Big chapter today! Hope you enjoy the visit to Hana's family.
The next day, everyone awoke bright and early, feeling refreshed and ready to go. They all practically leapt out of bed in their eagerness to get started, except for Gaara who was laden down by his morning load from Naruto. He'd grown another inch overnight, and gotten some thickness to his spindly arms and legs.
"Nervous about seeing your family?" Naruto asked.
"Kinda. Is there a word for equal parts scared and excited?" The Inuzuka asked.
"Anxious should work," Hinata said before hugging her close.
They all followed their own pursuits until lunch and again till dinner. Tenten worked on the AI Mainframe. Hinata decided to practice firing with Lasers rather than bullets, accompanied by Hana and Sasuke. Fu busied herself in the pool while Naruto practiced his psychic powers and Gaara watched incredulous.
At 1800, the Invictus slipped effortlessly out of hyper warp in Epsilon Eridani, and the crew watched from their places on the Bridge, as the holographic map displayed the bright yellow star at its center. There were two wide asteroid belts that ringed the system, and one single huge planet that was labelled Jericho.
"Nearly home Hana," Naruto said with a smile as he watched the brunette's reaction.
"It feels like so long ago when I last visited, but it's only been a matter of months!" she replied, shaking her head in amazement. "I can't believe how much I've been through since then..."
"We'll be landing at the closest planetary spaceport to your parents' home in about twenty minutes," Hinata said, having plotted a course to the huge planet already, the glowing green path clearly displayed on the system map.
"Looking forward to seeing everyone?" Sasuke asked Hana with a grin.
"Honestly, I'm a bit worried how they'll react to my physical changes," she replied pensively.
"Your father seemed to react very well when he noticed," Fu said, remembering the call they'd received two weeks earlier.
"I guess I'll just have to wait and see," Hana said nervously.
"Before we land, why don't we give Sakura a call, and check to see if she might be interested in joining the crew?" Hinata asked Naruto mischievously.
*It'll take her mind off seeing her family,* she sent privately to Naruto across their mental link.
"Sure, that's a great idea," Naruto agreed, smiling at Hinata's thoughtfulness.
Hinata entered the contact details into the comms interface, and the powerful communications relay built into the Invictus reached out towards the distant Dragon March; to Port Medea, where Sakura was stationed. After taking a few minutes to establish a connection, the pinkette answered the call, her pretty face appearing on the viewscreen. She no longer looked like she was about to pass out from lack of sleep, and her glasses were pushed back on her head, revealing her light green eyes.
"Hey Hinata!" Sakura exclaimed with delight. "It's great to hear from you."
"Hey yourself," Hinata replied back, her voice warm and friendly. "You seem a lot perkier than the last time we spoke. Is this a good time to talk?"
"Oh yes, sorry about that. Finals were exhausting, and I was suffering from some serious sleep deprivation!" the pinkette replied, blushing prettily. "I go on shift in ten minutes, so you caught me at a good time."
"Hello Sakura," Naruto greeted her with a smile.
"Oh, hi Naruto!" she replied excitedly. "I saw your interview on the holo-net a few weeks ago! Did you guys really fight off a Nuke invasion force?"
"That we did," he grinned, then glanced at the girls and guys on the Bridge. "Fortunately I have a fantastic crew, and we were able to save a lot of people."
"Sounds pretty amazing," she replied, obviously impressed.
"How's everything been going on your first posting?" Naruto asked her curiously.
"Ok, I guess," she replied, her happy expression growing more subdued.
"That doesn't sound good, are you alright?" he asked her, his voice concerned.
Sakura's eyes darted around her dorm room furtively, checking to see if anyone was within earshot. "This is a secure communication channel, right?" she asked nervously.
"Yes, we're using a military relay. It's automatically encrypted," he replied reassuringly.
"We're seeing so many casualties!" she gasped in a hushed voice. "I think things are going far worse against the Kumo than we've been led to believe. I knew I'd be treating plenty of combat injuries, but this has been relentless. I've lost... nearly a dozen patients that I just couldn't save, and I've only been here two weeks." she added, her face downcast and looking deeply troubled.
"I suspected that things weren't going well, and we've seen some badly damaged K-Fed ships, but that definitely doesn't sound good," Naruto said, agreeing with the pinkette's suspicions.
"We're not far from you at the moment, if you'd like us to swing by," Hinata chipped in. "We're looking to recruit a Medical Officer, so I thought you might be interested. If not, I can still offer you a friendly hug," she smiled at her gently.
Sakura's eyes lit up for a moment, before the sudden hope faded. "That sounds amazing, and I'd really love to apply for the post, but I'm locked into a Konoha Federation military contract for the next five years," she said soberly. "I guess they need to get value for money after all the training they put me through."
"My Tactical Officer is still with the Federation, but she's been granted an indefinite leave of absence. We might be able to arrange something similar for you, if it turns out you're interested in joining us," Naruto said, re-igniting the hopeful spark in Sakura's eyes.
"Oh, I'd love a chance at an interview!" she said eagerly. "Just let me know when you'll be arriving, and I'll make sure I'm available!"
"Will do!" Hinata grinned at her happily. "It will take us just under a day to get to the Dragon March from here. I'll get in touch when we're getting ready to leave."
"I can't wait!" Sakura said excitedly, "See you soon!"
"See you soon!" Hinata replied, blowing her a playful kiss before ending the communication.
"You really think you'll be able to get her out of her contract?" Sasuke asked dubiously.
