"Talking"
'Thinking'
Jutsu/ Bijuu/ Summons
Flashbacks, Letters, and Setting
I don't own Naruto
Chapter 39: The Bloodline Rebellion Part 10
Kiri Council Meeting
Mei sat at the head of the table in the council meeting hall, overseeing a council meeting, which was comprised of various shinobi and civilian leaders. It was an even mix of clan heads who were elevated to clan head status for being the closest surviving member of the original clan heads, leading civilians or guild masters who were chosen for their expertise in economic or infrastructural matters, and some of the more capable and non-bloodline-hating shinobi from the Loyalist faction who were there to show that Mei would be showing mercy to those who surrendered.
Ever since Mei had returned from the capital a few days ago, she had quickly gone about implementing changes in policy, especially regarding the leadership of Kiri. She had learned from the Sandaime Mizukage's mistakes in creating a bloodline caste system, and tried her best to have equal representation for both shinobi and civilians.
Though she was not oblivious to the tension between the clan heads from bloodline bearing clans and the pardoned Loyalist shinobi, Mei was still in a good mood from her time in the capital, and the things she gained from it.
She glanced across the table and met eyes with Naruto, who was present as an observer, and he responded by giving her a smile and a nod.
Ao looked over the table, making sure that everyone was present, before he stood up to address the new council of Kiri. "Now that everyone has been accounted for, the council session will now begin."
He gave the floor to Mei, who nodded in appreciation to Ao, who nodded back before sitting down.
"So, I'm sure what you all want to hear about first is about my meeting with the Daimyo, and the direction our village will take in regards to the rebuilding of the village." Mei began, and the council members nodded.
"The Daimyo has agreed to start sending missions our way again, as soon as Kiri is stable enough to send out shinobi for missions, and to give us funding once again." Mei announced, and people let out the breaths they had subconsciously been holding. They were relieved to know the lifeblood of the village had been secured.
"He was also convinced to generously donate money from his own treasury towards the reconstruction efforts of the building to help us get on our feet faster." She continued, brightening the tense atmosphere of the council with her good news.
"This is great news, Mei-sama!" One of the civilian councilors commented. "It is reassuring to know we have the Daimyo's support once more."
"How were you able to convince the Daimyo?" One former Loyalist asked in curiosity. "Previous talks with the Daimyo weren't so fruitful."
Mei smiled as she glanced at Naruto. "Well, we had some help." She mentioned as she gestured towards Naruto.
Many of the council members who were unfamiliar with him looked at him in confusion.
"Umm… and who exactly is he?" Some of the civilians asked.
However, the shinobi who had heard the rumors of his origin were surprised. "Isn't he from Konoha?"
Mei nodded. "He is indeed from Konoha. Namikaze-Uzumaki Naruto here was sent here on a secret mission to help us, with the intention of forming an alliance with us."
Some of the Loyalists were uncomfortable around Naruto when they heard his lineage, and were even more uncomfortable with the fact that Konoha was involved in overthrowing another village's regime.
The Rebels however, smiled in approval. He had gone through the same struggles with them, eating the same low-quality food, sleeping in the same conditions, and shedding blood with them. They almost considered him one of their own.
"I can see that some of you are uncomfortable with this alliance. And I understand why. But know that it was this alliance that convinced the Daimyo that Kiri will be stable enough for him to invest in." Mei reminded everyone.
The former Loyalists begrudgingly accepted, though they were still wary of Naruto.
"As for those who doubt Naruto's intentions, here's the next bit of good news." Mei continued.
"Naruto here was able to use his connections in Nami no Kuni to broker an alliance and trade deals between Kiri and Wave."
Murmurs broke out in the council, some surprised at his large contribution and grateful, while some were still suspicious.
"What were the terms like exactly?" One of the suspicious councilors asked.
Mei brought out the contracts and handed them to the councilor. "Why don't you read it out loud for us?"
He took the papers and began reading out the points of the agreement. "In addition to an alliance, The Daimyo of Nami no Kuni is willing to lend us both fishing vessels and personnel to help us grow our fishing industry to help us produce more food for our citizens and to create a surplus for trade, until we can produce enough of our own fishing vessels and personnel."
"These are quite generous terms. What do they want in return?" someone asked.
"Nothing I suppose. It doesn't say." The councilor reading the agreement replied.
Discussions broke out amongst the councilors once again.
"Of course, they'd offer an agreement like that. They're just a minor nation with no shinobi presence. The alliance itself is the benefit. Allying themselves with one of the 5 major villages is good for them." One councilor commented.
Mangetsu rolled his eyes. "Where have you been for the past 10 years? Are you sure it was Kiri? Have you seen the state of our village? We can't even provide enough food for everyone. Our shinobi forces are no bigger than a minor village's like Kusa. We can hardly call ourselves one of the big 5 right now. I don't know where this arrogance is coming from. Learn to be grateful for once, ya dumbass."
"How dare you!" the insulted man shouted back.
"He's right you know." Ao interjected. "You should learn to think before you speak. Perhaps then you wouldn't make yourself look like a fool in front of everyone."
The councilor sat down begrudgingly, after being chastised by the 2nd most influential person in Kiri. With Ao's remark, the discussions died down.
"Now that everyone's quieted down, let me continue reading. There's more." The councilor holding the contract told everyone.
"In addition to what Nami no Kuni is offering, The Wave Shipping Company agrees to give us access to their trade connections in return for us protecting their trade routes and merchant vessels. They'll also give us reduced tariffs for imported and exported goods. They also agreed to provide us with raw materials at cheap prices for us to process into finished products, which they'll export using their trade network. This deal stands for 5 years, with a 5-year extension if deemed necessary."
Everyone present was impressed at the agreement Naruto was able to get for them. This was a steal. The civilians and former Rebels gave Naruto a grateful nod, as well as words of gratitude. Even the Loyalists had to accept that Naruto was giving them a huge help in coming out of their economic crisis.
Mei smiled when the council began to accept Naruto and his contributions.
"Now that everyone is aware of how big of a help he's been, I'll conclude my report. The Daimyo will be visiting the village in a week to deliver the first round of his donations, as well as inaugurate me as the Godaime Mizukage."
