husband takes her out for a meal!" She dragged Sakura by her foot as they strolled to the tea shop. Kakashi helped Sakura up and poured her tea to calm her down. "I'm going to assume that you've finally done it," said Shizune. "Am I right?"
Sakura sighed and faced the ground. "Not on purpose," she began. "It sort of just…slipped out. He was talking about how things have been between the two of us for a long time, and I didn't know how else to react to it. I was overcome with so many emotions, joy most of all, and I jumped on him and hugged him. Then…it just came out of my mouth."
"You told him that you love him?" asked Kakashi. Sakura nodded for yes and looked at Kakashi smile. "Well, isn't that great news?" he asked.
Shizune looked at her and recognized the look she had. "I'm not so sure that it is, dear," she said to Kakashi. "You don't know because you've only asked out one girl in your entire life and I am her, but that face that she has right now is something that many of us regular people have had to deal with from time to time. SO, Sakura, tell me, what's on your mind right now?"
"I don't know," she said as she laid her head on the table. "I'm not sure what to do right now. I told him, but I'm not sure what to do about it."
"Well," said Kakashi. "How did Naruto take it?"
"I don't know, Sensei," she replied. "As soon as I said it, I jumped up and ran away from him. I'm pretty sure that I left him feeling pretty confused after that whole mess."
"I think that's putting it lightly." Shizune and Kakashi turned around to see Karin standing in the doorway. "Forgive me for interrupting, Lord Sixth and Lady Hatake, but I think that I should be here right now to console Sakura through this though moment she's found herself in."
"Hello, Karin," said Sakura from the table.
"May I join you?" she asked. Shizune smiled and gladly said yes to her. She sat with Sakura. "So, you finally said the words to him, didn't ya?" Sakura shook her head with remorse. "Yup, I was there with whatshisname back then. I didn't keep it a secret; if you ask Jugo or Suigetsu, they'll tell you about how annoying I was about it. He didn't care at all and looking back on it, I was a fool to think I could have persuaded him to see me that way."
"He was a very closed off person since his clan was destroyed," said Kakashi.
"I know. He was like that since we first met, but that's not the point. Sakura, you're acting like this is something only you're going through, but just like Lady Hatake has just said, everyone goes through something like this at one point in their lifetime. Heck, some young Genin is going through the exact same feelings that you're experiencing right now! If they can manage to get through it without a mental breakdown, then you can get past it, too! Besides, you'll have some time to figure out what to say to him."
"What do you mean?" asked Shizune.
"The toads summoned him to Mount Myoboku. A messenger toad left behind a scroll giving me the details about the meeting. The Great Toad Sage wishes to speak to Naruto about something. A new prophecy or something like that. I'm not sure about it yet."
"Do you know how long he'll be gone?" asked Kakashi.
"Forgive me, Lord Sixth, but I don't. Naruto told me that these types of things could be an hour or a week or a month. My guess is that it could be a week. Naruto was planning on going over there for his own purposes."
"Might I ask what it was he wished to discuss?" asked Kakashi. "You don't have to if you wish not to if it is sensitive information."
Karin took a moment to think about it before speaking again. "Perhaps it should be discussed if something awry." What she said raised their suspicions; it was enough to wake Sakura up from her sulking.
"Then speak, Karin!" said Kakashi.
She sighed. "Back when we were training together, Naruto was granted permission from the Toads to learn a Forbidden Jutsu."
"A Forbidden Jutsu?" said Kakashi. "How did that come to pass?"
"Well, it had to happen around the time he left the village to continue his training to be a Sage."
"I thought he had completed all of that," said Shizune. "He wasn't finished?" Karin shook her head.
"His training was put on hold when Cousin Nagato attacked the village." They all raised an eyebrow. "Cousin Nagato?" they all thought to themselves.
They made it clearly visible that they had no idea who she was talking about. "I guess it isn't known to all of you, huh?" she asked.
"We all know about the attack on the village, but as far as public knowledge goes, there were eight people who attacked the village; Lady Angel and the Seven Pains. This Cousin Nagato isn't someone that we know about."
Karin felt a sudden emptiness in her stomach. She shrugged it off and proceeded to explain it. "Might as well talk about it since I already spoke about it," she said. "His name is Nagato Uzumaki. He was the leader and one of the founding members of the Akatsuki. Naruto didn't tell a whole lot about him. Mostly that when Yahiko, one of the other founding members, as killed by Hanzo of the Salamander, he lost it. Around that time, Obito came and manipulated him to do as he wished; turning the Akatsuki from the peaceful organization that it was meant to be into the terrorist group that it became. I couldn't believe it, but I guess that it is what it is. After defeating the final Pain, he confronted Nagato and spoke to him. He managed to convince him to see things differently. Because of that, Nagato used the Rinne Rebirth technique to bring back the lives that were lost in the attack on the village."