"I have a feeling High Command wants to stay on our good side. They'll hardly object to us borrowing a newly qualified medic," Naruto reasoned.
Hinata grinned, and she returned her focus to the controls for the Invictus, and brought them in on final approach to the planetary spaceport on Jericho.
Jericho's surface looked to be green and full of life, although there weren't huge bodies of water to be seen on the planet. The polar regions on this huge planetary body were substantial, capping the top and bottom of the otherwise green orb in white. As the third closest star system to Konoha, Epsilon Eridani had been part of the Konoha Federation for centuries, and Jericho was a long established, and highly developed colony.
As soon as she had been granted final landing clearance, Hinata brought their sleek white Assault Cruiser in to land at the spaceport. They looked out over the assembled ships, seeing mainly Konoha Freighters and passenger liners, and the Invictus glided smoothly into position to touch down at the landing pad indicated by the glowing green guidepath.
"What's with all the passenger ships?" Tenten asked curiously, as she studied the large civilian vessels.
"Jericho is a popular destination for skiers," Hana explained. "Those passenger liners bring in the holiday makers for the ski-resorts on the polar caps."
"What is 'skiing'?" Gaara asked, switching to vocal speech through his modulator to get in the habit for Hana's family.
"Oh, right, Suna didn't have any ice. Skiing is a sport. You strap slides to your feet and ski down a mountainside," Hana explained.
"Sounds ridiculous and dangerous," Tenten said, her opinion of skiing clear.
"Oh, it's great fun! I grew up skiing on holidays. I could teach you all," Hana said enthusiastically.
"We can have a vacation in the snow some other time. For now let's focus on the mission at hand, meeting your family," Naruto declared.
They went down to Deck 9, and filed into the Raptor after Hana insisted her parents wouldn't mind them arriving in a Special Forces gunship. If anything, it would earn them points. They followed behind the Nymph, who was already disappearing up the ramp at the front of the gunship. Naruto pressed a button on the remote in his jacket pocket, and the hangar bay door began to slide up slowly, opening up the huge portal in the side of the Assault Cruiser's hull. Tenten was the last one inside the Raptor, and she hit the button on a wall mounted panel that would close up the ramp behind them. They walked through the reinforced door at the back of the room, and Naruto noticed the new anti-grav tubes that they'd had fitted since he'd last been in here.
"Very nice," he said to Tenten appreciatively, as they stepped into the blue glow and rose effortlessly up to the top deck.
"It's a huge extravagance just to avoid pressing the button on a lift, but as the Suna did it for free, I'm not complaining!" the ravenette grinned back at him.
"It saves valuable seconds in a combat situation, so it was well worth doing," Naruto said, then returned her grin. "And as you say, our new allies picked up the tab!"
They fanned out to take seats behind Fu, who had already sat down, and was powering up the gunship. The Raptor had a pilot and co-pilot's chair, as well as six other seats; three on either side at the back of the roomy cockpit.
"These are new too aren't they?" Hana asked, looking around at the comfy seats.
"Yeah, I had the Suna add a few more seats up here. We had the space, and it beats standing!" Tenten replied.
"Why six?" Naruto asked her curiously, noting the one unoccupied chair.
"No real reason, that's just how many I could fit in with the space available," Tenten replied with a shrug.
"Looks like I'll need to find some nice warm bodies to fill them," Hinata said, looking at Naruto with a sly smile.
He opened his mouth to reply, before she quickly cut him off. "XO in charge of recruitment!" she exclaimed with relish.
"You'll never hear the end of that," Sasuke said with a quirked smile.
"I know," Naruto agreed in a fake moan.
Hana took the co-pilot's seat as Fu lifted the Raptor up and out of the Invictus's Docking Bay. She pressed a button to close the doors after she was clear, and then followed Hana's clear and simple instructions towards her childhood home.
It was only a quick five minute flight in the extremely fast gunship, and they watched out of the wide cockpit, eager to get a first glimpse of their destination. As Hana guided Fu to her old home, the townhouse turned out to be located on the outskirts of a sprawling leafy suburb, with big ranch style homes placed a good distance apart from each other on substantial plots of land.
"I think 'townhouse' undersells this place a little," Naruto said appreciatively as they approached slowly, and then touched down gently at the back of the big house, on a large flat area denoted by glowing chevrons.
"Why have you got a landing pad in your back garden?" Tenten asked Hana curiously.
"My mom sometimes gets dropped off directly by dropship when she's on leave from the Damocles. It's just easier than having the neighbors griping about the dropship pilots messing up the sidewalk out front," she said, rolling her eyes.
Laughing, they left the cockpit, travelled down in the anti-grav tube, and then waited patiently as the front loading ramp dropped down. Hana glanced nervously at Naruto while they waited, and he reached out to squeeze her hand gently, as he offered her a reassuring smile. The smooth whirr of the hydraulics came to an end, letting them know the ramp was fully deployed, and they strolled out as a group to look directly out over the wide lawn lined on both sides with trees. There was a pagoda positioned centrally in the lawn, and at the back of the long garden, Naruto spotted a double swing seat attached securely to a tree limb. Looking to their right was the main house, a brick and timber construction with a big patio to the rear, that contained a good selection of comfortable looking garden furniture. The air on Jericho was deliciously crisp and clean, feeling wonderfully fresh after the slightly staler air they were used to on board their ship, and they breathed deeply, filling their lungs.
"Remind me to work on the Oxygen filters after the Mainframe," Tenten said appreciatively. "I want to breathe air like this all the time!"
