Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any other works that I use for inspiration.
"Speaking"- Speech
"Thinking" - Thoughts
"Speaking" - Non-Mortal Speech
"Thinking" - Non-Mortal Thoughts
Chapter 8: Choices
"Doesn't look too much different than it did back in the day, huh Shizune?"
"You're right Lady Tsunade, It looks like the people are content with the way things are."
Even though they had returned to their home village after 15 years, it had felt like just another stop in another town. They had completed a week's travel to be greeted by the leaf green gates of Konoha, and the two chunin tasked with its protection. Unfortunately for them, the guards couldn't seem to pull their attention away from the "luggage" Tsunade was hauling, which led to them receiving some lumps of their own.
"This place endlessly produces perverts, but no new casinos or gambling halls. What about tourism!? What about providing some more leisurely options for the working man after a hard 9 to 5?!" Shizune couldn't help respond in a deadpan manner.
"I guess that's something you can bring up with the Hokage, Lady Tsunade. We should go and report our arrival as soon as possible."
"What's your rush Shizune? You don't want to visit your friends first?"
"I'm not sure of where they are or what they might be up to right now. I can look for them after we let the Hokage know we've returned."
"You sure? It's been a while since you've seen them, no need for you to have to wait any longer than you already have."
"If I didn't know better, I'd say you're trying to get rid of me, Lady Tsunade. I'm sure I'll be able to find them after meeting with the Hokage." Tsunade honestly didn't want Shizune to have to wait any longer to see her friends.
She didn't know who she was referring to, but whenever she would receive a messenger owl, her world seemed to light up, and Shizune usually let her gamble to her heart's content. It had crossed her mind to ask how a messenger owl seemed to always be able to find where they were, especially when most if not all of their travel was spontaneous, but she figured that over the years, Konoha had just trained smarter messenger birds.
Shizune had a point though. The sooner business was handled, the sooner they would have time to play.
"Yea, you're right. Best to get this over with, and after I can try and have a little fun in this dingy old place."
"Things haven't changed...probably never will…" Shizune spoke under her breath.
"Did you say something Shizune?" Tsunade could've sworn her apprentice said something about change.
"Oh, n-no it's nothing. Come now, Lady Tsunade."
The two arrived and entered the Hokage tower. Tsunade took the lead and went straight for her former sensei's office, but was interrupted by his secretary.
"Lady Tsunade, Hokage-sama is expecting you, but he is currently meeting with a genin team. Can you please wait while I let him know you're here?"
"No need to worry little girl. The old monkey knows I'm coming so there's no issue."
"Lady Tsunade, let's just wait-" Tsunade swung open the office door before Shizune could finish protesting. The occupants of the room turned to see who the loud intruders happened to be. Hiruzen finished spewing a stream of smoke from his pipe before greeting the newcomers.
"It has been quite a long time, but I would never forget such a lovely face. Welcome back Tsunade, Shizune."
"Thank you, Sandaime Hokage. It's nice to be back in the village."
"I would've thought you would've done something with the village sensei. It still looks like a dump here."
"Trust me when I tell you that plenty has changed. Wouldn't you say, Kakashi?" Hiruzen and Kakashi shared a look.
"Yes Lady Tsunade, the village has many new developments. The most promising would be the new generation of shinobi. Allow me to introduce you to a few of our promising genin. This is Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno." Tsunade looked the members of team 7 up and down.
Sakura was having one of the most controlled freakouts the Sannin had ever witnessed in her life. The way the pink-haired girl was trembling, Tsunade could tell she was a fan. A kunoichi that wanted to be just like her. But how could she blame the young girl, she was pretty awesome.
Tsunade looked at Sasuke to find...his eyes closed. He just stood there, perfectly still. If one wasn't looking right at him, you might not even notice Sasuke was here.
Then came her fellow blonde. The moment she laid eyes on him she could instantly see the resemblance between father and son. Calm, thoughtful, mature; those are the feelings she got from the boy.
Over the years Tsunade, like many shinobi developed a "sixth sense" that helps assess danger and the strength of those encountered. Tsunade could tell that Kakashi had strengthened throughout her leave and that her sensei had weakened, most likely due to his old age. She was glad to see that the fangirl seemed to at least have a little might behind her, and was a bit worried about Shizune, who also seemed to weaken, though it wasn't as though they saw combat. What she found strange was what she couldn't feel from the two. Tsunade tried her hardest to get some sense of their power but to no avail.
Naruto's face adopted the cockiest little smirk that Tsunade had ever seen, and with it, she saw the other half of the boy's parentage.
Tsunade had the pleasure of knowing Kushina before she left due to the Uzumaki being brought to Konoha to become the Jinchūriki of the Kyuubi, succeeding Tsunade's grandfather, Mito Uzumaki. They had become somewhat close partially because of their familial relationship and the connection between Tsunade's longtime teammate Jiriya and Kushina's romantic relationship with Minato. Kushina would at times infuriate Tsunade to no end, either with her brashness, some of her crazy pranks and just knowing what to say to push her buttons.
"Hello Shizune, it's a pleasure." Naruto walked past Tsuande to greet Shizune standing behind her. Tsunade found herself becoming quickly irate.
"Hey, brat…"
"Allow me to reintroduce myself. My name is Naruto Uzumaki and from your particular eye for the color red I think we will be very good friends." That smile on his whiskered face was infectious. Before she knew it, Shizune had sported one of her own.
"Thank you very much, Uzumaki-san. I'm sure you're right about that."
"I'm talking to you…" Tsunade found her anger rising at an alarming rate.
"I know you've been away from the village for quite some time. If you are looking for a meal I would highly recommend Ichiraku Ramen. They have some of the most delectable food in the village and their array of seasonings and spices are simply to die for." He continued as if they were the only ones in the room.
"Oh, I remember them. I'm not the biggest of ramen, but theirs was always so delicious." Shizune found it easy to continue as well. How was it that he made it easy to speak to him, yet hard to interrupt him?
"Well whenever you find yourself with a moment, please allow me to escort you to their lovely establishment. My treat of course." The gull! The boy ignored her presence entirely to flirt with her apprentice. That was that last straw!
"I said…HEY BRAT!" Tsunade's veins became pronounced as she grabbed Naruto by the haori and proceeded to throw him out the Hokage's window.
Eyes almost jutted out of their sockets from witnessing the display, but Shizune didn't seem too entertained by this as she ran to the window to see where the boy ended up.
"LADY TSUNADE! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!?" Shizune turned to her mentor, clearly enraged.
Tsunade couldn't remember the last time she saw Shizune so upset, but couldn't fathom why. She just threw some snot-nosed punk out of a building, no big deal.
"That little shit had it coming, Shizune! Besides, I didn't even throw him that far." Tsunade flexed her arm revealing the onyx chain attached to her right wrist.
"Lady Tsunade, your arm! Get that chain off you immediately!" Kakashi moved to help.
"Chain…?" Yet, he was too late. With a violent jerk, Tsunade went flying out the window, nearly hitting Shizune on her way out. Kakashi and Sakura ran over to the window to check on Shizune and to see where the blondes had ended up.
She landed in the middle of a busy village street. When she looked up she was greeted by Naruto staring down at her as a crowd of villagers quickly gathered. Among the whispers and chatter of the townsfolk, Tsunade could hear people mention her name or refer to her as one of the legendary Sannin.
"Isn't that the demon brat? And is that Tsunade?"
"I think that is Tsunade!"