The council clapped for Mei, to congratulate her on a trip that proved to be far more fruitful than anyone had imagined.
"Now that that's done, I'd like to hear if there's anything that should be brought to my attention." Mei told the council.
Councilors began to give reports of the sectors they were put in charge of.
Soon, it was Ao's turn to speak. He rose with a grim look on his face. "While you've been gone, I've been sorting through our prisoners, both the ones imprisoned by Yagura, and those that we have captured."
"Very good. How has that gone?" Mei asked.
"Our policy of pardoning some of the less fanatical Loyalists has padded out our shinobi force's numbers significantly, but we still have hundreds of former followers of Yagura who have committed atrocities or have bought into his ideals deeply, imprisoned." He replied.
"I see. Other than the war criminals, we should go over them once more to see if any are willing to work for Kiri again, and put the past behind them. Perhaps their time in the dungeon has caused them to reconsider." Mei suggested.
"Very well, Mei-sama. However, there's one particular prisoner, that I haven't been able to decide on." Ao stated.
"Oh? And who might that be?" Mei asked.
"Nezu." Ao replied with a troubled look.
"Nezu? He's been imprisoned? How is he? What's the problem regarding him?" Mei asked.
"Mei-sama… It turns out he's the one who alerted Yagura of our hidden bases, including the one on the Gates of Uzushio."
"That fucking bastard! He got thousands of us killed!" Mangetsu yelled as he slammed the table with his fist.
Mei's face was one of shock. "He's been a double agent this whole time?"
Ao shook his head. "I've been able to figure out it was only in the last few weeks of the war that he started supplying Yagura with information. He was broken by Yagura's torturing of his wife and child."
Mei was torn about what to do with Nezu. She had put him in an extremely dangerous situation by planting him as a spy in Yagura's high council, and he had provided crucial information to her for years. She understood that he was put under extreme pressure with the lives of his wife and child threatened, and she wasn't sure she would have held up either, if she was in his position.
However, be as it may, he was also responsible for the death of thousands, and that couldn't just be ignored either.
Several former Rebels were incensed at his betrayal, and began demanding for his death.
Mei wished she could do something for him, but her hands seemed to be tied. Nezu deserved to be punished.
In the Hokage's Office
Hiruzen sat in his office, going through the reports and information brought by his surveillance on Danzo.
He sighed as he burned up the useless reports and recordings. Danzo had somehow learned to behave since the Uchiha massacre, and kept quiet.
Either that, or he had found the surveillance measures, and found ways around them.
'It would be ideal to catch Danzo in a political quagmire to legally end him and his ambitions, but if things don't work out… I might have to take things into my own hands.' Hiruzen considered. If his gamble with Naruto panned out, then he'd a have a backup plan.
He was deep in thought, considering the approaches he should take to trap his former teammate, when a red toad with a pair of goggles around its neck, jumped through the open window and landed on his desk.
"Kosuke? What are you doing here?" The Sandaime asked the messenger toad in surprise.
"I have a message from Jiraiya-sama." Kosuke informed Hiruzen, before he regurgitated a scroll from the storage space in his gut.
"Thank you, Kosuke-kun." Hiruzen told the young toad, as he took the scroll and opened it up. A quick look at the scroll revealed that it was a report from Jiraiya and his spy network.
Hello Sensei,
Some of my informants have been hearing rumors that the war in Kiri might be over.
While I'm not certain which side of the war was victorious,
Most of the rumors seem to indicate the Rebels may have won.
This might have greater implications on the balance of nations.
I'll head over and see what the truth of the rumors are.
If there is indeed a new regime in Kiri,
I expect there to be a lot of diplomatic visits from other villages,
Due to Kiri's strategic position.
Perhaps we could send a delegation before they lock themselves into alliances
with the other villages and try to work something out first.
In any case, we'll have to wait and see what the truth is.
-Jiraiya the Gallant. The Majestic Toad Sage of Mount Myoboku
Hiruzen chuckled at Jiraiya's antics. He burned the scroll after reading it, to make sure Danzo never saw the report. Right now, Hiruzen was the only one in Konoha who truly knew what had happened.
Naruto had been successful in his mission once again.
'I knew I could count on you, Naruto-kun. Well done. We'll have Kiri's gratitude, and we'll be able to secure an alliance with them in no time.' The old Hokage mused. 'With this, I hope we are one step closer to achieving peace amongst villages.'
This report also confirmed another thing. If Naruto had been able to play a key role in turning the tide for Kiri as he expected, Hiruzen would have his successor.
Hiruzen felt relieved of some of the things that had been stressing him in the past few months, and smiled.
At that moment, the door to his office slammed open, and a boy came flying in through the door.
Hiruzen didn't turn around, but prepared himself to dodge some blunt kunai, or some other hair-brained attack strategy from his grandson.
When he didn't sense anything coming, he turned around, slightly confused.
"Jiji! I just met the coolest girl today!" His grandson, Konohamaru, yelled out in excitement.
Flashback
A red ball flew through the air towards a group of 5 young preteens who were hanging out. The ball struck one of them in the back of the head, and rolled on the ground.
Konohamaru ran around the corner of the street, looking for his ball which he saw fly this way. When he spotted his red ball, he smiled, and ran towards the ball.
He was surprised to see some older kid pick up his ball.
"Is this yours, kid?" The older boy asked angrily.
"Ummm… yeah? Could I have it back?" Konohamaru asked.
The older kid looked back at his friends who chuckled amongst themselves and nodded.
"Isn't an apology due first? You hit my head with this, you stupid brat." The older preteen told Konohamaru.
"Oh. Sorry. We didn't mean to. I was just playing with my friends, and one of them sent it flying over here, so I came to get it." Konohamaru explained.
"You hear this kid? We don't want to hear your bullshit excuses." The boy's friends said aggressively to Konohamaru.
"But it wasn't even my fault! I just came to get the ball. Besides, I already apologized, didn't I?" Konohamaru said in his defense.
"You don't sound too sincere, kid." The bullies argued "We'll keep the ball if you're really sorry."