"Will do. Now battle positions everyone. We're about to be assaulted," Naruto said, noticing movement inside the townhouse through the windows.
Inuzuka Jack rushed out of the French doors and across the patio, his arms flung wide. "Hana-banana!" He cried as Hana rushed into her father's arms, all her worries forgotten.
"It's so good to see you, dad!" she said happily, and the two Inuzuka hugged each other fiercely with tears in their eyes. They eventually broke apart, and her father turned to look at Naruto and the crew curiously.
"I'm so sorry guys," Hana said, brushing the happy tears from her face. "This is Jack, my father. Dad, this is Naruto, Hinata, Sasuke, Tenten, Fu, and Gaara," she added, smiling at them as she faced each one in turn.
Jack stepped forward with a tremulous smile on his face, before putting his arms around an astonished Naruto and Hinata, and hugging them tightly despite being only 5'7.
"Thank you both so much for saving my little girl!" he thanked them profusely through tear filled eyes. "She told me all about how you rescued her from pirates!"
"You're welcome Mr Inuzuka," Naruto replied awkwardly, not sure how to react to the grateful man he had only just met.
Before they could respond any further, three olive skinned men appeared through the glass doors at the back of the house, and strode over eagerly. Hana ran over to her brothers laughing happily, and they crowded around her, each of them giving her a big bear hug in turn.
"Come on," Jack smiled at Naruto and the Pack warmly, waving them to follow him. "My apologies for my daughter, she's being a terrible hostess."
They walked up to the Inuzuka brothers who were now staring at Hana in amazement, finally having a chance to get a good look at her once the initial hugs were out of the way.
"Holy shit, Hana! What the fuck happened to you?" Asked one of the two identical twins, wearing a jacket with a fur-lined collar despite the spring heat.
"Kiba, language," Jack scolded.
"Sorry, dad," Kiba said, wincing.
"Seriously, you look completely different than you did at Christmas break from the Academy. Did you get work done?" Asked the tallest of the triplets who had Hana's nose but his father's face.
"If you must know, I had a late growth spurt, Kuromaru. You can get ideas of medical experiments out of your little doctor head," Hana deflected.
"And the ears?" He pressed.
"Sign of solidarity with my new crew. My Commander was born with them and we got the surgery to look like him to show he's not alone."
A version of Kiba wearing glasses raised a brow. "The Commander you're sleeping with? And don't give me that look, you know dad can't keep a secret."
Hana blushed, but looked back and held out her hand. Naruto took it and joined Hana in facing her brothers. "Dad, bozos, this is my boyfriend and yes my boss, Uzumaki Naruto."
"Pleasure to meet you all," Naruto said, bowing at the waist. "Hana and I have been dating for over a month now. We're very much in love. I'll respect you as her family, but I won't be intimidated by you."
"Woo, this one's got balls," Kiba said with a feral grin.
"You have NO idea," Hana said in her filthiest tone.
Her brothers as one covered their ears. "Gah! Little sister sex! Error! Error!" Kiba roared.
"Was that really necessary?" Akamaru demanded.
"Hana, you really have… matured," Kuromaru managed.
Jack rolled his eyes and waved everyone indoors. "Come on, get inside. You can torture each other in the name of sibling rivalry indoors. And what happened to being on best behavior for our guests?" Jack huffed. "I raised wild dogs, I swear."
The eleven of them filed indoors, where Jack made them sit around the massive kitchen table, at least as big as the one on the Invictus. Naruto attempted to help with the dinner preparations, but Jack insisted on doing everything himself since he was nearly finished.
"So, this is the rest of your crew? What's everyone's office?" Kuromaru asked. It was obvious he was the oldest, the other Inuzuka naturally gravitated around him.
"I'm Hinata. I'm the XO, the navigator, and the pilot of the Invictus. You could say I multitask," Hinata said while smiling winningly at Kiba. The girls had all decided to distract the brothers with harmless flirting to keep the heat off Naruto.
"Uchiha Sasuke. Chief of Staff," Sasuke said curtly, acutely aware that he was as guilty of fucking their sister as Naruto was.
"I'm Tenten, the Chief Engineer. Hana tells me that you're an engineer, Akamaru," Tenten said, curling a lock of her hair.
"I'm Fu, the pilot of the Raptor! Hinata is also training me as a back-up pilot for the Invictus!" Fu chirped happily.
"I am Gaara. I operate as Comms Officer," Gaara's speech modulator said mechanically.
Kuromaru nodded. Jack came by with plates of Chicken Parmigiana in his hands. The patriarch of the Inuzuka turned to Fu and Gaara. "What species are you, if you don't mind my asking? I'm pretty sure Gaara is a Suna, but what about you Fu?"
Fu grinned at Hana's father. "I'm what's known as a Taki. You may recognize my kind by the nickname 'Nymph'."
Kiba gaped. "A Nymph! You mean the living blow up dolls?"
"Kiba! How dare you!" Jack exclaimed, slapping Kiba across the back of his head. The Konoha Federation pilot hunched his shoulders in shame. Jack turned to Fu. "You have to forgive my brainless son. He was born without a filter."
"I don't mind. That's a crude but accurate description of my race. I've heard far worse over the centuries," Fu said with a smile.
The Inuzuka men all gaped. "Centuries?" Akamaru said in a faint voice.
"Taki are unaging. Jade here is older than the Konoha Federation. By a significant margin, at that," Naruto revealed.