"Huh?" said Sakura. "Cousin Nagato. Sounds like he also had a lonely life to live."
"Sort of. I'm not going into the details. Back to what I was saying before," said Karin. "Naruto had to put his training on hold when Cousin Nagato attacked. He managed to go into Sage Mode without a single problem, and that was enough for the moment. Then, the war began soon after and all that good stuff came along with it. When it all ended, he returned, finished, and the rest, you guys know."
"What about the Jutsu?" asked Shizune. "You skipped over that part."
"As far as I know, I and Jugo are the only ones told this by Naruto. The Jutsu that the toads gave him always him to separate his astral form from his body. So, to simplify what I said, he can roam the world as a spirit."
"What?" said Kakashi. "How can he do that?"
"You can guess that not everyone can do this type of Jutsu. People with large amounts of chakra can do it. Naruto was an immediate candidate for the jutsu. When he mastered the Astral Jutsu, the Great Toad Sage thought that he would be able to master the Forbidden Jutsu that was deemed forbidden long ago."
"But why?" asked Sakura. "It was forbidden for a reason, so, why would he give Naruto permission to master it?"
Karin shrugged her shoulders. "Beats me," she said. "Naruto isn't too excited about it either. Rather than jumping with excitement, he was skeptical about it."
"That doesn't sound like Naruto," said Sakura.
"Maybe not before, but he has changed," said Karin.
"Did he tell you what the jutsu was?" asked Kakashi.
"No," he said. "Naruto didn't tell me the details about it, but when he went out the other day to see Lee and Tenten, I might have snuck into his room and found the scroll hidden away. I opened it and read the scroll."
"What did it say?" asked Kakashi. "Does it pose an impending danger to the Leaf?"
"Don't know," she said. "It's written in a language that only a Sage would know. Naruto taught me a little; enough to write secret messages in case one of us were in danger. From what I could tell, the jutsu has the power to allow one to see the spirits of those who have passed. It was that or summon the spirits of those who have passed. One of those two, but I have little doubt that we'd need to worry about it at all."
"What makes you think that we're so safe, Karin?" asked Kakashi.
"For one, you're thinking that Naruto is the same buffoon that is willing to go straight into anything without thinking or forming some sort of strategy. My cousin isn't that same person anymore. I hope."
Mount Myoboku
Naruto fell from the sky when he arrived the familiar place, he considers home. Lucky for him, he was caught by an old ally he had known for a rather long time.
"What's shakin', Naruto?" asked Gamakichi. Naruto looked at his comrade and smiled. After the event that had taken twenty minutes prior, leaving the village for a time will help with this particular problem he's found himself in.
"I think I've had better days, Gamakichi; better days," he said. Gamakichi noticed the confused look on Naruto's face but chose not to press the matter. He got the impression that it was a heavy matter that boggled his thoughts completely. "Well, I'm here. What did you guys want to talk about?" he asked.
"Lord Fukasaku wanted to speak to you about your progress on the jutsu that the Great Toad Sage gave you," he said. Gamakichi paid close attention to Naruto. The mention of that jutsu left him feeling uneasy. "Though, based on your reaction, I guess it's safe to assume that you haven't opened it, huh?"
"That obvious?" he asked. Gamakichi placed Naruto on top of his head and began to hop to see Lord Fukasaku.
"I think if any other toad mentioned it to you, they'd be oblivious to understand how you think; but I think we've known each other long enough to pick up these kinds of things from each other. Besides, even I was skeptical about Lord Gamamaru letting you take the scroll."
"You were, too, huh?" asked a surprised Naruto.
"I think I was the only one that was worried for ya," he said. "Pops is sometimes a bit too thick in the head to understand it the gravity of the situation you were put in. From the moment you opened it, I knew that you would be going back and forth on it; after all, it was a jutsu created by the Sage of Six Paths."
"I know," replied Naruto. "Old Man Six Paths created it and deemed it forbidden. It was the world's first forbidden jutsu. How can I not be sceptical over my choice of performing it? If Old Man Six Paths deemed it powerful enough for it to be forbidden, then why would I bother trying to master it?"
"Exactly!" said Gamakichi. "I understood why they were going with it, but I couldn't help have my own feelings about the matter."
"What about Gamatatsu?" he asked. "Didn't he have anything to say about it?"