"Is he causing more issues?"
"Why don't they just deal with the nuisance permanently?"
"I told you, that kid has to be no good."
The townsfolk were quite vocal with their opinions of the boy. Regardless of whose around. Regardless of that fact, simply uttering the word demon towards him could land you a one-way ticket to execution.
"How the absolute fuck did you pull ME!?" She looked up at the boy but received no response.
He looked down at her, in more ways than one. Tsunade had seen a similar look from Shizune many times before. He was disappointed. For what reason, she didn't know but there was no mistaking that look.
"Do you hear them? The people and what they call me?" She had noticed their bigoted comments but was too frustrated with what was going on to pay much attention to it.
Though some of what she heard was concerning. She was hasty in her reaction and technically assaulted him first, yet the townspeople were calling for his punishment, some going as far to suggest him being put to death.
"Willing to attack me for something so insignificant. Doing whatever they please with no regard for how I feel or my safety. Never mind I'm younger, or the fact that they are stronger or faster. What they want supersedes all it seems." The crowd's murmurs were controlled; they had plenty of experience.
The insults, slurs, and threats, like hisses being heard in the grass. Naruto turned and looked at the crowd which caused many of them to step back and stifle their rude commentary. Though among the crowd he spotted a familiar set of eyes.
"And the moment things get tough, they seem to cower in fear. They were so strong and opinionated just a moment ago, but once the going gets tough they show their true colors. Once they come face to face with their fear, they turn and run. But not all of us get that choice…" Naruto turned back to face Tsunade, who found it difficult to muster the strength to pick herself up.
"What's going on? Is this chain doing something to me? And where is it coming from?" Tsunade was trying to make sense of anything that was happening before her. This boy was lecturing her like he was her sensei while there she was, kneeling before him like a good little student.
"Yes, that look you have! That's the same one all of them do. That panicked look when you can't rely on your superior strength or skill. When someone you looked down on suddenly becomes a threat. These really are your people Tsunade, and I'm sure they are elated that their "Legendary" princess is here. You're all very much made for each other, you know?" That smile might have looked like Minato's on the surface, but Tsunade caught a glimpse of what lies underneath.
She saw a grin that rattled her. One that rivaled any twisted look she ever caught from Orochimaru. Whether it was fear or anger, she could not say but she had to strike. Her body was already on the move before she could think about her actions.
*BOOM*
Kakashi and Sakura made their way to the surface streets to see the sizable crater left in the middle of the road.
"What the hell did he say to her, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura watched as the townspeople cowardly dispersed.
"I have no idea Sakura but-" Kakashi couldn't finish his thought as several more explosions went off around the village.
*BOOM*
*BOOM*
*BOOM*
*BOOM*
"Sakura, we are going after them! We have to stop this before they end up leveling the village." Sakura nodded and followed her sensei as they dashed in the direction of the destruction.
"I can't say I've ever seen her this enraged. Sandaime, I'll be going after them to try and calm Lady Tsunade down."
"And I'll be going to join with the rest of my team, in case my assistance is needed."
"Very well. Do what you must to prevent this from becoming a catastrophe." Shizune and Sasuke nodded as they exited to follow after the blondes. Once they had reached the street, Sasuke began to speak.
"It is good to see you again Shizune-san. It's been too long."
"Thank you very much Sasuke-Kun. I missed you as well. It seems you and Naruto-sama have been keeping up with your training, but with the time dilation seals I don't see you having any difficulty doing so."
"It seems we weren't the only ones. You are a good deal stronger than after our training years ago."
"When your charge gets drunk and clunks out for a couple of hours to days, you find yourself with a lot more free time than you'd think. Now that I'm in the village though, we will be able to train together again. I'm quite excited."
"I'm interested to see how you've improved your Hatsu, Shizune-san. From what I remember, it was quite terrifying."
"I know you caught a glimpse of it, Sasuke-Kun and I'm sure his majesty did as well. But, I am glad to see you and Naruto-sama in good health. It seems that he wanted to have a bit of fun, but I didn't expect things to get this destructive so quickly."
"It's his nature to be a tad chaotic at times, especially if he doesn't have to worry about the surroundings."
"I suppose. Still, Tsunade could've gotten herself killed. Her medical ninjutsu is strong, but not to the degree of Malice-ane's."
"The King has trained his Kingusugādo to a considerable degree, gaining significantly more control than he used to have. Though he can't stop them from appearing to respond to surprises like Tsuande's grab, he can usually stop them from doing anything fatal."
"That temper of hers is going to lead her to death's door all too soon." Shizune sang the words in a playful tone.
"Naruto-sama is also comparing his physical capabilities against someone who's revered for their physical strength. Besides Might Guy, I doubt that there is anyone in this village that could contend with us physically, though I would like to be proven wrong."
"My my, you sound so grown up now! You've become a wise owl haven't you, Sasuke-Kun?" Sasuke did his best to keep his stoic demeanor intact while being praised.
"I had to grow, same as he did. Same as you did. We made a promise, if we have a choice, I'll be his right hand." She remembered the promise they made all those years ago.
"And I'll be his left." It was on that day she decided to hide away the smile she now wore on her face. It was only for those worthy of it. Only for those she chose.
"Since we have a moment, I'll fill you in on the new developments of the empire" Shizune nodded as they both continued to their king.
With Naruto and Tsunade
"STOP RUNNING YOU MOUTHY LITTLE SHIT!" Everything was vibrant yet somewhat blurry for the female Sannin. She didn't usually lose it like this, but this kid...Saying something like that…
"Now now, let's not resort to hypocrisy now." And the fact that he just kept adding fuel to the inferno wasn't making it easier for her to calm down.
"Besides, You should have been informed on how I'm prone to run away from attackers." That damned smile too.
Whenever she got within a hair's length of him, ready to bestow upon him a well-deserved lesson, he'd dodge. He would dodge and shoot her that smile as if he was just a kid playing a game of tag, and having a blast.
*BOOM*
Oh, how he was having a blast! His whole life, Naruto wanted the chance to ravage the village even if just a little. He had no issue being the monster they had labeled him as for a moment. Kurama was more than happy to cheer on and encourage those urges, but Naruto was able to stifle them, deeming them beneath someone of his status. But her fate was once again, asking for his forgiveness for the wrong it had brought upon him before he even laid eyes on this, his world. It provided a gift, in the form of a foolish old woman, tearing through the village with reckless abandon. Blowing holes in the street and throwing whatever she could to hit him, doing a decent deal of damage throughout. Sure, Naruto knew they would blame him for it, but why would he care?
"Exactly my Lord! With you obtaining the Wave and such a skilled carpentry force, the reconstruction of Uzushiogakure can commence. A home fitting for an emperor such as yourself."
"You are right, Kurama! We have been fortunate that events have played out in such a beneficial manner. If the exchange is having to deal with the peasants some more then so be it."
"Spoken like a true king. There's a clothing store that didn't want to sell to you. See if you can get her to attack that too, my lord!" Kurama was having a bit of fun too seeing the village trashed through the chase. It may not have been to the level of destruction that she would have liked but she was enjoying it all the same.
"It's alright if you want to run, Tsunade. What're another 15 years?" Naruto stopped right in front of the store Kurama mentioned as Tsunade jumped in the air. She then came down in a flying kick, crashing into the ground. When the smoke cleared all that was left was rubble and debris.