Kuromaru blinked. "What I would give to have a look at her telomeres. Fu, I don't suppose you'd be willing to give me a DNA sample after dinner?"
"I'm afraid my genome is classified by order of Commander Uzumaki. Sorry!" Fu chirped.
Jack gathered himself and went to get two more plates. "No more talk about Fu as if she were a medical marvel, even if she is. Let's focus back on Hana-banana."
Akamaru adjusted his glasses. "Sure. Let's discuss how you went from worrying about a court-martial to working for one of the Consultants."
"How did you know about that?" Hana demanded.
"He's officially listed as a civilian yet you got involved with those Nuke and pirates. I did the math. Mom mentioned them when she was drunk once."
"Ah, Tsume. She can drink like a fish but she's worse than Kiba once it hits," Jack said, setting a plate in front of Hana and stroking her hair.
"Everything smells delicious, Jack," Naruto complimented like a good guest. And he wasn't brown-nosing. The Chicken Parm smelled divine. Naruto's enhanced senses could tell the meal was organic and unprocessed.
"Wait till you taste it," Jack said with a grin, stroking Naruto's hair the same way he had Hana's. Naruto was strongly reminded of his grandma.
They all paused the conversation to tuck in. Gaara had denied his portion, claiming his species's diet to Jack apologetically. Once they'd all but licked their plates, the crew volunteered to wash the dishes, leaving Naruto and Hana alone with the Inuzuka men.
"We'll save the real grilling for tomorrow when Hana's mother comes in. Just know that her bed is very squeaky and I'm a light sleeper," Jack said, wagging a finger under Naruto's nose.
"Dad!" Hana cried out blushing, while her brothers looked decidedly green. Naruto alone kept his composure, nodding solemnly.
"Of course, Jack. We can behave ourselves for the next day."
*Can, doesn't mean we will,* Hana vowed through their mental link.
"So, back to my question: how did you end up on the Invictus?" Akamaru asked, moving his glasses up to rest on his forehead. With them out of the way, he looked identical to Kiba down to the clan marks.
"Well, the short version is Naruto yelled at my old CO that had been threatening me, who turned out to be a traitor by the way. I ended up on an indefinite leave of absence and joined the Pack on the Invictus. Didn't stop me from being promoted or winning a Nova Burst," Hana said nonchalantly.
Kiba gaped. "What? The squirt outranks me now?"
"How's that feel, 'Second' Lieutenant Inuzuka?" Hana teased her youngest brother.
Kuromaru noted another detail entirely. "Pack?"
"I consider the wolf my spirit animal. I see myself as the 'Alpha' of my crew and my crew as my Pack," Naruto explained as the rest of his crew sat back down.
"He has a necklace he never takes off of a wolf howling. He's really into the metaphor," Tenten added.
"Every crew has a mascot. We just take ours more seriously than most," Sasuke defended.
"I can try to change into a wolf next time, but I prefer the tiger," Fu said, licking her hand and wiping her hair in a cat-like motion.
The brothers turned to look at her. "What does she mean?" Kiba asked, aware he was on thin ice when it came to the Nymph.
Fu glanced at Hinata and, receiving a nod, shimmered into a copy of the bluenette.
Kuromaru gaped. "Oh, wow! Your bone structure, your skin, your hair, everything changed. Now I REALLY want a DNA sample."
"Still no. But anyway, Taki can naturally shapeshift. I just expanded and trained my ability," she said in Hinata's voice before shimmering back.
"Anyone feel like poker?" Akamaru asked, searching for something else to do.
"Strip poker maybe," Kiba muttered
"Kiba, that's three strikes. Go to your room until breakfast. Go on, get!" Jack said, snapping his fingers.
"I'm 21, not 12," Kiba muttered tersely as he got up and went up the stairs.
Naruto blinked. "If they are wild dogs, you have them well-trained. What's your secret?"
Jack got a conspiratorial grin on his face. "Simple. I'm the 'fun' one, they feel more guilty disobeying me."
"So very effective," Kuromaru mused.
"When does Mom get home tomorrow?" Hana asked, moving on.
"She promised by tonight, but she was delayed by some emergency meeting," Jack mused.
"Where is the Damocles normally stationed?" Hinata asked, curious.
Jack got a sick expression like there were stones in his gut. "Patrolling the Dragon March. I thank God every day she isn't attacked by the Kumo."
"Okay, mood alert. Let's get that poker game started!" Tenten cheered.
They found a deck of cards and played Texas Hold 'Em. Having X-Ray Vision took all the guesswork out of the game. Then they transitioned to Blackjack and the Pack proved quite capable of counting cards.
"We should have played Bridge, then I might have had a chance of winning," Akamaru grumbled as Gaara won another hand.
Jack shrugged. "We all got to spend an evening together, that's what matters. Everyone to bed, it's almost 2200. Naruto, you're with Hana, and remember about the bedsprings. Sasuke and Gaara, you can share the first guest bedroom. Tenten and Hinata, you can share the second. Fu, I'm sorry but all we can offer is the couch."
"I've slept in metal cells in chains without even a pillow. The couch will be lovely," Fu said without a trace of sarcasm.
Jack's heart seemed to break a little but he moved on.
They all went to their assigned rooms. They all stripped down to underwear and laid their formal clothes out to wear again tomorrow. Naruto and Hana made use of a Silence field to thoroughly break in Hana's childhood bed. Naruto's heavy thrusts almost broke the bedframe. Unloading down her throat, Naruto cupped Hana's bloated belly as they drifted off to sleep after warding themselves.