"I think we both know that my little brother's head is either up in the clouds or down in the ground trying to pick up the crumbs of his snacks." They both laughed and finished their conversation upon arriving at the home of Lord Fukasaku. The Geezer Frog was sitting peacefully outside when he saw Naruto and Gamakichi laughing.
"Now what is this that you two boys are laughing about now?" he asked. "You'd better not be making jokes about me."
"Wouldn't imagine doing something like that to you, Lord Fukasaku," said Gamakichi. "We were just talking about my brother is all."
"Well, good. I'd hate to have to give you two a proper beating. Oh well. Get on up here, Naruto!" he commanded. Naruto and Gamakichi said their goodbyes and went their separate ways. When he arrived at his doorstep, he was ambushed by Shima, the Mother of the Toad Way/ Lord Fukasaku's wife.
"Naruto Boy!" she yelled before beating him with a frying pan. "Why haven't you visited or sent a message?! DO you have any idea how worried sick we were?!"
"It's safe to say that Ma has missed you, Naruto Boy," said the Geezer Toad. "As have I." The Geezer Toad began smiled and bowed to Naruto. Shima jumped off him and did the same. Naruto smiled at his elders and did the same.
"Come, Naruto!" said Shima. "I've prepared a feast for you!"
"Oh boy!" he said. "I haven't had roasted caterpillar in forever!"
"Have you been depriving yourself of a healthy, balanced meal, Naruto?" asked Shima. Naruto laughed at her question before explaining his home life.
"It's not that, Ma!" he said. "Since I began living with my cousin, she doesn't exactly let me enjoy some of the things that I enjoy."
"Yes," said Lord Fukasaku. "Gamakichi told us about that. He said that you were training her and a companion of hers to fight."
"Oh yeah," he replied. "I forgot about that."
"Does that mean that you took students under your wing, Naruto?" asked an excited Shima.
Naruto laughed it off and smiled. "I didn't think of them that way, but yeah!" he was excited to talk about it. They sat down and began eating the food before them. "A while ago, I found a member of my nearly destroyed clan. We got along, began a friendship, and I decided to teach her a thing or two about fighting. I also wanted to help her friend. He was sucking up all the nature energy around him that it led to him losing control and go on a rampage. I taught him a couple things about Sage art, and he has it under control."
"You've been a busy toad, Naruto Boy," said Lord Fukasaku. "It enlightens me to know that a student of mine has begun taking students of his own; especially since that student is long lost, family. Do you plan on sending her here?"
"I'd like to send Karin here, but I won't force her to make that decision. If she wishes to become a Sage, then it will happen because she wants to do it."
"You sound like you've gotten close with her in the small amount of time you've spent with her, Naruto!" said Shima.
"Karin and I are a happy bunch. We both had a difficult time growing up and leading even crazier lives. I think we both connected immediately on that subject. It took a while for trust to build, but when it became stable, we've become a close pair of cousins. She cares for me and I care for her."
"It sounds like you've gotten a good person with you," said Lord Fukasaku. "All you need is someone at your side; just like how I got Ma at my side. Which reminds me, what of that Kunoichi?" Naruto began to choke on his caterpillar when he heard him mention Sakura.
"How do you know about her?" he asked. Lord Fukasaku and Shima smiled.
"Jiraiya Boy would tell us about her," he said. "He came here one day to visit ma and me; started talking about how he took Minato's son under his wing."
"Pervy Sage talked about me?" he asked.
He shook his head for "yes" in response to the question. "Jiraiya Boy saw Minato as the son he never had. The moment he realised who you were, he couldn't help but take you under his wing. His reluctancy was simply his joking around. To him, Jiraiya saw you as the grandson he never had."
"He would go on and on about how difficult you were or how much you would call him that perfectly fitting nickname," said Shima. "That boy was something else; the one thing he wanted to help you with was pairing you up with that Kunoichi that you were head over heels with. What was her name, Pa?"
"Cherry something, I think?" he said. "It was something along that line."
"Sakura," said Naruto. "Her name is Sakura Haruno."
"That's right!" said Lord Fukasaku. "Sakura Haruno. Jiraiya Boy would talk about how similar things were between you two and him and the Senju girl from his old team with Hiruzen. It would seem that history has decided to repeat itself in the likes of you and this Kunoichi. Though, I think it might be different for you and her."
"I guess you're right," said Naruto. "Pervy Sage would tell me that when Granny Tsunade would get on his nerves, his first instinct was to insult her."
"I remember that," said Shima. "Jiraiya would talk about her whenever he wasn't training. I hadn't seen anyone more in love with a woman since Pa first laid his eyes on me." The Geezer Toad began to blush as he remembered when he first saw his wife. Naruto laughed at the sight his mentor's green face turning into a bright red.