"THAT'S RIGHT KID! SAY SOMETHING NOW!" Tsunade shouted at the pile of rubble. It had to have been acting as a tomb for the brash blonde brat. She even started to calm down. It might have been a touch too much, but she would heal the boy's wounds no problem if need be. Yep, things started to look up until she heard.
"Something…" She turned her head to see the boy, sitting crossed-legged on the ground.
"Do I get a prize now or?" Naruto had to quickly dodge pieces of debris that Tsunade had thrown his way.
"One and a two and a three and a four." He decided to do the dodging while maintaining a handstand, using his hands in place of his legs.
Naruto was able to keep this up for a while as they made their way towards one of the training fields closer to the village. He had also noticed that they had 2 others watching them from a distance.
Tsunade had been chasing him for a little while now and at this point had to catch him off of principle. She was still mad, but if she didn't at least wallop the boy a little, all that destruction behind her would've been for not.
"CUT YOUR SHIT! YOU. LITTLE. FUCKING. BASTARD!" Tsunade wanted to end this game of cat and mouse. She got her wish as Naruto righted himself and came to a screeching halt.
"I'm so sorry...I don't think I heard you correctly…" The shift was unsettling. The kid was just bouncing around, making all his rude quips and comments. Now, he stood before her as if he were a seasoned veteran about to engage in a life or death battle.
"Wait...After seeing all that, he doesn't seem fazed at all. What's a kid like him been through to get a look like that." Kakashi and Sakura arrived to see the two having a standoff. Sasuke and Shizune arrived just a moment after.
"Seems like now is as good a time as ever to apologize. Then we can shake hands and forget any of this ever happened." Tsunade couldn't read the boy for the life of her which further angered her.
"Cut the shit you fucking little bastard! Who do you think you are huh!? Some mouthy little shit that has no idea of what the hell he's saying. From what I hear you fancy yourself a king. Tell me, what kind of king runs away with their tails between their legs?" She expected Naruto to try and attack her, but he stood patiently.
"First of all, you are one of the people who should know I'm not a bastard, so we should stop using that word...Before it gets unpleasant." The sheer weight of his words, like the waves of a waterfall crashing down.
"Secondly, I do not "fancy" myself a king. I am a King. This is not my attempt to debate you, just correcting someone when they're wrong. Plus there are others that see me as I truly am." Naruto said while stretching. He bent backward and flashed a smile towards the forest edge.
"I think I should do something-" Kakashi was interrupted by Naruto's loud and piercing voice.
"Now you would like to do something, Hatake? You have all had many opportunities in the past. What's different now?" Naruto continued, now performing some leg stretches.
"What the hell is wrong with you kid?" Tsunade couldn't lie, something about the boy rattled her some.
"Nothing at all. I can't appreciate being addressed by such vulgar titles. I believe this would've highly upset my parents as well. What do you think?" Naruto looked towards Tsunade and Kakashi who chose to respond with silence.
"I see...I guess that suffices as an answer…" He made a choice as well. His words conveyed his message to those who saw him as he saw himself. As his parents saw him, even without ever having the chance.
They knew that their king had made his choice regarding the village, and its people. It would go unquestioned and uncontested, for they trusted his decision. Why else would they have chosen to follow him?
"A good king is a better strategist. He must know when to retreat, when to defend, and when to strike. But before all, he must learn patience. For a master of the realm must first be a master of the mind." His words embodied regality.
"What are you going on about? You opened your yap knowing full well you were gonna piss me off. So now, I'm gonna show you what happens when you decide to mouth off to your elders."
"You said things as well, with knowledge of which you spoke. That is not something that I can overlook. Let me show you what kind of "Bastard" my parents had." Naruto adopted a strange stance. It was reminiscent of that of the gentle fist.
"Disrespectful hag! Her and these filthy peasants! A princess of a ravaged land and the white knight that came to her rescue when no one else would. To have their heir and sacrifices spat on in such a way. If I were able, I would have exterminated this nuisance before she would have laid a hand on you, my lord!"
"One day Kurama, I shall give you the only gift I can deem worthy for all you've done for me and my parents. For now, please watch the results of my training." Kurama couldn't help but feel pride in her king.
She had been there when no one was. Hardly able to help him when he needed it most. Yet, he never backed down. Now he could stand tall against some of the best out there.
"Cocky little shit. You're a hundred years too early to think you could take me on!" Tsunade went to strike first but found that the blonde had easily blocked her right palm smack. She then tried a straight right but found herself being parried. She began punching continuously, but Naruto deflected everything she threw at him.
"Kakashi-sensei, what is that?" Sakura pointed at Naruto. Kakashi looked to see a faint transparent orb around the boy. Naruto's hands moved fluidly to counter Tsunade's attacks while his stance was rigid, feet planted into the ground as if they took root. Tsunade released a reckless right hook that was parried away, leaving her wide open. Naruto then responded with a right-handed open palm strike to her abdomen, yielding surprising results.
"Awwkkk" Tsunade was knocked back a short distance, clutching her gut in pain.
"That hurt! It felt like he was hitting my insides with that attack…."
"Okaasan would be pleased with the control…" Tsunade closed the distance to attack again, beginning a taijutsu exchange between the two, at least in a sense. Naruto casually knocked away her attacks while delivering none of his own.
"I have to move in to stop this before things get worse." Kakashi was worried that Tsunade might be in trouble. This was his first real look at Naruto's abilities since his graduation test and while he wasn't doing anything flashy, he was able to defend against a Sannin.
"Sakura, you-"
"STOP" The voice's order was obeyed, and it seemed that consent wasn't an option.
"Kakashi-sensei, I can't move!"
"I can't either!" Sensei and student found themselves paralyzed; they couldn't even turn their heads to see if those behind them had been affected as well.
"I suggest you just look on. This is what she was summoned back to the village for anyways." They could hear Sasuke's voice from behind them.
"SASUKE, IS THIS YOUR DOING!?" Kakashi flexed his chakra which allowed him some ease in movement, but not much.
"Shizune and I are immobilized the same as you, Hatake. Whatever paralyzed you, it wasn't me." The Jonin was able to somewhat confirm by turning as much as he could to see Shizune, with a familiar look of struggle to theirs and Sasuke, who was just standing there.
"Sensei!" Sakura shouted, trying to get Kakashi's attention. When he faced forward again, he saw Tsunade get tossed to his feet in an overhead throw from Naruto.
"You can run away now...This was a waste of time. I'd rather be a bastard than whatever you pathetic lot consider yourselves." She picked herself up from the ground and went on the attack again.
Even Though she was still angry, Tsunade had a clearer head. She was able to coordinate her attacks better. They had once again similarly engaged each other as before, though Tsunade noticed she was pushing him back. She delivered a strong right kick which he blocked by crossing his arms in front of him, pushing him back in the direction of the forest edge that he glanced towards before. He stopped right before entering the forest and kneeled to appear wounded.
"I hope you're enjoying the show. Please, continue to keep your eyes on me...like always. And we will talk later, promise?" He couldn't see behind him, but Naruto knew the recipient of his whispers understood.
"If this was all you were bringing to the table, what was the point of calling home the crybaby princess?" He stood back up and took a few steps forward.
"That's it…" Tsunade's right fist was aflame with her chakra.
"There are others...Who can see past the shallow waters...Those with eyes clear enough to see the deep...They have selected me as their king. Regardless of what you have to say, or what you think. Whether I'm a bastard, a monster, or a demon...I'll be king, their King!"