Next morning, the Inuzuka men were awoken by the smell of a delicious breakfast cooking. The triplets eagerly came down the staircase to the kitchen, only to gape when they saw their dad sipping coffee at the kitchen bar and Naruto and Hana working together to cook.
"How's everyone like their eggs?" Naruto asked genially.
"We're a scrambled family through and through," Hana said, piercing the eggs in a bowl with a fork before whisking them.
"Mostly because I never learned another way to make them," Jack said humorously. "I can't believe you taught my Hana-banana how to cook! She never wanted to learn growing up."
"I changed my mind. I like spending time in the kitchen with Naruto," Hana explained, pouring the dozen eggs into a large pan for the first batch.
Kiba picked his jaw up off the floor. He turned to Naruto. "It still makes me sick to think about, but my God you must be good in bed. Hana in the kitchen? Is this the Twilight Zone?"
Hana swiftly smacked Kiba on the forehead with a wooden spoon. "If you must know, he's a freaking porn star. Now shut up and get out of my kitchen!"
"I'm ashamed to be your twin," Akamaru egged Kiba as the triplets sat down at the table.
The rest of the Pack came down and the girls took up their self-assigned tasks of distracting the Inuzuka brothers. Hinata went for Kiba, bonding over piloting a Konoha Cruiser. Tenten and Akamaru talked shop about plasma conduits and power couplings. And Fu chatted amiably with Kuromaru, who was fascinated by her species. Sasuke and Gaara both kept to themselves, Sasuke fearing for his castration if the truth came out and Gaara preferring silence to using his speech modulator.
They tucked in to a full English breakfast prepared lovingly by Naruto and Hana. The Inuzuka men all gave ringing endorsements. Afterwards, everyone retreated outdoors but for Naruto, Hana, and Jack.
"I've never seen you try so hard to impress us with a boyfriend," Jack commented over his second cup of coffee. "He must be a keeper."
Hana blushed, but she took Naruto's hand and pulled it into her lap. "I'm crazy about him, dad. I just want you all to love him the way I love him."
"Well, not exactly like you do," Jack said with a quirked grin, but he got a serious expression. "Hana-banana, why don't you join your brothers outside? I'd like to have a talk with Naruto."
Hana sighed, gave Naruto a chaste peck, and walked out into the expansive backyard. Naruto girded himself, straightening his tie as Jack set down his coffee cup.
"So," Jack said amiably, "let's get the obvious out of the way."
"I don't follow," Naruto said, confused.
"You're sleeping with Hinata and Fu as well. I need some more time to see your dynamic, but probably Tenten, Sasuke, and even Gaara as well."
Naruto felt a surge of fear but he pushed through it with the aid of long practice. "What gave it away?"
"It started when Fu turned into Hinata last night. I know what Nymphs are known for. If Hinata is your ideal woman, of course you'd be together. And if Fu imprinted on you, safe money that you're screwing her too. And as for the rest of your crew… you're all like magnets. You move, they move. It's like they're all waiting for the chance to jump in front of a bullet for you," Jack described succinctly.
Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "In my defence, my race is polyamorous. It's built into my genes. And Hana was fully informed about the situation when she joined my crew."
"Oh, I don't doubt you're in love with my Hana-banana. My concern is how she can possibly be fulfilled sharing you with five other people. Or how she can ever settle down or have a family when involved in this cluster," Jack said, not unkindly.
Naruto sighed. "Without going into lurid details, it's more we all share each other with each other. Hana is fulfilled by more than just me. Even when I can't give her individual attention, one of the others can."
Jack blinked before blushing. "Oh. Oh dear. She really is her mother's daughter."
"Beg pardon?" Naruto asked.
Jack waved a hand. "My wife had a life before settling down with me. Let's just say she had a… reputation aboard the Damocles."
Naruto nodded, unsure what to say. "I'm aware our relationship is unconventional. But we're all in love with each other. I know we'll not have a traditional marriage, but I fully intend to make Hana one of my wives someday. And I know it would mean the world to Hana if you all were there "
Jack raised a brow. "Are you asking for my blessing already?"
"No. Right now I'm begging you not to tell this to the rest of your family. Hana really wants this visit to go well," Naruto pleaded.
"Oh, my lips are sealed. I would never do that to Hana. But know this, Uzumaki Naruto: you may have my tentative approval, but Tsume is the one you have to win over." With that, Jack stood up and walked outdoors.
Naruto sighed. *That was close,* he told the Pack, who'd been following along the whole conversation.
*Other than learning my mom was the ship slut, I think that went rather well,* Hana projected.
*Could have gone a lot worse,* Hinata offered.
The rest of the Pack offered their own opinions, Naruto listening to them simultaneously with the mental flexibility that came to psychic adepts. Deciding to make himself useful, Naruto prepared a picnic lunch to bring outside. *He won't rat us out, that's the important part. And he kind of likes me. That's my takeaway.*
The Inuzuka's and the Pack enjoyed the outdoors, going for walks and playing games and scarfing down the lunch that Naruto brought in an actual basket he'd found. At around 1500, a dropship flew over and began to touch down next to the Raptor.
"Mom's here!" Kuromaru announced, stating the obvious.
A woman of 6'3 with Hana's former pale skin and Kiba and Akamaru's features hopped out, dressed in naval officer uniform. She turned to wave at the dropship, then turned to her family as the Konoha Federation vessel flew off.