"Guess nothing has changed, huh, Geezer Toad?" he asked him. Lord Fukasaku began talking about how he and his wife first met and the road that it took to them coming together. Shima gave Naruto a few pointers about his situation. Then, he explained what had happened before he arrived. To put it lightly, they were massively surprised by this course of actions.
"It would seem that you've been living and eventful life recently," he said. "But, of course, we didn't summon you here for a social call, Naruto Boy." Naruto placed his plate and chopsticks down.
"I guessed as much, Lord Fukasaku," he said. "You're probably wondering if I've mastered the jutsu yet, aren't you?" He shook his head in response to the question. "The answer is no, Lord Fukasaku. I haven't bothered to even attempt to use it."
"I see," he said. "I would be lying if I said that I wasn't expecting this from you."
"Really?" he asked.
Shima answered. "Pa here thought you would be immediately interested in learning the jutsu. I too thought the same until I overheard Gamakichi talking out loud. That boy cares for you, Naruto, and I grew concerned about it, too."
"Lord Gamamaru never makes a wrong call, Ma," said Lord Fukasaku. "He was right about Naruto Boy being the Child of Prophecy."
"Pa, we both know that his premonitions are never straight forward! He said there was a Child of Prophecy, and there ended up being two; Nagato and Naruto."
"I understand your scepticism, Ma, but we have to put our faith in him!" An argument began among the normally peacefully couple. Naruto made his escape and began to wander the lands of Mount Myoboku when he found two comrades sitting peacefully at the waterfall where he learned to master Nature Energy. Before he was Gamakichi enjoying a smoke with a newcomer to this realm; a dragon named "Fang".
Fang was the first to notice Naruto coming their way. He offered him a smoke, but Naruto politely declined the offer. "Haven't seen you in a while, Naruto," said Fang. "Gamakichi was telling me about your run sudden meeting."
"Hey, Fang! Hey, Gamakichi!" he said.
Gamakichi released the smoke from inside his lungs and looked at him. "Heya, Naruto! How did it go with Lord Fukasaku?"
"About as good as you could imagine," he said.
"Was it that bad?" asked Gamakichi.
"No, it wasn't all that bad. He and Ma asked me about how things have been going since I left. It was all good until he brought up the jutsu. Then, they both started to argue about it."
"What does that mean for you, then?" asked Fang. "Do you plan on continuing with it?" Naruto sat down. He's done that a lot since the jutsu first came into his hands.
"I'm not sure," he said. "I think I'll just bring it back and return it to the Great Toad Sage. I know he believes in me and all, but I don't want to put my village at risk if something goes awry."
"A wise decision if you ask me," said Gamakichi. "Best to stay away from all of that forbidden jutsu nonsense if you ask me!"
Naruto laid down on his back and began to think about back home. To be more specific, he was thinking about Sakura. "I wonder what she was thinking when she said that?" he asked himself. "I wonder what she meant when she said that Was it genuine or just a friend saying she loves me?" After a few minutes of getting lost in his thoughts, he ended up falling asleep to the sound of Gamakichi and Fang debating on whether or not to follow through with the jutsu.
He slept peacefully until a voice came out of nowhere. "Hmm," it said. "He seems to be sleeping peacefully. Wouldn't you agree, Elder Brother?"
"It would appear that way, Tobirama," replied another. "Perhaps he should be given a proper push in the right direction, wouldn't you agree?"
"Tobirama?" he asked himself. "Wait! Those voices!" he opened his eyes and looked around him. He saw Gamakichi fast asleep with his pipe in his hand and Fang rolled up in a perfect position to sleep in. "What was that?" he asked himself.
"Would you look at that!" said the voice. "The boy woke himself up! Do you see that, Tobirama?!" He continued to turn his head in all directions until he was smacked on the head.
"Stop doing that!" yelled the assaulter. "You'll make yourself sick."
"Hitting me doesn't help!" yelled Naruto.
"HA! That reminds me of when it used to be me on the receiving end!" he continued to laugh before he too was beaten. "That takes me back." Naruto looked ahead and saw the familiar faces that he'd look up at every day since he was a kid.
"Lord First? Lord Second?" he asked.
"I told you, Tobirama, he'd remember us!" said Hashirama. "I was surprised that you called us here, Young Uzumaki!"
"Truly, it was a shocking revelation to find that you can summon us from beyond. I am most impressed!" said Tobirama.
Naruto, completely shocked at what he was told, didn't know how to respond to what was happening in front of him. So, in true Naruto fashion, he began to beat his head into the ground until he woke up. "This is just a dream!" he kept saying to himself. "I'm not seeing the first and second Hokages!"