"Wait, but that's my ball!" Konohamaru said as he reached for his ball.
One of the older kids stopped him by blocking his way.
"You trying to take it by force? Listen kid, the ball is ours now, so beat it, before something bad happens."
"But it was a gift from my kaa-chan!" Konohamaru cried out as his eyes began to tear up.
"But it was gift from my kaa-chan!" The bullies repeated in a mocking voice as they laughed at Konohamaru.
"If you want your ball, you can take it. By force." The older kids then began to surround Konohamaru.
Narumi hummed to herself as she skipped towards Shizune and Tsunade's house with a paper bag full of freshly made anpan buns, when she sensed a bunch of negative emotions coming from the street nearby.
She headed towards the source of negative emotions, and saw a bunch of older kids pushing around a small crying boy.
"Hey! Leave him alone! Don't you see he's just a kid?" Narumi shouted at the bullies, as she rushed over.
"Who the heck are you?" One of the bullies asked.
"Help! These guys won't give me my ball back!" Konohamaru pleaded to Narumi.
Narumi glared at the bullies. "Stop being mean to the boy, and give him his ball back!" She shouted.
The bullies looked at each other before they faced her again. "Mind your own business, and get lost, you stupid tomato-girl." One of them told Narumi, unknowingly triggering her with the nickname she so hated.
"And why don't you leave the anpan behind? We're feeling a little peckish." Another bully stated with a mischievous smile, as they began to surround her.
Narumi held her bag of anpan in her arms, and her hair covered her eyes, casting a shadow over them. "What did you call me?" she growled out with venom in her voice, which the boys foolishly ignored.
"I said, hand over the anpan quietly, you stupid tomato!" One of them demanded, as he reached over, trying to take the anpan by force.
When he was close enough to grab the bag, Narumi smashed her forehead into his face, sending him tumbling back with blood streaming from his nose.
When he crashed into the ground, and started to cry in pain, the other bullies finally got over their shock from the surprise attack.
"That bitch! Get her!"
The bullies began to charge at her.
The first bully that reached her was rewarded with a spinning back kick into his jaw, which sent him to the floor, out cold.
The second one threw a wild haymaker at Narumi's head, but she ducked under his arm, and let him pass by her, and she elbowed him in the base of his spine. He fell to the ground clutching his lower back, seizing up in pain as well.
The next boy flew at her with a flying side kick in terrible form, and Narumi easily shifted her weight to the side to let him fly by her, before she gave him a devastating uppercut to the crotch.
He fell to the floor, crying. Konohamaru cringed and subconsciously covered up his family jewels when he saw that.
The last boy standing was the one holding the ball, and after seeing his friends get demolished by the small redhead, he was trembling in fear.
"Give me his ball, or I'll teach you what happens when you call me a stinkin' TOMATO!" She yelled at the trembling boy, who thought he saw a fire burning in her eyes and 9 locks of hair flailing behind her.
He nodded eagerly, and handed her Konohamaru's ball, before he gathered his friends and ran away as fast as they could.
"Yeah you better run! Remember what happened today the next time you want to call Namikaze-Uzumaki Narumi a tomato!" Narumi yelled out to the retreating bullies, as she shook a fist at them.
Konohamaru's jaw was hanging open, as he stared at the redhead in awe. She had beaten 4 bigger boys by herself, and she hadn't even dropped a single anpan in the process!
"Here. This is yours, right?" Narumi said with a kind smile, as she handed the ball to Konohamaru.
"Wow that was awesome! That was the coolest thing I've ever seen! You were all like, pow! Boom! Bam! And they were all on the ground! You have to teach me how to do that!" Konohamaru squealed in excitement.
"Eh? Teach you?" Narumi said in confusion.
Konohamaru nodded eagerly.
"Hmmm… I don't think I can do that. I'm too busy. I've got training, missions, and I want to hang out with my friends too. Maybe you can learn from your parents or a tutor." She suggested.
"You're a ninja? No wonder! Also, I already have a tutor, but he's nowhere near as cool as you! I want YOU to teach me! You must have some cool secrets methods!" Konohamaru demanded.
"I don't think so. I don't like spoiled brats who think they can get everything they want, ya know." Narumi told Konohamaru.
"But I'm the Hokage's grandson!" He whined.
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Like that means anything. I'm apparently the Yondaime's daughter, and I don't get things handed to me by everyone either. I've had to work hard to become strong, ya know. It's not like I have some secret shortcut to get strong."
Konohamaru was surprised someone turned him down after he revealed he was the Hokage's grandson, but he respected her more for it. Even though he had enjoyed some of the perks of being the Hokage's grandson, he hated how nobody saw him for himself, and only saw him as the Hokage's grandson.
"I promise I'll work hard! And I won't be a spoiled brat! I promise nee-chan!" Konohamaru begged.
Narumi could see he was desperate, and he had pressed the right buttons by calling her nee-chan. She had always wanted a little sibling figure of her own.
"Hmmm… I guess I could teach you a couple small things here and there…" She mused out loud.
"Yes! That sounds great! Please!" Konohamaru pleaded.
"Maybe I'll consider it… if you start calling me boss." Narumi said with a mischievous smile.
"You got it, boss!" Konohamaru shouted, as he saluted her.
Narumi giggled. Looks like she got a student of her own now. Just like her nii-chan.
"Alright then… say, what was your name again?" Narumi asked.
"I'm Konohamaru, boss!" Konohamaru told Narumi.
Narumi giggled again. "Alright then, Konohamaru-chan. I'll teach you a couple things every once in a while, but for now, I gotta go. See you around!"
She then waved goodbye to him as she turned around to leave.
"Here, catch!" Narumi shouted, as she threw an anpan over her shoulder.
The anpan fell right into a surprised Konohamaru's hands.
"And next time anyone messes with you, let your nee-chan know. Nobody's gonna mess with MY minions." Narumi told Konohamaru as she walked away.
Konohamaru had stars in his eyes as he watched his hero walk away. She was officially the coolest person he knew.
Konohamaru's playmates ran to where he was when he didn't return for some time.