"You've got a lot of shit to talk, boy. So you should be able to handle this no problem!"
She launched towards Naruto at breakneck speed. The boy simply took a back step and placed his left palm forward. As Tsuande's fist clashed with Naruto's palm, the boy let the momentum of her strike push his palm back a little.
"Rifurekushon'u~ēbu(Reflection Wave)." In an instant, the ground cracked as Naruto Thrust his palm forward. His technique allowed Naruto to reflect the force of Tsunade's attack on her while adding power to the attack.
"Arrgghhh!" Tsunade was sent spiraling through the air past the group that was witnessing the confrontation. The haori she wore seemed to tear apart by the force of the attack. She landed in the brush of the forest.
"Disappointing...Come, Sasuke. We're done here." Naruto began to walk towards the others.
Past his instructor and his pensive stare. Past the pink-haired girl as she exuded fear like sweat from her pores.
Naruto continued walking as he neared Sasuke and Shizune, but as he did, Tsunade was back on her feet going in for another attack. She appeared a short distance behind him, ready to deliver a blow to the top of Naruto's head. Before her attack landed, a sensation washed over her she hadn't in years. Her mortality and its fragility, If she continued with her attack it would be tested. The feeling in her gut gave her a sense of her chances.
"This ends now!" Tsunade was stunned to find that Shizune had deflected her attack so effortlessly. She hadn't even seen the girl move.
"Lady Tsunade, have you lost your mind!? Do you know how much terror and destruction your rampage caused!?" Yet, with all this, she still felt a pit in her stomach.
Shizune berated the older woman for her behavior as Naruto continued walking with Sasuke joining him.
"Shizune...Move..." Tsunade was still annoyed by this whole debacle.
"You've acted recklessly many times before I never expected this. You've done a ton of damage to the village and assaulted a genin! Then you go and insult said genin about his parentage, knowing well to whom you were referring." Though now that she heard it, Tsunade felt somewhat scummy. She did just throw a kid out of a window because she found him annoying. Though in her defense, Naruto continuously antagonized her.
"You could've seriously wounded him, and you probably didn't do anyone any favors by calling him a bastard."
"Shizune, I can understand why you're upset but you're speaking out of turn. This matter is much more complicated than what we just saw." Kakashi decided to chime in. He thought that Shizune was being a tad too critical.
"I'm sorry, but regardless of how complicated it may be, none of this is alright. What I heard the people in the village say about Naruto wasn't alright. The fact that his family has given so much, that he's still giving so much, but gets attacked and discriminated against isn't alright. And the fact that while all this was happening, not one of you thought to stop any of it for his sake. Why were we told about the danger he could pose, but not the danger the village posed to him?"
"Kakashi...sensei?" Sakura was very confused by everything that had happened.
After seeing every kunoichi's role model get thrown and tossed around by her teammate was able to go toe to toe with a Sannin and all the "bastard" and "running" talk, she found herself lost in yet another field of questions, without a single answer insight. Now added to her list was the mystery of Naruto's parentage, and why the hell it seemed to matter so much. She had always thought he was just some weird loud-mouth orphan, but it seemed like there was even more to Naruto than just what she witnessed. Were they scared of him? Was Naruto that strong? Was that why Sasuke followed him?
"Shizune now isn't the time to be having this conversation." Kakashi wanted to avoid bringing Sakura any more into this than she already was.
After today, he was sure that things would be different. Naruto usually handled everything with a degree of whimsy. He had even started this whole thing and went along as if it were all a game. That was until Tsaunde insulted him. At that moment, everything changed. He felt like whoever that was.
"He's 13...Of course now isn't the time...He was right, disappointing as expected…" The temperature shifted as if it were matching Shizune's tone.
Her words were cold, too cold. Tsunade had done plenty to upset the girl off over the years, and though she had shot her a disappointed look, she had never outright said it before. Before anyone could respond Shizune spoke once more.
"I'll go and see if Naruto needs any medical attention, and apologize for the treatment he received today." Shizune turned on her heel and walked away, vanishing from sight before anyone felt it appropriate to move.
"Sakura, it's best that you head home for today. If you happen to see Naruto and Sasuke on your way, please inform them that the team will be off tomorrow."
"Yes, sensei…" Sakura could tell that this was clearly above her pay grade, so she decided to listen to her sensei and just call it a day.
"All of this craziness has given me a headache...One thing's for sure, I'm steering clear of those two." The pinkette thought as she trudged along the semi-destroyed path to her home.
It was a couple of minutes before the two spoke, With Tsunade breaking the silence.
"You can come out now, Jiraiya." A figure walked out from the edge of the surrounding forest.
He was a tall, well-built man with fair skin. He had waist-length, spiky white hair tied into a ponytail, with two shoulder-length bangs framing his face. There were red lines under his eyes which extended further down his face, going all the way to the bottom, and a wart on the left side of his nose. He was adorned in attire consisting of a green short shirt kimono and matching pants, under which he wore mesh armor that was visible at his wrists and ankles. He also wore handguards, a black belt, traditional wooden sandals, and a red haori with two yellow circles on each side. He carried a large scroll on his back and wore a horned forehead protector with the kanji for "oil" (油, abura).
"Damn hime, I know the plan was to test the kid-"
"Shut it. I'm in no mood. Let's just get back to the old man and get this over with. I need a damn drink."
Hokage's Office
Like Tsunade, Jiraiya had been summoned back to the village but arrived days earlier. Hiruzen had his student use his Tōton Jutsu(Transparent Escape Technique) to study team 7 once they came in to report back from their latest mission. Neither of the two expected the other former member of their team to up and launch the whiskered one a window. After all the craziness they were back in the office, trying to make sense of everything.
"Jiraiya, from what you saw, what do you think?" Hiruzen asked as he spewed out a cloud of smoke.
"It's hard to say…" Jiraiya was impressed by the display.
"The kid got speed and strength. He was able to block hits from me with minimal effort."
"I'll agree that he's strong, but that doesn't always mean strength. He mostly dodged and the attacks he did use resembled gentle fist attacks. Besides, I've seen plenty of taijutsu that can turn a stronger opponent's strength against them."
As the spymaster for Konoha, Jiraiya had traveled the elemental nations and seen many different martial arts. He chalked the boy being able to deflect Tsunade to be more technical rather than raw strength.
"You didn't get hit by him. Those moves of his hurt like hell, though at the same time they didn't do much damage to me. It was weird." Tsunade had nothing more than superficial scraps, mostly from rolling on the ground.
"My main concern is not what took place here, but overall. We still don't have enough to go on, but if he does know about Minato and Kushina then this could've seriously strained ties with him." The look on Hiruzen's face was one of dread and despair.
"Though I'm sure that we will be able to fix this. I'm sure he doesn't know too much." Tsunade was quick to debate her former teacher.
"I'm not too sure about that...Naruto knew more than he ever let on. He was teasing me for leaving the village and even called me the "crybaby princess". I doubt many knew of my reason for leaving, so how the hell would he know?"
"You have a point. He said there was no point in "calling" you back and Sasuke referred to Lady Tsunade's return as her being "summoned". That might mean they knew of the plan to call the Sannin back to the village." Kakashi decided to chime in this time.
"Against him…" Tsunade was starting to understand what Shizune meant.
Regardless of the situation, Naruto was a child first and foremost. While her actions against the boy weren't fueled by some foolish bias, it was foolish. The boy might have irked her, but her rampage was still unjustified.