"I told you it would be too much for him to handle, Elder Brother!" said Tobirama as he let out a small chuckle. "He reminds me a bit of you."
Hashirama looked at his brother and then back at Naruto. "I don't see it, Tobirama; but you are right that he isn't taking us being here very well. Perhaps we should do something?"
"I suppose you are right," replied Tobirama. He approached Naruto and pulled him by the collar of his shirt and smacked him a few times across the face until his face went numb. "There, now that things have returned to a stable condition, we can get to business."
"You didn't have to hit me so many times, Lord Second," said Naruto.
"It seemed fitting for at the time," said Tobirama.
"You're letting loose, Tobirama. You're a bit more fun to be around since you died."
"There's no point in being serious since our worries are long gone, Elder Brother. Though, I do have to keep you in check sometimes." The two began to laugh at their situation. Naruto though was very much confused about what was going on in front of him. Lords First and Second Hokage came to him after they stated that he had summoned him. Hashirama looked at Naruto and smiled.
"You seem confused, Naruto," he said. "Something on your mind? There should be; else, why would you summon us?"
"I still don't understand that, Lord First," replied Naruto. "I didn't summon you; well, not on purpose at least."
"It is somewhat similar to the reanimation jutsu I devised, Young Uzumaki," said Tobirama. "Rather than summoning us into a fresh corpse, you just summoned our spirits here to where you are. In Mount Myōboku of all places," Hashirama looked around him and remembered the days of when he first came to the great mountains to learn the ways of Sage Art.
"This brings me back many years," he said. "But there will be time for nostalgia on another day. We are here because you summoned us here. My guess is that you have something on your mind that is disturbing your peace." Naruto looked at them and then faced the ground. He didn't want them to see his face.
"I'm going to assume that my brother is correct," said Tobirama. "Speak to us then, Young Uzumaki. Keeping it bottled up will not help the situation at hand."
Naruto took a moment before speaking. "The toads have given me a scroll containing a forbidden jutsu. They want me to master it."
"The toads want you to master this technique?" asked Hashirama. "That is, it?"
"You brushed that off pretty fast, Lord First," said Naruto.
"It seems like a simple matter if you ask me," he replied.
"Elder Brother," said Tobirama. "You're letting it go over your head. If this jutsu has worried him enough to subconsciously summon us, then there is great importance here that we are unaware of." Hashirama shook his head and understood his brother.
"Forgive me, Naruto. My naïve attitude prevented me from seeing the damage here. What is it that bothers you about it?"
Naruto sighed as he looked up at the past Hokages. "It was a jutsu developed by the Sage of Six Paths." The two brothers gasped when Naruto finished that sentence. "It was deemed the world's first forbidden jutsu."
"I see," said Tobirama.
"The Sage of Six Paths," said Hashirama. "I remember our father telling stories about him to me and my brother when we were younger; it was a time before Madara Uchiha had entered my life. We were fond of those old stories. That's what we thought they were; just stories. To think that the Sage of Six Paths was an actual person was something neither of us could believe. To meet him during the last great war was an added bonus to returning to the world of the living."
"You're getting off track, Elder Brother," said Tobirama. He sat down in front of Naruto. Hashirama did the same when he paid attention to what was happening. "I believe your scepticism is the right way of approaching things, Young Uzumaki."
"I'm glad that someone thinks so," said Naruto. "Half of the people who know about this support me fully and sincerely believe that I can master it, but I'm also afraid that something could go bad if it isn't performed right."
"What of the toads?" asked Hashirama. "Where do they stand on this matter?"
"Lord Gamamaru believes in me completely," he said. "Everyone except my buddy here," he pointed to the sleeping toad. "Want me to go through with it."
"It is wise to not go through with it. I assume that all knowledge of its effects was lost to time; am I correct?" Naruto shook his head for yes. "Hmm. This is a most peculiar situation that you've been placed in, Young Uzumaki. How have you been handling it?"
"Not well, I suppose, Lord Second," he said. "I haven't tried performing it at all. I figured that that was the best thing to do."
"I agree with you, Tobirama," he Hashirama. "It was a wise decision, yet, it was also a bold one to make. The toads here have entrusted with you, my boy, because they have complete faith in the fact that you can do it!"
It was a rather interesting development that has unfolded here at the moment; brothers and former Hokage, Hashirama and Tobirama Senju have come to discuss the troublesome moments in his life. Naruto began to zone out once the brothers began screaming at each other. He went back to what he'd usually do; look into the sky and think about things. The argument between the two went on for well over twenty minutes. After they concluded, Tobirama went off to break some stones and Hashirama stayed with Naruto and followed his lead and look up at the sky.