"Captain Inuzuka reporting for duty!" She called in a strong alto, holding her arms out wide.
The family rushed at her. Jack got there first, jumping up to give his taller wife a kiss, followed by the three elder brothers who welcomed her home with a hug and big enthusiastic grins. Finally Hana stepped up to meet her, and she wrapped her in her arms protectively.
"Hana! It's wonderful you were able to make it home," she exclaimed, with delight. "We were all so worried about you!"
She looked up at her with a big beaming smile on her face, and hugged her back fiercely. "I missed you too, Mom!" she said happily.
Her mother looked up, finally noticing Naruto and the crew, who were standing nearby and watching Hana's touching family reunion. Hana noticed her mother's shift in focus, and moved from his side to introduce her friends.
"Mom, this is Commander Uzumaki Naruto, and my shipmates: Hinata, Sasuke, Tenten, Fu, and Gaara," she said formally.
"And this is my mom, Captain Inuzuka Tsume," she said proudly.
"Pleased to meet you Captain," Naruto said, striding over to shake her hand.
"Likewise, Commander," Tsume said, studying him appraisingly and matching Naruto's firm handshake. "I believe I have you to thank for rescuing my daughter."
"Hinata was there too," Hana interjected, smiling warmly at her bluenette companion.
"Well, thank you both so much," Tsume said earnestly. "It was such a relief to hear that Hana was safe and sound again."
Looking up at his potential mother-in-law, Naruto smiled winningly. "It was our pleasure. Hana is a wonderful young woman. We're very lucky to have her on our crew"
Tsume smiled ferally at Naruto. "I understand you're now dating my daughter."
"Mom," Hana protested, blushing.
"Yes, I am," Naruto said, seemingly unafraid.
"Well, here in the Inuzuka household, we have a tradition when we're all together on shore leave. We work up an appetite for dinner with a little 'friendly' sparring."
Hana perked up. Naruto shared a grin with her before facing Tsume and the triplets, who had gathered around her, eyeing Naruto like he was a meal. "I'd be happy to. But first you have to beat my student. If you can't beat her, there's no point facing me."
Jack raised a hand to his mouth. The others were a bit slower on the uptake, until Hana began to shadow-box to warm up.
"Seriously? You expect us to fight the squirt?" Kiba demanded.
Naruto shrugged. "Like I said, if you can't beat her you've got no chance with me."
Tsume was taken aback but she nodded. "Very well. Let's all get changed and meet in the dojo."
Hana and Naruto went into the Raptor to grab a change of clothes from the cabin where they'd left their sparring uniforms for just such an occasion. Then Hana led the crew into the house and to the home gym in the converted garage. A window let in the afternoon light, illuminating a floor covered in training mats. Tsume and her son's were already there, dressed in gis and waiting. Jack was sat on a long metal bench to the side.
Tsume took one look at her daughter, more importantly her sports bra, and dropped her jaw. "Young lady, did you get implants?" She demanded in a very paternal tone. She and her husband really had reversed gender roles.
"Just had my last growth spurt is all. All natural, I promise," Hana said, doing some simple stretches. "So, whose ass am I kicking first?"
"Cheeky. I think the Commander's been a bad influence on you," Akamaru said, handing his glasses to Kiba before taking his stance.
Hana noted it was a textbook standard K-Fed stance, no alteration. This would be easy. Hana decided to conceal her skill by taking the same stance.
Tsume looked between the two before raising her hand. "Ready? Fight!" She shouted, throwing her hand down.
Akamaru moved to do a simple jab. Hana surprised him by grabbing his hand and twisting it into a lock. Not finished, Hana jumped and locked Akamaru's neck between her calves. She rode her brother down as he overbalanced, ending with her pining him and choking him against the surface of the mat.
Tsume blinked but raised her arm. "Win!" She called.
Hana released Akamaru, who gasped for breath. The crew all clapped and cheered from the sidelines. The engineer stood up and rubbed his neck. "What was that for?" he asked.
"Years upon years of benign neglect for the simple fact I was a girl. Imagine how good I'd be if I'd started out when you guys did?" Hana questioned.
Naruto nodded proudly. "Good reflexes, Hana."
Kiba stepped forward, tapping his twin on the shoulder. "Don't worry, man, I'll put her in her place!"
Hana raised a brow. She took her actual Special Forces stance and waited. Tsume raised her hand and declared the start of the fight. Kiba proved not to be a total idiot and didn't go charging in like a bull. Hana waited him out though, expertly avoiding being backed into a corner with footwork. Finally tired of chasing his sister around the room, Kiba went on the offensive. What followed was a blurring exchange of blows that ended with Hana sweeping Kiba off his feet and holding him down and miming a punch to his throat.
"Win!" Tsume called out.
Hana held out a hand to pull her brother up to his feet. He reluctantly took it, muttering "You had to make me look bad in front of the hot navigator."
"She and Tenten are VERY close, I'm not sure your chances were good to start with," Hana whispered to him.
Kiba spontaneously developed a nosebleed.
Kuromaru stepped forward, clearly the first to take his little sister seriously. He got into what Naruto recognized as the Medic version of the K-Fed stance. It emphasized dodging and blocks with surgically precise counters. And Kuromaru carried himself like a master, he'd probably practised the most out of the triplets.
"Ready? Fight!" Tsume called.