"Yet again we are left with more questions than answers. How could they have learned of something so confidential?" Kakashi asked.
"The only thing I could think of is a bug, but how could genin get their hands on and bug a Kage? Maybe somewhere in your office?" Jiraiya looked towards Hiruzen, wondering if there could be any breaches in his security.
"There is an ANBU sweep of my office 3 times a day and they have never reported anything of that nature."
"Ok, don't you think we are being a bit ridiculous? Sure, the kid's got some skill, but so did his folks. Shit, Jiraiya made one of the best espionage jutsu at that age and we all know what he was doing, but we weren't calling in elites to spar with him."
"Tsunade, I agree that this might seem excessive, but we have to remember that we have had a few very talented individuals turn those same talents on the village and its people. In the boy's case, he holds within him a power that could eradicate us all." Hiruzen worried about the lives of all those in Konoha. A threat was a threat and it was his job to protect the village from all.
"I'm not gonna lie, there's something up with the kid. Though, from what you've told me he's never done anything except for some extravagant pranking."
"He was also able to defeat an S-rank missing-nin, Zabuza Momochi in one on one combat."
"For real!? How'd he do that?" Jiraiya looked at Kakashi with a hint of astonishment.
"I'm not sure...I didn't get to see their confrontation."
"So besides the first fight they had with Kakashi and the chase we had, what else do we have to go on that these kids are dangerous?" Tsunade still had a hard time considering these kids posed a threat.
"Naruto possesses a weapon with the ability to transform and Sasuke seems to use some purple mist ability. And after further investigation, years ago villagers reported that Naruto possessed chains of some sort that he would use to attack people. Around 7 or 8 years ago, most mention of them stopped." Kakashi had come to trust his gut and it was telling him that something was going on, and he was dedicated to finding out what.
"Again, so? Minato was tracking and taking on Jonin level opponents when he was around their age. His kid was bound to be pretty tough. And a talented Uchiha is nothing new. I'm starting to think you guys are as bad as the villagers."
"Yea sensei, I've been meaning to ask about that. I've been around for a couple of days and it looks like the whole village knows he's holding the fox. Not questioning how they all learned something like that, some of what I've overheard is concerning. Take into account that he's been exposed to it his whole life, I'm not too surprised he's not the friendliest kid you'll meet. And from what we know of the Uchiha kid, no wonder they are tight." Knowing just a portion of their tale would help show why they had seemed to attract each other. The strong attract the strong, and misery loves company.
"I understand they can be harsh, but-" Hiruzen was cut off by the Senju.
"One of them suggested the kid's death, old man. I don't think harsh is the word you're looking for." Tsunade crossed her arms as she recalled the ranting from the villages as she chased Naruto. Irritating or not, she felt no child deserved that kind of treatment.
"Regardless, neither of them have an excuse for their behavior towards the village or keeping information from their superiors. Plus, during our mission to the land of waves, they both replaced themselves with clones and went off somewhere, but were able to beat me back to the village despite me arriving early."
"I'm not saying nothing's up, I'm just not convinced. It's excessive to call in the cavalry cause Hatake can't keep track of his genin." Tsunade was beginning to question whether the standard in the village had dropped over the years if Jonin were shaken by a genin.
"There are too many uncertainties. To prevent anything from happening it might be best to conduct a more thorough investigation." Hiruzen had made the mistake once before, of turning a blind eye to what was an issue. Of seeing a monster as if he were a mere child.
"Now everyone, hold on. Sure they have some secrets but everyone is entitled to them. Also, they have done nothing wrong! According to Kakashi, they're punctual, professional, and powerful. Just because they don't kiss ass or fumble around like most genin, doesn't mean they're plotting against the village." Jiraiya thought this was all insanity.
He expected this level of ignorance from common folk and civilians, but to see it coming from the shinobi world's finest. Maybe disappointing was the appropriate word after all.
"So what do you suggest we do?" Kakashi wanted some kind of solution to the issue.
He felt the threat was a real one, he understood how dangerous a Bijuu could be, and the lengths some would go to protect their loved ones from one's wrath. He had hoped it wouldn't come down to it, but Kakashi was prepared to do what was needed for the sake of his village. The same as his sensei before him.
"Well if he knows who his parents are then he might know who I am. I'll introduce myself and try to get him to apprentice under me. Kakashi, you should offer to teach Sasuke something. The Sharingan you have should at least open up a dialog. Maybe these kids just need mentors, not monitors."
"We will go with your plan for now Jiraiya in the hopes that if there's a strain in our relationship with the boys, this might help mend it. But tell me, are you prepared to do what must be done in case worst fears come to life?" Hiruzen believed in Jiraiya. Out of all his students, he believed him to be the most perceptive and the most loyal.
"Sensei, I don't think anyone here has any doubts in their mind…" Jiraiya's chakra exploded outwards.
"Regardless of who or what it might be, I'll eliminate any threat to my village!" Jiraiya could understand the fears of his former instructor.
His teammate had betrayed them all and fled the village. Even now, he was out in the world growing in strength and plotting the downfall of their home. That's what Jiraiya had dedicated his time to travel outside the village, protecting it from the darkness that would otherwise consume it.
"Alright, Jeez! I think you proved your point without kicking up all this fucking dust. What's with all you guys and ruining my clothes." Tsunade badly wanted a bath. A drink more so, but she would settle for a bath.
"Yes Jiraiya, you've proven your point well. With that said, let us take our leave. I'm sure you would like to get settled in Tsunade." Hiruzen needed to re-pack his pipe. Anything to help him alleviate all the stress on his aching bones.
"Finally...Shizune likes her space when she gets upset, so I probably won't see her for a while. Best to get a drink while I can."
"Need some company?" He hadn't seen Tsunade in as many years as she had been gone.
He was looking forward to hearing how she had spent her time, and to tease her on many of the tales he had heard of her exploits. Plus, a chance to spend some alone time with his favorite "research" subject couldn't be passed up.
"Only if you're buying, and keep your hands where I can see them perv!" The white-haired Sannin slouched down as he and Tsunade turned to leave. Just the thought of the debt he was about to amass weighed on him heavily.
*HOOT* *HOOT*
They all looked to see a white and grey owl sitting on the windowsill. It looked around and then flew away.
"Weird… What's an owl doing out this early?"
"There are some owl's that hunt during the day as well as at night. They're said to be the most dangerous type because you never really know when they'll strike." Jiraiya had learned much about animals of all kinds over his years exploring the world and prided himself on his knowledge.
"Now you're some kinda bird expert? Let's hurry up and get something to drink before I send you flying like one."
Uzumaki Hidden Bunker
"It's been far too long since I've been here. It's still as breathtaking as the first time." Shizune ran her fingers across its sacred walls. It was a secret of the highest order and importance.
"I agree with you Shizune-san. It's been over a year since we last saw you, but it's been 5 since you've last been in here. It shouldn't look too much different than it did though."
Naruto was grinning ear to ear.
He was truly ecstatic that he was not only making new comrades but seeing and meeting with his old ones as well. It wouldn't be long until he would be able to share his days with them and conquer the world with them by his side. They meant more to him than he could ever express, now more so than ever...
"Not at all, Naruto-sama. Though I see you've been quite busy working on all these projects." There were many different scrolls and other parchments scattered all about the bunker.
"He may be a king, but he has some terrible habits doesn't he?" Sasuke said as he entered the room.