"I remember doing this a lot when I was younger," he said to Naruto. He broke his focus and turned to Hashirama.
"What was that Lord First?" he asked.
Hashirama scoffed at him. "There is no need to keep calling me that, Naruto," he said. "Call me your 'grandpa', Naruto!" He was confused but didn't argue with it.
"Okay, Grandpa First," he said. Hashirama's smile faded as he stuck his head to the ground; making Naruto laugh and making Hashirama smile. "There's no need to get so bummed out, Grandpa! I'm only playing with you."
"I can see that, my boy! So, tell me, who is it that's on your mind?" asked Tobirama. Naruto was shocked by his question.
"What do you mean, Grandpa First?" Hashirama made a face when Naruto called him that but brushed it off.
"Tobirama is a wise man, but he is dense when it comes to this kind of thing," said Hashirama. "He is easy to detect when someone is distraught, but usually, he thinks it's because of something life-threatening. He was never one to see that sometimes, it's because of lady troubles." Hashirama smiled at Naruto and patted his back.
"Is it that obvious, Grandpa First?" asked Naruto.
"To me, it is, my boy. What is her name?" he asked.
"Ah! The cherry blossoms! It is a fine name for a young kunoichi. Is she good to you?" Naruto took a moment to look back on the times that they had; it mostly consisted of her beating him whenever he made a bad joke or used his sexy jutsu.
"We've had a few bumps in the road, but I think we're good friends!" he said.
"She hits you a lot, doesn't she?" asked Hashirama. Naruto pouted as he nodded his head for yes. Hashirama began to laugh at his misery. "You remind me of when my beloved and I were in your shoes!"
"That right!" he said. "You married a member of my clan."
"Mito Uzumaki," he said. "I remember the day I first met, Mito; back when I and Madara were the best of friends."
"Wait!" screamed Naruto. "You and Madara Uchiha were friends!?" he asked. Hashirama laughed at his response.
"Is it safe to assume that they wrote that out of the history books?" he asked. Naruto told him of the stories that he and other Shinobi that came after his death were told as children. "Hmm," said Hashirama. "It is a disappointment to know that they have chosen this. I have no doubt that this was the work of my brother. Such a shame; things could be learned from the story that Madara and I write together."
"Like bitter rivals and friends becoming enemies?"
"Exactly! Still, I do wish that things turned out differently between us in the end, but he was such a knucklehead."
"So, what happened with Mito?" asked Naruto.
"Hmm?" said Hashirama. "Oh, yes. My sweet Mito," he began. "Madara and I were training together one day when he lost his kunai. He was losing his brains when he couldn't find it,"
"Seems ridiculous to go crazy over a kunai, don't you think?" asked Naruto.
"I do agree with you on that, my boy, but it was a special kunai for Madara. He had several siblings when he was young, but because of the great conflict between his clan and mine, they all perished. That kunai had a special meaning to him because it belonged to one of his brothers; a custom-made kunai whose design would later be adopted by your father. So, we went off searching when we came across a young, redheaded girl in a kimono walking back to her campgrounds."
Back then…
"I wonder where it could have gone off to?" asked a young Hashirama.
"Talking to yourself isn't helping us find it, Hashirama," said a young Madara Uchiha. "Still, thank you for helping me with this. I don't think I could ever do this on my own." The young Hashirama smiled at his friend.
"You just got to look hard enough for it. If it's something that you truly cherish, then you'll find it eventually, Madara! Besides, I think this is a good time for me to try out my new jutsu!" Madara jumped off the tree branch he was standing on and ran to Hashirama.
"New jutsu?" he asked. "You didn't tell me that you were developing a new jutsu, Hashirama."
"I haven't told my family yet either!" he replied. "You're the first one to witness me and the greatness of my brand-new wood style!"
"Wood style?" said a confused Madara.
"Yeah! I haven't perfected it yet, but I have the basic schematics worked out."
"Then pleased, sensei, show us mere mortals the perfection of your wood style jutsu!" exclaimed Madara. Hashirama, who was mildly annoyed, mumbled to himself about how great his jutsu would one day become. He fell into the lotus position and felt the nature energy around him. "Wanna explain to the class, Hashirama?" asked Madara.
"Well, I'm a sensory type; so, connecting to the earth and the people around us isn't hard. I take in the energy around us to enhance my sensory powers to see the minor things as well. This way," he took a kunai and stabbed it into the ground. "I can see everything around us." After a minute, he found the location of the kunai. "There it is!" he said. The two friends began to run through the trees until they found the kunai stuck in a tree.