"Konohamaru! What's taking so long?" A girl with her orange hair tied into 2 very large pigtails, named Moegi, asked as she ran over.
"She's so cool…" Konohamaru whispered to himself.
"Who are you talking about? Moegi asked.
"Umm… I think that may be her." Konohamaru's other friend, Udon, commented, as he pointed at Narumi's back.
Konohamaru turned around to his two friends. "Guys! We have a new boss! Her name is Narumi!"
"Eh?" His two friends said simultaneously in confusion.
Flashback End
Hiruzen chuckled as his grandson told his grand tale of how he met the coolest person in the world.
"I see young Narumi has made quite the impression on you." The Sandaime commented.
"Heck ya! She's so cool! I'm going to work extra hard so I can be just as cool as her!" Konohamaru told his grandfather as he punched and kicked at the air as he saw Narumi do.
Hiruzen was glad Konohamaru met Narumi. Both he and Konohamaru's mother were too busy to spend much time with the boy. Narumi's kind and caring nature would make her an excellent older sister figure for the young boy.
"I'm sure she'll be a positive influence on you. There's much you can learn from her. She has a very positive attitude and an excellent work ethic. The Will of Fire burns brightly in her." Hiruzen told Konohamaru.
Konohamaru didn't know what this Will of Fire thing Hiruzen kept mentioning was all about, but he nodded in agreement anyway.
At Kiri, the Next Week
Much of the main processional street had been cleaned up and fixed up in preparation to welcome the Daimyo, who was now carried down the street in his palanquin, as he waved at Kiri's citizens.
Not too far behind him, was Tazuna, the now Daimyo of Wave, and Tsunami, who were also carried down in a slightly less ornate palanquin.
They were flanked by the most elite samurai in the Daimyo's retinue, as well as Kiri's most capable shinobi, who stayed vigilant against any threats in the shadows.
They soon reached the Mizukage tower, and entered Mei's office.
"Daimyo-sama!" Mei greeted the two Daimyos with a bow, when she saw them enter.
"You've done a great job in fixing up this place. I'm amazed at what you were able to do in such a short time. I've certainly made the right choice in putting my faith in you." The Daimyo of Mizu no Kuni told Mei.
"Thank you, Daimyo-sama." Mei replied as she straightened out the Mizukage robes she was wearing.
"I can see you could still use a little bit of help though. Luckily for you, we have an excellent engineering and construction department in Wave Shipping Company, don't we, Tsunami?" Tazuna informed Mei.
Tsunami nodded. "Of course. We have a lot of experience in reconstruction and renovation. We can discuss this further after your inauguration, Mei-sama."
Mei nodded gratefully, as she glanced over at the Mizukage hat sitting on her desk.
The crowd outside waited anxiously as they grew in number. Soon they'd be officially recognized by the Daimyo once more, and the new Mizukage, who represented a new and brighter future, would be inaugurated.
A few minutes later, Mei, Ao, and the 2 Daimyos emerged on the balcony of the Mizukage Tower to address the people.
"Thank you everyone who gathered here today." Ao stated to the people, who began to quiet down, now that the ceremony was beginning. "Today is a big day for Kiri, and marks the start of a new beginning. Please, give a warm welcome to the Daimyo of Mizu no Kuni, as he inaugurates our new leader who will guide us into a brighter future!"
The people cheered as the Daimyo stepped up to address the crowd.
"Today we gather here to celebrate a momentous day. Today is the day where the culmination of your struggles and sacrifices come together to open up a new and brighter tomorrow." The Daimyo began.
Naruto looked up at the balcony, standing with the crowd below. In his eyes, Mei looked radiant in her Mizukage robes, exuding confidence, dependability, elegance, grace, and charisma befitting a Kage.
He was happy, truly happy, for Mei and her inauguration. However, there was still a lingering sense of sadness as he watched the Daimyo give his speech, and finally place the Mizukage Hat on her head. Now that she was officially the Mizukage, his mission here was now complete. He now had to return to Konoha.
He gave her a bittersweet smile as he clapped with the others.
Mei looked down at the crowd, waving at them, for the first time as the official Godaime Mizukage of Kiri.
She smiled at seeing each and every face present, but one made her smile more genuinely than the others.
Seeing her love clapping at her with a smile on his face made her special day feel more meaningful. Without his help, she doubted she would have come this far in the first place.
However, she was so caught up in the elation of the moment where all of her struggles and hardships bore fruit, that she didn't notice that his smile hid a sense of sadness.
The Next Day
Mei and Naruto left Mei's home after a night of "private and strenuous celebrating", to get some lunch, and to enjoy each other's company, as they walked around the rebuilding village to become better acquainted with Kiri's villagers.
"Congratulations, Mizukage-sama!" Villagers greeted the new Mizukage as she walked around.
She greeted them with a grateful smile, and thanked each one of them.
The villagers of Kiri saw the pair walking around together, and wondered if they were an item. Many of the female shopkeepers and customers commented on how good they looked together, with many men secretly, and sometimes not so secretly, wishing they could be Naruto, and many women wishing they could be Mei.
As the two looked for somewhere to eat, Naruto spotted a ramen stand, and suddenly got a craving for ramen.
"Hey, Mei? How does some ramen sound?" He suggested.
"Ramen?" Mei thought out loud. It wasn't something she had normally, but now that he mentioned it, she didn't mind having some.
"Sure. Why not?" she replied with a shrug, and the two headed inside the stand.
"Welcome to-" The owner of the ramen stand stopped mid-speech when his wife elbowed him gently in the ribs to make him look up from washing the dishes. "Mizukage-sama! W-welcome to our ramen stand! How can we help you?"
Mei gave him a warm smile as she entered.
"We came here to get a bite. Where should we sit?" Mei asked.
"P-please! Sit right here!" The owner replied as he quickly cleared the seat directly in front of him.
"What would you two like?" The owner's wife asked.
"Could I get 3 servings of your Miso Seafood Ramen?" Naruto asked after looking at the menu, surprising the owners by the large order.
"O-of course! Would you like an empty bowl so you can share?" The owner's wife asked, not sure if it was all meant for him.