"I'll take care of tidying up, but you have to learn to clean up after yourself Naruto-sama." Shizune then summoned 3 smokeless clones.
"You 2, please begin cleaning the bunker. If you need any help feel free to summon more clones. You can go to the kitchen and start making dinner. I'm sure you know what I have in mind." Shizune's smile was gentle. So warm. The boys didn't mind the sort of eeriness that the bunker possessed, but with Shizune here it felt even more like home.
"Shizune-san you've improved much. It wasn't too long ago that you had difficulty making clones of this density, especially in an instant." This brought much joy to Naruto.
"I couldn't let myself fall behind everyone else. I'm the left hand of the king after all. I still remember that day like it was yesterday." Smiles flashed across their faces as they reminisced about their meeting and the past they shared.
Flashback Start
It had been 5 years ago that Shizune happened upon the boys. In the Land of Fire, there exists a lively and bustling town that thrived on its gambling opportunities and an assortment of beautiful maidens by the name of Tanzaku Town. The Tengoku matawa Jigoku Casino was a gambling hall of legend, one known to make or break men with its high-stakes dealings.
Shizune never thought that this is where she would end up. In another gambling den with loud-mouth ornery drunks wanting to win big. If she had her way she would have left immediately. Unfortunately, she never really did. Among the screaming and shouting that could be heard within, Tsunade's voice reigned supreme. Oh, how she hated it. Shizune truly despised the fact that her life had become this, being little more than a glorified babysitter to someone of such prestige. Tsunade was whatever little girl wanted to be, regardless of their home village. Shizune couldn't share the opinion, not anymore. The woman she had come to know was a drunk lazy gambling addict running from her trauma.
Shizune had lost both of her parents before she could remember, and was taken in by her uncle, Kato Dan. Her uncle was romantically involved with Tsunade at the time so she was introduced to the woman rather early in life. Both of them had a massive impression on Shizune's development. Her uncle was a brilliant man beloved by the village deeply. A man who took the death of his dearest sister and used it to fuel his drive to better not only himself but his village, to prevent anyone from losing someone the way he did. Even at a young age, Shizune was inspired by her uncle and had to learn how to turn the loss of a loved one into strength. She would have to do so one more time when she lost her uncle at the age of 4. Tsunade was the one to find an injured Dan out on the battlefield. She had tried desperately to heal his wounds, but by the time she had arrived, it was far too late. Shizune was left with no remaining family and Tsunade with a wound that wouldn't heal any time soon. Shizune decided to dedicate herself to growing into a fine kunoichi. She didn't want to just be a legend or something, she wanted to have real power. She aimed to one day be in a position to make what she felt were the right calls, much like her uncle once strived for. To achieve her goal she turned to Tsunade, the only semblance of a family she had left, but Tsunade had lost her way, retiring from active duty and all medical practices due to her newly developed hemophobia. Though Tsunade managed to find the motivation to help Shizune with the basics she would need as a ninja, and with that help, Shizune was able to become a chunin at the age of 13.
During all those years, Shizune tried her absolute best to re-ignite the fire within Tsunade. She cared for her deeply and only wanted Tsunade to be able to use all the skills she had cultivated for the good of others, like her uncle and parents but she would never budge. One day, Tsaunde had offered that they leave the village so that she could train young Shizune in all that she knew. She promised to make her into a shinobi that would be able to accomplish all that she aspired to in life. Shizune knew that remaining in the village was something Tsaunde could no longer do, it brought back too many memories, reminded her of too many losses. The teen agreed nevertheless; believing it was not only an opportunity to gain strength from an invaluable source but also to help Tsunade move past her trauma.
As she stood in that gambling hall, seeing what the past 10 years of her life had amounted to, it was devastating to her spirit. She had learned a fair amount from Tsaunde, but it was enough to handle any trouble they might have come across and to help collect funds for their travels. Tsunade would gamble and drink away all the finances that she forced Shizune to collect, usually by providing medical services, begging, or borrowing from where she could. Any time she would threaten to leave, Tsunade would throw a fit and guilt her into staying somehow.
Now, she watched on as her inebriated mentor was doing just that at the moment, playing a game of Chō-Han against a fair-skinned young man with black hair tied into a short, high topknot, with one bang falling off to the right side of his face. Next to the man was a tall young man with brown hair that reached the base of his neck and looked rather messy, with vertical spikes and bangs that frame his face. The black-haired one had been cleaning house since he entered around the same time as them, but in a rare turn of events so had Tsunade, until they had met at the same table. Tsunade had already lost to the man several times and it was about time for him to collect his winnings when the Sannin made a final bet. She would wager her priceless heirloom, the necklace of the First Hokage. An item so rare and valuable that if sold, could easily go for three mountains worth of gold. The black-haired man immediately took the wager, offering up everything he had won that day as a counter bet. Before Shizune was able to voice her objection the dealer started shaking the dice in the cup and called out "odd or even" to which Tsaunde chose odd. When the dealer rolled the dice, out came a pair of ones, resulting in Tsuande's defeat and the loss of the necklace. This upset Shizune deeply; that necklace was not only one of Konoha's oldest treasures, but it was what Shizune considered one of the last connections to her uncle. Tsunade had given it to him before his death as a show of her belief in him and his ideals, but for her to give it away so casually felt disrespectful to his memory. She would've scolded and berated Tsunade for her choice, but the woman was too drunk to retain anything Shizune would've said.
Seeing as Tsaunde was going to be of no help, Shizune decided to pursue the men and broker some kind of deal to get back the necklace. They had left rather quickly after winning so Shizune had to search the town until she ran into them at a local restaurant. She approached them both at their table, introducing herself and giving a somewhat vague story about the necklace's history and importance, hoping that it would be enough to convince them to relinquish said item to her. She had no money left thanks to her mentor and borrowed from everyone she could've during their time here, so she was banking on the man being a kind soul. The man agreed to return the necklace for Shizune simply joining them for their meal and telling them of her tale. She had no clue why they would care about her or anything but figured if this is all she had to do then she could bear it. Before she knew it, Shizune found herself talking with them for hours about everything she had been through. She ranted and raved on about what she wanted out of life and where it all amounted to for her. She expressed her regrets and not being able to do more with herself. It had been years since she had anyone truly listen to what she had to say. It might have been the first time. Shizune was friendly but didn't have any close friends in Konoha, she was either too busy training or caring for Tsunade in some way before leaving the village, and while traveling all these years, never really made any other relationships besides the one she had with the Sannin. After she had finished speaking, the black-haired man began to introduce himself and his associate as Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha respectively, then undid the Henge they had around them. Naruto who was the black-haired young man was now a whiskered child of 8 or so with bright blonde hair while Sasuke was a black-haired boy of around the same age.
It was then the boys shared their tale with her. She knew of the Kyuubi attack, the loss of many ninjas, the most significant loss being that of Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage, but was shocked to learn that he was the father of the blonde boy. Shizune had learned of Naruto becoming the Kyuubi Jinchūriki years ago when Tsaunde had received a report on the matter, though she hadn't been to the village in years so she had never seen him. She was disgusted to learn of the village's treatment of him and its hand in the events of the Uchiha massacre. After they finished their tale, Shizune was blown away. They were children, skilled from the sound of it, but children nonetheless. Yet, that didn't stop them from progressing towards their goal. Shizune was amazed at the plan they had come up with to appear as adults and earn their capital early on while still training to be able to take on what the world would throw at them. The two boys had also, as high-value targets per se, snuck out of a shinobi village and traversed a forest to get to a town that was a fair distance from their starting point. Shizune was also saddened to hear of all these children had done and planned to do. Compared to them, she had done nothing with her life. She was no closer to accomplishing anything she had set out to do and ended up being more of a caretaker to an old woman than someone who would be able to change the world for the better.