"All right!" said Madara when he first saw it. "There it is!" The jumped off the tree they were on and began to run towards it. Yet, as they got closer, Hashirama pulled Madara back and he two hid behind a tree. Enraged, Madara began to yell at him. "What's the big deal, dummy!? It's right there!" Hashirama placed his hand over Madara's mouth and told him to stay quiet. He pointed at the young woman, who was about their age, grabbing the kunai from out of the tree.
"Well isn't this a funny looking thing?" she said out loud. "I wonder who would have made a kunai so funny looking."
"It's not funny looking, you brat!" screamed Madara as he jumped from his hiding place." He then realised that he blew it for himself. "I can't believe I did something that you would do."
"I'm not sure if I'm supposed to be flattered or be offended, so I'll just ignore that remark, buddy." Hashirama patted Madara's head as he came out of his hiding spot. Coming out, he was stunned by the young lady in front of him. "Oh, wow!" he thought to himself. "I've never seen hair so red like that." Hashirama began to blush and his face turned brighter than the girl's hair. Madara began to notice it but was as dense as Tobirama when it came to love.
"What's your deal, Hashirama?" he asked. Hashirama wasn't listening though. So, to snap him out of it, he gave him a proper smacking across the head. Then, the two began arguing. The girl standing before them began to laugh at the two.
"Boy, you sure are an odd pair of brothers!" she said. This statement broke the two apart from their arguing and placed them in their right frame of minds. Hashirama approached her.
"I'm sorry for acting this way in front of you," he began. "My brother and I were looking for that kunai that you have in your hands." The girl looked down at the kunai and laughed it off.
"Oh! This funny thing is yours?" she asked.
"It's not funny!" screamed Madara. Hashirama hit his head when he began to yell.
"Calm yourself, Elder Brother!" said Hashirama. "Mother taught us better than to yell at a woman." Hashirama smiled at the girl in front of them and approached her. "Forgive my brother. He's the kind of person that doesn't like to be toyed with. Is it all right if we have the kunai back?" The girl smiled at him and placed it in his hand.
"Try not to lose it again, okay?" she said as she smiled at him. She gathered her things and began walking to her camp. "My name is Mito, by the way; Mito Uzumaki." She turned around and blushed when she saw Hashirama. Hashirama blushed too when he saw her.
"I'm Hashirama!" he nervously said. "And this is my brother Madara!" Madara saw what was happening in front of him but couldn't believe how much of a fool Hashirama was making of himself. So, he grabbed him by the collar and dragged him back to their training grounds by the cliff. "I'll see you later, Mito!"
Mito laughed and continued her walk back to her grounds. "What an odd boy!" she said. "He'd be even cuter if it wasn't for that ridiculous hairstyle he has!"
Present…
"It's hard to imagine him as a kid," said Naruto.
"It's nice to look back on those days," he said. "They were bitter, but the time I spent with Madara made it easier for me to manage the pain of losing my brothers. In a way, I began to see him as a brother. Of course, the day came when we bother found out about our families' heritage. You know about that already. When the day came that our clans came to an agreement and formed the Hidden Leaf Village, Madara and I rekindled our friendship. Sure, it was many years later, but I was ecstatic as ever. By then, he was more aware of women and how to act in front of them. It was because of him that Mito and I began a romantic relationship."
"Seriously!?" asked Naruto. "I can't picture that homicidal maniac as a wingman," he said. Hashirama chuckled at the thought of it.
"It was an interesting development," said Hashirama.
Then…
A year after the village is founded, the two friends sat on the cliff that they would train on as kids; eating their lunches after being apart for some time. "How did things go with the stone?" asked Madara. He opened up the bag he carried and gave a bento box to Hashirama.
"Thank you, my friend," said Hashirama as he grabbed the box. They both opened the boxes and began to eat their lunch. "I think things will be settling well over there. They were the last on the list of clans coming forth to form a strong village of their own."
"It was bitter work to form this land right here, but it is good to know that this influence is spreading elsewhere," said Madara. "I bet they didn't have food as good as this though!"
"Nothing could compare to it!" said Hashirama. They began to laugh and talk about what they could do to make things easier for new clans to transition into living alongside one another.
"This has proved to be difficult. I swear, sometimes I think forming a battle strategy was easier than living life as a political figure for a village," said Madara.
"I agree with that, but we cannot let it go to waste!" said Hashirama. "This is more than just something our two clans have decided to make. This is something that has become an example of what peace among clans can do! With that, we also become an example for future generations to look up to. Just imagine the legacy that the two of us would leave behind!"