"No. That'll be fine. It's all for me anyway." Naruto clarified with a smile.
Mei chuckled as the owners tried their best to hide their surprise.
"And what would you like, Mizukage-sama?"
"I'll get what he's getting. Only, I'd like a normal portion for one person." She replied, as she nudged Naruto.
The two owners nodded and got to preparing the food right away.
A little later…
Naruto and Mei emerged from the stand, with satisfied bellies, and a smile on their face.
"Good choice, Naruto-kun! That was better than I expected. Maybe I should drop by here more often from now on." Mei commented.
"See? I told you! You never go wrong with ramen!" Naruto told Mei, feeling vindicated in his love for ramen.
As the two walked back towards Mei's house, Naruto spotted Mangetsu and Suigetsu walking.
"Give me a second, will you? I've got something I've been meaning to do." Naruto told Mei, before he rushed off.
Mei wondered what Naruto was up to, and followed him discretely.
She stopped a short distance away, and hid herself behind an alley, when she found Naruto speaking with Mangetsu.
"Hey Naruto-san. I saw you were on a date with Mizukage-sama, eh?" Mangetsu said with a smirk.
Naruto, and also Mei, who was hiding, both blushed.
"Erhhmm… We were just out to get a bite together." Naruto said with red cheeks.
"Anyway! That's not important. I've got something I've been meaning to get back to you." Naruto told Mangetsu, quickly trying to change the topic.
"Hmmm?" Mangetsu wondered what Naruto was talking about, as he watched the blonde pull up his sleeve.
With a puff of smoke, Naruto unsealed a large scroll from a storage seal on his arm.
"Huh? What's that?" Suigetsu asked.
While Suigetsu didn't know what the scroll was, Mangetsu knew right away.
"Is that… the clam summoning scroll?" Mangetsu asked to make sure.
Naruto nodded. "I believe this used to belong to your clan." Naruto stated as he handed the scroll to Mangetsu.
Mangetsu took the scroll, somewhat unconsciously, as he was still in shock. "You'd just hand this over? For nothing in return? Don't you know how valuable this is?"
Naruto nodded. "I'm sure it's very valuable, but it means even more for your clan. It's your heritage after all, isn't it? I know what it's like to have what belongs to you taken away."
Mangetsu was left speechless by Naruto's magnanimous gesture, and stood there with his mouth gaping open with his arms clutched around the scroll.
"I'll still be able to summon the clams, you know. But I thought it was only right that a new generation of Hozuki should be able to choose who signs the scroll next."
Mangetsu smiled and shook Naruto's hand. "Heh. I appreciate that. I'll remember this, Naruto-san."
Naruto greeted the brothers goodbye, and rejoined Mei, who had watched everything take place.
"Let's get back home, shall we?" Naruto suggested to Mei.
Mei hooked her arm around Naruto's and cuddled close to him, as they began their journey back.
"I saw everything you know." Mei told Naruto.
"Hmm. Did you now." He replied.
"That was a really kind thing you did back there. A lot of people took advantage of Kiri's civil war to take a lot of our treasures. Many clans lost heirlooms and other pieces of their heritage. I know the Hozuki's will be grateful to you for returning their lost summoning."
"Eh. It's not a big deal. Just giving back a lost item back to its owner." Naruto replied, brushing it off like it was no big deal. "Besides, I still get to summon the clams, so it's not like I lost anything."
Mei smiled as she watched Naruto pretend it was no big deal. He tried to come across as aloof or uncaring, but she saw the kind-hearted man he was inside. He even secretly began sponsoring several orphanages across the village, something that Mei found out. Something that she found to be very attractive. Something that turned her on, now that she thought about it.
"Let's get back home quickly, Naruto-kun." Mei told Naruto with a blush forming on her face. "I suddenly thought of something new I wanted to try." She whispered suggestively into his ear, causing him to leak a trail of blood from his nose.
That Evening
Mei wrapped her robe around her naked body, as she watched Naruto wash the dishes from the dinner he had cooked for them. She had been pleasantly surprised by how good his cooking was, and had rewarded him with something special, namely her, as the dessert.
Their relationship had been everything she had ever wished for in a relationship. She loved how powerful and confident he was in battle, but also how shy he was when it came to things like love. She loved how he tried to come across as uncaring, but he had a heart for the weak. She loved how he was a man's man, but also was not above doing things that were traditionally considered feminine, like cooking or cleaning.
As she watched him clean up after their dinner, she let her mind wander, imagining a life with Naruto. She could see a life where she'd come back from the office to be greeted with a kiss. A life she'd share with Naruto, appreciating doing mundane things, like sitting in front of fire together, and enjoying each other's company without words. Maybe they'd have a few children together. She chuckled when she imagined a red-haired mini-Naruto doting on his blonde little sister who resembled herself.
She walked up behind Naruto and wrapped her arounds around his waist from the back.
"You know, you'd make a great housewife." Mei joked. "That meal had a mother's touch to it."
Naruto rolled his eyes as he cleaned another plate. "Now that's sexist. Who says a father can't cook?" He joked in a faux-angry tone.
Mei giggled. "You're right. You got me there."
She rested her chin on his shoulder as he continued to clean, just enjoying his warmth for a moment before she spoke again.
"You know, I've been reading my family history, and found something interesting."
"Hmmm? What is it?" Naruto asked.
"Back in the warring clans era, it seems a Terumi woman married into the Uzumaki clan." Mei told Naruto.
"Really? Huh… That's… interesting…" Naruto thought as he put down the plate he was washing for a second to think. Could that be why…?
"That could be why you're able to use Boil Release, you know." Mei told him, as if she could read his thoughts.
"But more importantly, that could mean you're the result of a Terumi and Uzumaki marrying." Mei told Naruto, trying to hint at something else. "I'd say it resulted in something pretty nice, wouldn't you say?"
Naruto chuckled. "Geez Mei. Coming on thick with the flattery again? Do you really want me to do "that" to you again already?"
Mei blushed. "Naruto-kun! You can't be so crass to a lady! But… I won't say I don't."