What followed was more a choreographed dance than a fight. Hana moved with deadly grace, an Amazon made flesh. Kuromaru moved more like an assassin than a doctor, knowing the name of every bone he intended to break. They went back and forth with a series of exchanges, each gaining the upper hand for a moment before losing it. When it had gone ten minutes and they were soaked with sweat, Tsume raised her hand. "Draw! Well done, you two," she said with maternal pride.
Kuromaru smiled at Hana and performed a low bow, showing his respect. She bowed in return, and then he wrapped her in a big hug, a wide smile on his face. "You were amazing Hana!" he said appreciatively, and she grinned back at him, grateful for his warm praise.
Naruto rose and strode down to the mats. Hana turned and ran into his arms, where he picked her up easily, and swirled her in the air. "You were incredible honey, I'm so proud of you!" he told her as she laughed delightedly, and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. Naruto put her back down on the ground, and she beamed up at him, her beautiful face radiantly happy.
"What now?" Kiba asked, unsure how to proceed after the draw.
"Now Naruto and I fight," Tsume said calmly, stepping onto the mats.
"You're in trouble now Naruto, no one beats our mom!" Akamaru said teasingly with a grin.
The two fighters squared off against one another, and bowed respectfully. With a slight nod from Tsume the match had begun, and they moved cautiously towards one another. Naruto had been practicing martial arts for over twenty years now, and he immediately recognised another master simply by the way Tsume moved to engage. There was a quiet confidence in the woman, a sureness of foot and perfection of balance that spoke of her many years of experience.
*If I beat her, would I win or lose points with your brothers?* Naruto asked Hana mentally.
*Could go either way. Personally, I'd lose the battle to win the war, become united in your inability to topple the queen,* his Tactical Officer analyzed.
*I'll fight like a Konoha and see what happens,* Naruto decided, before going for the first blow.
If the last match had been a dance, this one was a battle. Naruto and Tsume were ruthless, attacking for any weak point they could find. Tsume had longer reach, while Naruto had faster reflexes. Naruto had more upper body strength, but Tsume had killer legs. They didn't reach the point of spilling blood or breaking bones, but they both would be walking away with bruises. Finally, Tsume managed outmaneuver Naruto and get him in a headlock. Naruto jumped and fell on his back, but Tsume held on. Naruto struggled for a bit before tapping the mat, signaling his surrender.
"Win!" Kuromaru called out, having officiated the match. He came up to Naruto along with his brothers. "I've never seen someone challenge mom like that! You know your stuff!"
"I didn't even recognize some of those moves! Where'd you learn them?" Akamaru gushed, starstruck at meeting someone strong enough to give his mother pause.
"Dude, can I be your student? I'll apply for a transfer and everything!" Kiba yelled over his brothers, looking half scared half eager.
Tsume dusted herself off. "What am I, chopped liver?"
"Good fight, Mom," the triplets said in unison before turning back to Naruto.
Jack came up to his wife and gave her a congratulatory kiss. "You did great, Captain Inuzuka," he said in a tone he really shouldn't use in earshot of his children. He said her title like it was a pet name.
Hana shouldered her brothers out of the way to give Naruto a kiss. They all made sick expressions but didn't raise a fuss. Hana pulled back and grinned. "You did brilliantly, Naruto. Now, we should get showered up and start on dinner."
"Actually, I want to speak to Naruto alone," Tsume said. "You all go ahead."
Soon, the dojo was empty but for Naruto and Tsume. "What did you want to talk about?" Naruto asked, a bit of trepidation in his voice. This might be the interview with the parent of the girl he was fucking repeatedly.
Tsume cracked her neck. "Fight me again. And don't hold back this time."
Naruto rose a brow, impressed that she'd noticed. "If you insist," he said, taking his stance.
"Fight!" Tsume shouted. And precisely 2.38 seconds later, she was flat on her back with a hand on her throat that wasn't going away.
Naruto let go and stood, offering Tsume a hand up. Rubbing her throat, Tsume accepted the help. "What are you, a cyborg?" Tsume demanded.
Naruto tapped his ears. "I'm not Konoha. My race are psychics that can speed up and increase our strength."
Tsume frowned. "I pulled your file. They mentioned the ears and… other differences, but nothing about psychic powers."
"They were dormant until certain conditions were met. I've only had them since March." Naruto shrugged. "I figured I'd fight you on even footing rather than cheat with my powers. You won fair and square."
"Did I now?" Tsume questioned good naturedly. "Good to know that my Hana-banana has a strong bodyguard. But there was another reason you threw the match, isn't there?"
"Your children worship you. They see you as invincible. The last thing they needed to see was me one-shoting you," Naruto explained.
"In any case, that's a fight I won't soon forget. I saw Iwa, Kumo, AND Oto moves in there. You've been around, haven't you?"
"Yes, I have. Speaking of the fight…" Naruto trailed off before waving a hand at Tsume and sending a wave of Psychic Healing.
Tsume blinked, and then looked down her gi. "My bruises are gone!"
"Psychic, remember? Consider it a consolation prize for losing," Naruto said with a grin.
Tsume regarded him with an unreadable expression before bursting into laughter. "I like you, kid! Let's go shower up. And did I hear that you and Hana will be making dinner?"
"I'm just trying to be a good guest for my hosts," Naruto said while walking out the dojo.
"If you manage to cook a better paella than Jack, I'll adopt you," Tsume said jokingly. "Speaking of, what kind of family do you have?"
Naruto swallowed past the lump in his throat. "Never knew my mom and dad. Grandparents died last year. It's just me."
"My condolences," Tsume said, laying a hand on his shoulder.