Naruto and Sasuke had lost everyone they had, yet they forged forward. Not only to honor the sacrifices of those that came before them but for their dreams and desires. Together, they were out to make a place for themselves and the bonds they made along the way. Shizune was envious of them, of their choice.
Naruto was able to see it all in her eyes. The suffering she had endured, the patience she demonstrated but most notable, the resolve burning deep within her. Regardless of what her life had turned into, Shizune still aspired for more and with the proper assistance, she could be a power like no other. Naruto offered Shizune a deal, the necklace, and a percentage of their winnings for a month of her time. He explained that they had no medical training at all and didn't think they would receive any form of it anytime soon, so the month would be dedicated towards training. Shizune couldn't see anything wrong with the deal and it would act as a vacation away from Tsaunde. She couldn't remember the last time she had taken some time for herself, so she agreed.
With the necklace and money in hand, Shizune went back to their hotel room and informed a drunk Tsunade that she had fortunately met up with some friends from the village and would be taking a month off to spend time with them. Tsunade was happy to agree once she saw a large amount of money her apprentice had brought with her.
With that Shizune met up with the boys and headed to the secret entrance to the Uzumaki bunker. Once inside, Shizune was introduced to a new world of ninjutsu, taijutsu, and even chakra usage. To top it all off, the Uzumaki time dilation seals, which Naruto explained was how they would take the month they had and turn it into a year, and what a year it was. Shizune learned much about the boys at that time and became the first of the many comrades they would make during their conquest. They learned as much as Shizune had to offer about medical ninjutsu and practices while Shizune learned many jutsu she never thought she would ever have access to, as well as the Uzumaki Chakra application.They had grown close during that year; they had come to know a similar pain, yet they all decided to use that pain to drive them to not only survive but thrive. Shizune adopted the big sister role quickly. She would cook and clean, patch up their wounds, even helping them out when they couldn't figure out a jutsu, technique, or any of their academic work.
By the time the month(or year) was over, there was no question if Shizune was going to join their cause or not. The world they were trying to make was one she wanted part of, one where her say could change the course of all that would occur. She had no issue pledging her fealty to a lord of Naruto's caliber and with a knight like Sasuke by his side, they would do exactly what they set out to. On their last day, they agreed and put one of their plans into motion. Shizune pledged to become Naruto's "left hand" and act as his assistant and confidant. She would handle matters when it came to the political side of their rise to power, and so came the plan. During her travels with Tsunade, Shizune would learn as much as she could about the politics of the elemental nations, as well as gather information and leverage that would be invaluable later on.
Shizune had developed a Hatsu that functioned by emitting her chakra through the vibrations in the atmosphere, this allows her to make a link with another person's brain and control their actions. It had its limitations, only allowing for the control of a person's motor functions and not their consciousness. It also lost potency as it affected more targets and could be overpowered by those with sufficient power, but with it, Shizune felt that she would be able to accomplish her part of their mission with ease. She never planned for her physical strength or ninjutsu prowess to gain her strength, but she knew her voice would be heard. Shizune knew that her words would be her power, therefore she dubbed this power Tōkyoku no joshu(Authority's Assistant).
As the years went on, Shizune would take small breaks away from Tsunade by providing her with funds to continue her frivolous activities. During these breaks, she was able to meet up with the boys and the new friends that had joined their cause, continue her training, and trade information between her and them. She had also received a tracking seal from Naruto that allowed Sasuke's owls to find her with ease and deliver any message they had before their chakra transmission communication network. Shizune established quite a profound bond with Malice over the 4 years they had known each other with them establishing a big/little sister dynamic. Malice was the medic that Shizune's uncle wanted in every squad, capable of saving countless lives on the battlefield with the techniques she had developed, and Malice was more than happy to receive more family. Shizune worked closely with Malice in the formation and training of Denryū, the medical core of their empire. Malice also took Shizune under her wing, pushing her to be a medic only second to her skill.
These last 5 years had been the most fulfilling of Shizune's life. Naruto and his empire had given her what she had desired for so long. The choice. One she was able to make without hesitation. There was no doubt as she stood before her king and his knight, this was the best choice she had ever made in her life.
Flashback Finish
"Well said, Shizune-san. Since you've excelled at doing your part, I'll have to keep up with mine. Raito reported back on what was discussed after our departure. As Shizune-san had reported to us prior, the plan was to test our strength, but with Tsuande's actions, they've resorted to having Jiraiya and Kakashi try to mentor us. They've concluded that you are aware of your parentage and hope that being taught by your father's sensei would help mend the rift that was created. It was also agreed that we are to be eliminated if we end up posing a threat to the village." Raitosairento was the son of Kuīnsairento and his main summon.
Sasuke had summoned him earlier in the day to make sure Shizune arrived at the village with no issue and had him remain on standby throughout the ordeal. Once they had left, Sasuke had him listen in on the conversation and relay back.
"Yes, the godfather that remained away while fully aware of my existence... I'm sure he's the man to fix the mess. Regardless of how foolish they are, both Kakashi and Jiraiya are shinobi of great strength and knowledge. While I doubt they have much to offer us, they will be using some interesting bait and with our luck, it will be to our advantage. My question is what caused Tsunade to lose her composure like that?" Shizune chuckled and she saw Naruto inquisitively look in her direction.
"I'm sorry about that my lord, that was partially my fault. As I'm sure, you both saw something floating around Tsunade." Shizune opened her right hand as a tiny white-haired woman in a shrine maiden outfit appeared in her hand. The tiny woman also had a small fan in her hand that she used to cover her face.
"This is Mini, she is part of my Hatsu. Over the years as my ability grew, I was able to summon her and use her to influence the Subconscious of people. I can only use her on one person at a time and can only attach to a person once they agree to accept my help. Once attached I can give orders that Mini will whisper to the person. The person will be swayed to do as they are told. Unfortunately, I can't give detailed or complicated orders, but I can affect people's moods and reasoning. I call it Saburiminaru hisho(Subliminal Secretary) and usually use it on Tsunade to keep her in check. I figured by making her more irritated than usual she would be rude to you and help our cause, but I guess "be mad at Naruto" worked a bit too well."
"That is a truly amazing development! No wonder you were able to complete so much in only 5 years. Shizune with you by my side, the Uzumaki empire can't be defeated!" She never thought being praised would feel this good.
Shizune was finally happy. It had taken many years of her life, but after joining Naruto's side she had felt as if she had been given a new life, and this one she would make the most of.
"With the acquisition of the Wave and its people, we will be able to rebuild Uzushiogakure in no time! And with Shizune-san, we are another step closer to taking our rightful place at the top!"
"Of course Naruto-sama, there was never a doubt in our minds." Shizune answered as Sasuke smiled and nodded.
"Plus, your Hatsu also made the interaction with the Sannin much more enjoyable! As well as providing me with a chance to interact with one of our onlookers."
"Oh, do tell. If you haven't informed me then it isn't a threat. Does someone have their eyes on you or is it his majesty whose eye has been caught?" Shizune held respect for him, but she had to tease Naruto when she had the chance.