Naruto laughed as he turned around to return the embrace. He kissed her forehead when she pouted.
"You know… what do you think about what I said earlier?" Mei asked as she rested her head on Naruto's chest.
"Hmm? About doing "that"? I'm down!"
Mei slapped his chest. "No, you blonde idiot! The other thing! You know… about an Uzumaki and Terumi marrying."
"Oh. Yeah that's pretty cool, I guess. I wish I had my family records so I could look into it as well, but sadly, that's not happening any time soon." He replied, not catching what Mei was really trying to say.
Mei remembered how dense he could be when it came to these things, so she decided to just come out with it.
"Naruto-kun… do you love me?"
"Hmm?" Naruto wasn't expecting to be asked something like that so he paused for a second. What was love anyway? I mean, he guessed he really liked her and cared for her, and they did do those things that only lovers are supposed to do, right?
"I-I guess I do."
Mei smiled. That meant a lot from this emotionally stunted idiot.
"Do you think you can stay here then?"
Naruto froze when Mei dropped the bomb.
Noticing him tensing up, Mei decided to elaborate.
"I mean, you can go back to Konoha and wrap up this mission first. I'm not even asking you to betray your village and become a Kiri shinobi or anything. I was thinking I could ask the Hokage if you can be Konoha's ambassador to Kiri or something."
Naruto pictured a life next to Mei. She'd be the Kushina to his Minato. They already had the chemistry, and he was happy when he was with her. He went over the times he had spent with Mei, and he was very tempted to take the offer.
However, when he remembered the lunch they had earlier that day, the ramen reminded him of Narumi. He suddenly remembered that Narumi was waiting for him in Konoha.
He pulled away from Mei's embrace. "I… I can't…"
Mei was surprised to hear his answer. "What? Why not? I thought you loved me?" She asked, unable to mask the hurt in her voice.
"I do… but I have responsibilities in Konoha… Responsibilities that I can't just abandon." Naruto replied sadly, unable to meet Mei's hurt gaze.
"Like what?" Mei asked, curious to know what was getting in the way of their relationship. Maybe she could come up with some solutions to work around them.
"My sister… she needs me. I have to be there for her. I'm all she's got."
Though Mei was hurt, she found his loyalty and devotion to be endearing. She had to find some way to make this work.
"Why can't she come too? Maybe we can have some sort of shinobi exchange program to cement our alliance?" Mei suggested.
Naruto shook his head. "She can't. She's not allowed to leave the village like that. She's… too valuable for the village for something like that to happen."
Konoha wouldn't ever let her Jinchuuriki live in another village. Not even Hiruzen would allow something like that.
"Then what are we gonna do about us?" Mei asked.
"I… I don't know… it's not like you'd leave Kiri to be with me, right?" Naruto asked.
Mei froze up when she heard Naruto. For a second, she actually considered leaving Kiri. She'd abdicate the position of Mizukage, and live with Naruto in Konoha. She'd have a wonderful life living with the man of her dreams, enjoying a lifetime of lovingly teasing the flustered fool she had wrapped around her finger. She'd actually be happier with less responsibilities anyway. She would prefer having time to spend with her husband and children.
However, while she'd be off enjoying her life, Kiri would be the one to suffer. Again.
The only person she could hand over the position of Mizukage would be Ao. While he was a very capable shinobi who excelled in all of the tasks given to him, he was more fit to be a second in command, lacking sight of the big picture, despite ironically having an eye that gave him transcendent sight. His overly security minded nature would cause him to be a paranoid leader, which was not too different from Yagura, at least in that sense. He didn't have the personality or charisma to hold a divided village like Kiri together, and was too blunt and rigid to be effective diplomatically.
She was the only one who could hold together this fragmented village, and the only one who had the vision to lead them. And she knew it. She had gotten to where she was now from years of fighting, and from the blood of thousands of people who had died to get her here. To throw that all away for the sake of something trivial like her love and happiness? That was unacceptable.
"I… I can't… my village needs me…" Mei admitted, more to herself than Naruto.
The atmosphere in the room darkened as the two realized what this meant for them.
"I guess… it's over then…" Naruto said quietly.
Mei grabbed and held on to his hands with her own, as she looked into his eyes.
"No. It's not over. At least not yet. It's not over until you leave." Mei told Naruto with a determined look in her eyes.
"But I have to go Mei…" Naruto told her in a resigned tone.
Mei tenderly caressed his cheek with her hand. "I know." She acknowledged quietly.
"But I don't want us to be so focused on that, that we can't enjoy the time we still have left together. While you're still here, I'm still yours, and you're still mine. So don't think about what will happen. Just focus on now. Just be 100% mine while you're still here."
Naruto looked up at Mei with widened eyes. She was right. He was too busy feeling sorry for himself, that he almost wasted what little precious time he had left with Mei.
Naruto didn't say anything back, but he grabbed her waist, before pulling her into a deep, passionate kiss.
Mei threw her arms around his neck and reciprocated, pulling him towards her bedroom again. They'd make the most of the time they had left.
At the Gates of Kiri, the next day
Naruto stood at the main gate of the village, along with Tazuna and Tsunami, who had stayed after the inauguration to negotiate further terms with Mei, resulting in Wave agreeing to help rebuilding the village infrastructure, in exchange for future favors.
With them stood Nezu, and his family who was grateful to Naruto and Wave, as Naruto was able to have Nezu spared by convincing the council to exile him instead of executing him, as a form of compensation for his years of contribution. Nezu and his family would be relocating to Wave, where Tazuna offered him a job in security.
In order to minimize contact between Nezu and the rest of the villagers, they had been forced to leave early in the morning, and only a few people came to see them off. Mei stood at the head of the small crowd that gathered to greet them farewell, which included Ao, Chojuro, Haku, Kimimaro, Suigetsu, Mangetsu, and Zabuza.
While Tazuna, Tsunami, and Nezu and his family boarded the ship, Naruto looked over the people who came to greet him goodbye. He recalled how he and Mei had agreed to greet each other farewell with a smile, and to let each other go on good terms. As such, he tried to mask his pain by pretending to be fine, but lingering to see each and every face he had gotten attached to would make leaving more difficult.