Madara smiled at the thought. He turned his head and activated his Sharingan and jumped to fight. Hashirama looked in the same direction his friend was looking at and saw a woman approaching the two of them. "Calm yourself, Madara," said Hashirama. "There is no need for violence at this moment. She is just approaching us," Hashirama calmed down his friend and stood up to greet the woman coming their way. "Hello, Ma'am," he said as he bowed to her. "What brings you here to the cliffside?"
"Forgive me, but you are Lord Hokage Hashirama and Lord Madara Uchiha, correct?" she asked them.
"Yes, I am Hashirama and this is Lord Madara," he replied. "Forgive my friend here, he has been stressed for some time and is on high alert almost all the time these days."
"It is forgiven, Lord Hokage," she said. Madara began to loosen up but kept his Sharingan activated. "I simply came here to greet you and thank you and Lord Madara. Members of my clan have moved to the village and as a member, I came to thank you both for allowing us to move here."
Hashirama was confused. He was not aware of a new clan arriving in the Leaf. "Forgive me, Hashirama," said Madara as he turned off his Sharingan. "I forgot to inform you that the Uzumaki clan have come to the village. This here is one of their leaders; Mito Uzumaki."
"Mito?" he said to himself. "I remember a young girl by that name. Madara and I met her years ago not too far from here."
Mito laughed. "I was wondering if you remembered me or not," she said. "I must say that you certainly have grown. I'm even happier to see that you don't have that ridiculous hairstyle anymore; long hair suits you best, Lord Hokage!" Madara noticed his friend blushing and decided to give him a little push. Quickly, he gathered his things and went off.
"I forgot," said Madara. "I have some important clan business to attend to! Have fun, you too!" he said as he jumped off the cliff. Flustered, Hashirama's face turned into a bright red as he looked at his friend running off and as he looked at Mito blushing as well.
"What did I just get into?" he asked himself.
Present…
"Before I knew it, Mito and I were married. I had Madara and Tobirama at my side that day when I wed her. Mito…"
Naruto smiled at the story being told to him. He was happy to hear about an old love being formed. "You guys had a good life together?"
"There were ups and downs, but Mito and I had a great marriage until I passed away. Then, she passed too, and we became reunited again. Even though we're apart for right now, she knows that it is for a good reason. I'm visiting our grandchild right now and he requires help." Naruto smiled and felt comforted by it. Tobirama came back after breaking a couple boulders he found. "Had fun?"
"I am okay," he replied. "Have you decided on what to do?" he asked them.
"No, but I think that is a decision that requires time to arrive to." Tobirama scoffed at Naruto's response but respected his choice.
"Then I will take my leave and return to heaven," he said. "Elder Brother, let's take our leave."
"No, brother," he said.
"What?!" said Tobirama.
"I will stay here with Naruto for some time." Tobirama, shocked, did not take his course of actions lightly. "What of Mito? Are you going to make her wait for you?!"
"I waited many years to see you again brother and even longer to see Mito. I think she can wait just a little bit for me." Tobirama left the two and returned to Heaven.
"Why are you staying here, Grandpa First?" asked Naruto. Hashirama smiled and stood up.
"I can't leave my grandson here with feeling conflicted with himself now, can I?" he said. Naruto looked up at the First Hokage and smiled.
"So, what do you mean by that?" he asked.
"If I were in the village world, I wouldn't be able to keep my form or touch things. I wonder," Hashirama clapped his hands together and yelled. "Wood Style!" From beneath the earth, he summoned trees to form around him and Naruto. "Yes!" he said. "I can use my jutsu!"
Stunned, Naruto looked around him and was amazed by the forest that formed around them. "Grandpa First?" he said. Smiling, Hashirama turned around and saw a dumbfounded Naruto.
"Naruto Uzumaki," he said. "Until you feel that you are ready to use that jutsu, I will remain at your side. In this time, I will teach you to use the Wood Style jutsu I devised years ago and the ways of the Senju clan!" He was in shock to hear the words coming from Lord First.
"You think I could master it?" he asked.
"Of course!" said an excited Hashirama. "You are my grandchild! You will master the Wood Style!"
Uzumaki Home
Karin returned home from having tea with Sakura and the Hatake clan. "Naruto!" she yelled. "Are you home?" She looked around the home and found two scrolls in her bedroom.
"Karin," it read. "I won't be home for some time. Keep the place well and be safe, Cousin. And give this other scroll to Sakura, please?" Karin smiled as she laid down in her bed.
"That cousin of mine," she said to herself. "I hope he doesn't hurt himself over there."