"It's something like that. When I see something I want, it isn't enough to obtain it. It must want me too." Naruto said as he headed for the exit.
"If you don't mind me asking, where are you going, Naruto-sama?"
"Years ago, much like I've done with all of my comrades, I made a promise. It seems today is the day where it will be fulfilled. Please be sure to set another place at the table and get in touch with Sora. Let em' know that we will be getting yet another addition to the empire." That devilish smile of his was all she needed to see. Whatever he was going to do, he was going to come back with a treat for sure.
The forest outside Bunker (Inside Konoha)
The booming was furious and relentless. It was her heart, which seemed to swell into a mallet and swing against her rib cage, a drum on the brink of bursting at any moment. At times, it brought discomfort and pain. But at times like these, it was a sweet melody.
She had felt it many times in her life, the pounding sensation that would resonate to the very tips of her fingers. She remembered feeling it when she was young and strangers tried to take her from her home, though they were stopped by her mother. She had felt it when she lost her mother, and as she desperately ran through her clan compound looking for someone to comfort her. She had felt it every time she returned home. To the place that took her mother from her. And she felt it as her own family constantly degraded and berated her for not being up to their expectations. At those times, she wished she could've stopped it. There were too many times she wanted to stop it.
"Hello, Lady Hinata. You're looking lovely today." If it wasn't for moments like this, she would've given up a while ago. If not for this warm feeling, she would've chosen to stop feeling.
She was a slender girl of fair complexion who, as a Hyūga, her most distinguishing trait being her featureless white eyes. Her hair was a darker shade of blue and reached down to about above her waist, with the framing strands reaching down past her shoulders. The girl wore a cream-colored hooded jacket with a fire symbol on the upper sleeves and fur around the cuffs and hem. She also wore navy blue pants and kept her forehead protector loosely around her neck.
"H-hello N-narut-to-kun." Hinata struggled through her greeting. She could barely muster up the courage to look at the blonde.
Hinata had followed Naruto to this part of the forest several times over the years but always seemed to lose him at this part. Now here he was sitting against a tree, taking a breather when she stumbled upon him.
"A-are you alright?" She had remembered he took a powerful kick from the Sannin.
"Thank you for the concern. I'm all good. It's going to take much more than a puny attack like that to take me down!" She couldn't see any welts or bruises on him, so she figured he must have been fine.
"I never expected you to follow me as long as you have, or would it be more accurate to say that I expected you to approach me some time ago." She wanted to look and see what expression he wore on his face, but she was too afraid that it might be one of anger or resentment.
"I'm sorry. I-I just…" Hinata tried her best to provide an answer. The words caught at the back of her throat.
"Have I done something to upset you? Do you see me as a monster as well? Is that why you won't look at me, Lady Hinata?" She dropped down and looked him in the eyes. Her expression, as if she was slightly irritated by his words.
"I would never see you like that, Naruto-Kun! You're not a monster no matter what everyone thinks! I don't care if everyone tells me to stay away from you or that you're dangerous because I want to be by your side!" She froze once she realized what she had said.
She got so frustrated over the thought that Naruto might believe she too was among those that labeled him a monster. She wanted to be his biggest supporter, as he had been hers.
"Besides hello, that's the first time you've spoken to me in years, Lady Hinata. Though you have been spying on me for quite some time." Naruto was well aware that Hinata had been watching him over the years and decided to let her, even going out of his way to make it easier for her to find and track him.
He decided to keep tabs on her as well, and saw much of what she was subjected to. She was a clan heiress, though her fellow clan members treated her as if she were less than because of her timid nature and difficulty grasping their taijutsu. The treatment she received from her father alone was stomach-churning, to say the least.
She was something of an inspiration to the boy for she too found herself tested by fate. In the face of any adversity or obstacle, she might have been timid, but she never faltered. She remained sweet and kind through it all. How anyone could refer to someone like that as weak was beyond him. She was a hopeful sun, displaying the shining qualities people could hold.
"I'm sorry for my question, it wasn't fair to you. You have been through your fair share of troubles for a long time and I didn't reach out to you either...For that, I am truly sorry, Lady Hinata." She stared at him for a moment before asking him a question.
"Do you remember when we first met?" It was a day that replayed in Hinata's memory on a loop.
During winter many years ago, Hinata found herself at the mercy of the village boys who were bullying her because of the appearance of family dojutsu, the Byakugan.
"Those boys tormented me because of my eyes...Calling me a monster and a demon. I couldn't stop crying no matter how badly I wanted to. One of them picked up a rock to throw at me and I closed my eyes and put up my hands, waiting for the rock to hit me but it never did. Because you jumped in and blocked it."
The usual nervousness she felt from just being in the same room as he was gone. As she stared into his eyes, a wave had washed over her and pulled her insecurities with it.
"I will never forget. You turned and screamed, "If you idiots think eyes this beautiful would be found on a monster then how can you look your mothers in the face!" They tried to attack you but you used a chain to scare them away." Hinata always thought back on how the boys ran away crying like frightened little pups. That memory had become a "happy place" for Hinata.
"Even as they ran away they never stopped insulting us. They screamed demon all the way home to their heinous mothers!" Naruto couldn't help but think back and laugh at those times as well. The two of them shared a good laugh before Hinata spoke again.
"Once it was just us, you turned and checked if I was alright. You told me not to listen to those boys because...because my eyes...because they're beautiful. That I was Beautiful!" Hinata moved forward and latched on to Naruto's hand with her own.
"You said you were a king...that you were going to change the world…" Naruto could feel her trembling. She was summoning up all her strength, all her courage to speak her truth.
"They never stopped tormenting you...but you never stopped smiling. You n-never gave up. You got stronger…"
"So did you. You have grown from the little girl I met that day into a fine young woman." She saw the genuineness in his eyes.
"You said I could join you...All I had to do was come find you. So I've been following you try to...to…" Naruto had become the white knight she so desperately wished would whisk her away to a life better than her own.
One where she hadn't had to suffer knowing the dark secrets of her clan. A life where she wasn't the weakest nor was she tormented for being so. She was happy when he was before her, and she just wanted that happiness to last. Whenever he was around, it felt like it was Hinata's day in the sun.
"Lady Hinata, You've been through much…" Naruto pulled her in, resting her head on his chest.
"I'm sorry I haven't done more for you, but it was not my place." She shook her head in protest.
"No...It was my choice. I wanted to be strong first...I didn't want to slow you down."
"You would never, though I understand. A king should give all the choice. As you've seen, following me can be quite dangerous. I won't lie to you, there is a good chance that the village we call home might become an enemy to face on my path. Regardless of what you choose, I will always care for you, Hinata." Even now, he was concerned for what she desired.
For her safety, and desired no reward for doing so. She didn't need any more convincing, she was ready to join him in any endeavors long ago. She helped him in ways she would never know and he had become something she could no longer live without. She gripped his shirt as tight as she could. That was all he needed to know of her answer.
"I wanted you to make the decision yourself…Now that you have, please allow me to do everything as a King to give you what you want most. Trust me with everything you are, everything you have, and I promise you that you'll never feel alone again. They will never call you weak again." She couldn't help but chuckle slightly as the tears streamed down her face.
"It's so bright and warm...I refuse to leave...I never want to be without this warmth…" She moved to look him right in the eyes.
"Don't be silly. I've always been yours...Naruto-sama."
Chapter 8 End
Hello everyone thanks for reading the 8th Chapter of Naruto: Paradox!
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