He decided he needed to leave quickly.
"I guess this is it then. Take care everyone." Naruto told everyone as he prepared to board the ship.
He turned around to leave, but was stopped by Mangetsu holding on to his shoulder.
Naruto turned around to face Mangetsu in confusion, and was greeted by a scroll Mangetsu handed over to him.
Naruto took the scroll and looked at Mangetsu with a raised eyebrow. "What is this?"
"It's a copy of a secret clan jutsu. You probably can't use it, but maybe you can glean something from it." Mangetsu explained. "It's a token of appreciation for the summoning scroll you returned to us."
Naruto smiled and shook Mangetsu's hand after sealing away the scroll. "Thanks. I'll try to put this to good use."
He was then approached by Mei, who had come in her normal wear instead of her Mizukage robes, making it clear she was here to send him off as Mei, and not as the Mizukage.
"Here. I've got something for you too." Mei told Naruto as she handed him a familiar looking scroll.
Naruto was shocked as he took the scroll. It was the summoning scroll he had wanted to get from Yagura's storehouse.
"Is this alright? I thought it was valuable to the village?" Naruto asked.
Mei just gave him a smile. "Consider a fair exchange. You gave us a summoning scroll, so we gave you one back. Now we're even. The clan that used to use that summoning is gone anyway."
Naruto smiled and sealed the scroll away. He stuck out his hand to give her a handshake as well.
Mei ignored the hand and leaned in for a deep kiss which surprised everyone, as they had been keeping their relationship a secret.
She pulled away after several seconds, leaving Naruto's face with red cheeks.
"Goodbye Naruto. I'll always remember what we had." She whispered so that only he could hear.
She gave him a smile, before she turned around and left with the rest of the Kiri shinobi. Letting him go with a smile like she promised.
Naruto turned around and began to board the ship as well. He turned around to give her one last glance, only to see her back. He gave her a bittersweet smile before he boarded the ship leaving Kiri.
Mei also turned around to give Naruto one last look, only to not see him. She smiled to keep herself from crying, and turned back around.
The ship set off a few moments later.
"I'll be at the Mizukage Tower. Don't disturb me unless it's something important." Mei told everyone, before she disappeared in a swirl of mist.
At the Mizukage Tower
Mei collapsed into her seat, before the tears began to fall uncontrollably from her eyes. She had barely managed to hold herself together in front of the others, but now, she was unable to keep it in any longer. She wept, heartbroken at letting go of the love of her life for the sake of her duty to the village.
Ao was outside her door, about to knock so he could enter, when he heard her crying bitterly inside.
He had assumed Mei's farewell kiss was something of a flirty attempt at manipulating Naruto, in order to keep him on Kiri's side should things threaten to go bad. He had watched approvingly, thinking it was smart and clever of Mei to use an unexperienced young man's heart against him.
However, as he stood outside of Mei's office, hearing her cry her heart out, he realized Mei had truly loved him, but let him go anyway. She had chosen Kiri over her own happiness.
He clenched his fists, ashamed of thinking of Mei that way. She was young woman herself, and deserved to be loved, but she put the good of the village above her own desires. His respect for her rose immensely, and he vowed to follow her loyally always.
On the Ship
Naruto sat deck at the ship, staring off into the horizon. His heart ached with a pain that he was not used to, and his mind needed the distraction.
"You really loved that girl, didn't you?" He heard a voice ask.
"Huh?" he asked as he looked to see who spoke to him.
He found Tsunami looking at him with an empathetic smile, as she sat down next to him, and patted his back.
"What is this for?" Naruto asked when Tsunami offered him a handkerchief.
Tsunami replied by wiping the tears he didn't realize were streaming down his face.
"It'll get better with time." Tazuna commented as he appeared on the deck. "Until then, this might help get your mind off of her."
Naruto stared at the bottle of sake Tazuna was offering for a couple of seconds, before he took the bottle and took a large chug.
"Now that was a man's drink! Atta boy!" Tazuna cheered, trying to help brighten the mood.
Naruto smiled as he wiped his eyes dry. "Thanks." He told the two. He'd never been one to let his emotions rule him. He took another sip, determined to get his emotions back on hold. He needed to remind himself of what was most important to him.
'I'm sorry I've been away for so long. I'm finally coming home, Narumi.' Naruto thought to himself, as he looked towards the direction of Konoha.
OMAKE
"We gather here today, to celebrate the life of Narumi." Sasuke told the gathered crowd of shocked people.
"WHAT? WHAT HAPPENED?" Ino screamed out in shock.
Sasuke looked up to the ceiling, thinking about how it came to this point.
A few hours earlier
"Man, that was tough. I'd much rather fight some Chunin, rather than digging around a massive garden looking for some lost key! It turned out it was in the laundry the whole time!" Narumi complained.
"Hnn. Tell me about it. If you ask me, they shouldn't even allow these stupid things to be missions." Sasuke replied, agreeing with Narumi.
*GRRRRR*
Narumi and Sasuke snapped their heads towards the source of the sound, only to see a red-faced Hinata holding her stomach.
"Are you hiding an angry dog under your hoodie?" Narumi asked.
"N-no! I-I'm just a little… hungry." Hinata squeaked out, embarrassed at her un-Hyuuga-like behavior of having her stomach rumble.
Sasuke rolled his eyes. "And here it comes in 3, 2, 1…"
"I know just what you need! RAMEN!" Narumi shouted out with enthusiasm.
"and there we have it folks." Sasuke commented, speaking to no one in particular. "Of course, you'd suggest ramen. Is ramen all you eat?"
"I wish!" Narumi said with a huge grin at the thought. "I don't know why not though. There are so many kinds! Seafood, curry, beef, pork, miso, and even veggie if I need some greens! I've practically tried them all!" Narumi bragged.
Sasuke grinned. "I bet there's a kind you haven't tried."
Narumi was offended. How dare he challenge her this way! But at the same time, she was intrigued.
"And what might that be, Sasuke-chan?" She asked.
"I've got it at home. It's actually my favorite kind." Sasuke told her.
Her interest was officially piqued. "Really? Make me some!" She demanded.
Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Fine. Why don't you come over as well, Hinata?"
Hinata nodded. "T-that sounds good with me, Sasuke-kun. Thank you."
At Sasuke's House
Narumi sat at the table, her legs bouncing on the balls of her feet in excitement as she waited for her ramen.
"Alright, I'm done now." Sasuke announced as he brought 3 plates of red ramen out from the kitchen.
"Oooh! It doesn't have soup? It's like sort of yaki-ramen?" Narumi asked in interest.
"It's a kind of tomato ramen. My kaa-san found it in the imported section of the market." Sasuke told his two teammates.
"Thank you, Sasuke-kun." Hinata told Sasuke as she picked up her chopsticks.
"Sweet! Thanks!" Narumi shouted out before she began to practically inhale the large mound of noodles on her plate.
Sasuke watched with a wicked smile on his face, not even eating his own ramen.
He glanced at his clock. 'Almost time…'
"Mmmmm! Delicious!" Narumi shouted out with red sauce all over her mouth, and some even on her nose, before she suddenly seized up.
"and here it comes…" Sasuke whispered to himself with a malicious smile.
Narumi screamed, as sweat began to pour down her face, practically breathing out fire that would make Sasuke's Goukakyuu no Jutsu jealous.
"OWWW! HOT! HOTHOTHOTHOT! HOOOOTTT!" Narumi screamed as she began to fan her mouth.
Hinata looked at Sasuke in confusion. Her ramen was not spicy at all.
"Sasuke-kun?" Hinata asked.
"Hehehe… her ramen is actually a different ramen from ours. Hers is a ramen called hot chicken noodles. Or what I like to call… nuclear fire noodles from hell." Sasuke said with a wicked chuckle.
Narumi ran around the table in circles screaming, until she passed out, comatose.
Sasuke leapt from his seat and picked up Narumi, taking her to the living room.
Hinata followed, and was surprised to see all of her friends waiting there, confused.
"Hey, what's going on! We were waiting here for almost an hour!" Ino asked when Sasuke entered the room and placed Narumi on a table.
"Did you bring the flowers like I asked?" Sasuke asked Ino.
Ino nodded and presented him with a bouquet.
"Perfect! Thanks!" He told Ino as he took the flowers from her.
He walked over to the unconscious Narumi, and clasped her hands together on her stomach. He then placed the flowers in her hand.
"Alright! Everyone! Quiet!" Sasuke announced.
Everyone was confused as to what was going on, but they went along to see what was going on.
"We gather here today, to celebrate the life of Narumi." Sasuke told the gathered crowd of shocked people.
"WHAT? WHAT HAPPENED?" Ino screamed out in shock.
Sasuke looked up to the ceiling, trying hard not to laugh. "Our dear friend has succumbed to a dangerous illness. An illness known as ramen addiction. A moment of silence for the deceased."
He clasped his hands together in a fake prayer, while his friends looked on in confusion, not understanding what the heck he was talking about.
"Shikamaru? Would you mind?" Sasuke asked, making the gestures to tell him to take photos.
"Tsk. This is troublesome. I can't believe I passed on cloud gazing for this." Shikamaru complained.
"Alright. I'm taking the picture on three, ok? One."
*SNAP*
"Hey! I thought you said you'd take the picture on 3! I wasn't ready!" Ino yelled out.
"Oops. It was too troublesome to count. What can I do." Shikamaru replied with a shrug.
Sasuke grabbed the polaroid picture and watched it develop. He snickered as he saw a photo of Narumi's mock funeral develop.
"Might I ask what this is all about? Has she actually passed away?" Shino asked in a monotone voice.
Sasuke was about to respond, before he was smacked in the back of the head so hard by a bouquet, that he fell on his face.
"LIKE HECK I AM!" Narumi screamed out in fury, with 9 locks of hair flailing behind her.
"Psst! I think we should get out of here. I feel like it's about to get real troublesome." Shikamaru whispered to everyone else, as Narumi stomped towards Sasuke.
Outside the house, the friends cringed as they heard what sounded like a little girl screaming in Sasuke's voice.
"HOW DARE YOU DEFILE RAMEN LIKE THAT! YOU SHALL PAY THE PRICE OF YOUR SINS!" Narumi's voice mixed with a strange deeper voice boomed. "LOOKS LIKE YOU'VE ALREADY PREPARED THE PLACE FOR YOUR FUNERAL! GOOD!"
"Ummm… do you think we should help?" Ino asked.
"Nah. He'll be fine. Let's go cloud gazing or something." Shikamaru suggested.
Ino was worried for Sasuke, but let herself be pulled away by her friends.
Shikamaru handed everyone earplugs when a shrill scream pierced through the air.
"HEEELLLLLLPPPPP!"
*Author's Notes*
And there you have it! The latest chapter of the Jinchuuriki's Brother! How did you guys like it?
I wanted to end the chapter on a less sad note, so I wrote the little Omake, the next episode in Narumi and Sasuke's prank wars. Hope you guys liked it! Thanks to the reader who gave me the idea some time ago. You know who you are 😉.
Anyway! That's the last chapter of the Kiri Arc! It was a long one, I'll admit. But hey! I finally got to show Naruto's true powers, and even went through his first romance, so it wasn't like it was for nothing, right?
Man, NaruMei shippers are gonna hate me lol.
Coming up next: The Chunin Exam Arc! Finally! Now I can abandon my fic! Lolllll
Thank you everyone, by the way. I've reached the 1000+ review milestone, as well as the 1000+ favorite milestone! I know it doesn't really mean anything, but it's a big achievement for me! Thanks for following my story, and leaving reviews! I really appreciate it!
Btw, there's a discord server, where you can leave suggestions, ask questions, and communicate with me. I leave announcements there regarding release dates and reasons why if there are delays. I'd love to communicate with you all, so feel free to join! Here's the link. ( /HetEMkjYAv)
Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed the story, and thanks for reading. Please leave a comment if you enjoyed it! Hope you guys all have a great day, and stay safe!
Until next time.