Naruto nodded and didn't shrug it off. "I was very lonely for a while. But I consider my crew my family. I love every one of them."
"Hopefully not the same way you love my daughter," Tsume laughed.
Naruto just smiled and nodded.
They both retreated to their respective showers, and then went downstairs to the kitchen. Naruto slid easily into the kitchen, Hana taking pride of place next to him. The Inuzuka family chatted with the Pack while Naruto and Hana made the best paella they could. Naruto took a brief break to cook an appetizer of calamari, to universal delight from the hungry crowd.
The dozen of them ended up seated around the table, spooning the mix of rice, chicken, and seafood onto their plates. The Inuzuka on active duty all moaned aloud at the first bite. Jack's eyes lit up and he gave a silent nod to the chefs, acknowledging he'd been beaten.
"Dear, I'm sorry, but this is the best paella I've had in my life!" Tsume said around her second mouthful.
"Naruto's grandparents owned a restaurant on Konoha. He was raised around food and cooking," Hana said proudly, glad that her family appreciated one of Naruto's talents.
"I couldn't have done it without my faithful sous chef," Naruto said self deprecatingly.
Gaara projected silently to him *May we please leave soon? I have not eaten in over a day, we did not pack Suna provisions.*
Naruto gasped and felt like a total schmuck. *Gaara, I completely forgot! I'm so very sorry. You'll get a double dose tonight, we'll leave right after dinner.*
*I'll survive a few more hours. Let Hana enjoy time with her family,* Gaara said valiantly, but Naruto could have sworn he heard a gurgle from the Grey's direction.
They finished dinner and Jack dug out a few old-fashioned board games. Naruto was about to join in the fun when Tsume tapped his shoulder. "Feel like a beer in the garden?"
"Alright," Naruto agreed. Tsume handed him a cold one and they walked outside to the pagoda set up in the yard. They sat down on the built-in bench and sipped their lagers. Naruto held out the bottle and admired it. "This is good stuff!"
"It's brewed locally. Supposedly it's down to the minerals in the water from the mountain springs. I don't know if I believe that but it's damn good beer!" Tsume said, taking another sip. "So, what's it like being a Consultant?"
Naruto took a swig and considered the question. "It's the shit, honestly. In charge of my own ship, no ornery ship captain to tiptoe around. Able to recruit who I want, able to explore the galaxy. We just went to Suna because we felt like it. Ended up in a mix-up with Kusa raiders, but it was fun."
"The Kusa? What were they doing in Grey space?!" Tsume demanded.
Naruto shrugged and gave a highly edited version of their adventure that didn't mention the Uzu. "Now we're headed for the Oto."
"Hoping to get some Laser tech? I wouldn't bother, R&D has tried everything, including trillion ryo deals," Tsume advised.
"Our lasers are just fine, Tenten recently upgraded them," Naruto said lightly. "Before that though, we're headed for the Dragon March to pick up a potential Medic."
Tsume choked on her latest sip. "The Dragon March!?" There was real fear in Tsume's eyes.
"That was the plan, is that a problem?" Naruto replied, suddenly alert.
Tsume paused, and looked down as she was mulling something over, before she finally raised her eyes to stare at Naruto. "I can't go into detail, it's all at Ultra level clearance, but the Dragon March is a very dangerous place to go right now. I honestly like you, but the only reason I'm telling you this, is because you have my daughter on your ship," Tsume said, his voice ringing with concern.
"Thanks for the warning," Naruto said, "We'll be very careful."
Tsume looked like she was going to say more, when Jack stepped outside onto the patio and called them back to the house.
"Thanks for the beer," Naruto said as he stood.
"You're welcome," Tsume replied, but she seemed a little distracted.
They reentered the house and found the Inuzuka brothers ogling Hinata, Tenten, Fu, and Hana playing Twister. The girls bent into quite interesting shapes. They had formed a human or rather an Uzu knot on the playing mat. Gaara was faithfully spinning the board needle, Sasuke joining the brothers in admiring the female contortionist act.
Jack turned to regard Naruto and sighed. "I know that look. It's time for you all to ship out, isn't it?"
The boys sat up while the girls detangled themselves. "You're leaving already?" Akamaru asked forlornly.
Naruto shrugged. "We have an appointment tomorrow evening. We need to head out now."
Tsume furrowed her brows. "I thought you said you were going to the Dragon March. That's five days away."
"Naruto purchased the most powerful examples of my kind's Power Core and Tachyon Drive technology. We can reach Port Medea within 24 hours at our best speed," Gaara supplied helpfully.
Kiba gaped "That's… that's five times faster than the best K-Fed drive!"
"It's a real rush to pilot the course and see the systems fly by," Hinata told him with a smile. "It was a pleasure meeting you all."
"I had a lot of fun!" Fu chirped, giving Kuromaru a kiss on the cheek and sending him into a tizzy.
"Charmed," Sasuke said succinctly.
"I also had a pleasant time," Gaara reported.
Tenten gave Akamaru a hug. "I'll get back to you about that equation that's bugging you."
Hana had a hug with each member of her family. Jack kissed her forehead and said "We love you, Hana-banana. You'll always have a home here." He then whispered something into her ear. Hana blushed but nodded.
Tsume lifted Hana up like she was a doll. "My precious girl… be smart, be safe."
"I will, Mom," Hana promised.
They walked out and into the Raptor, the Inuzuka family waving them goodbye. Fu expertly lifted then into the air and made it for the spaceport where they'd left the Invictus.
"What did your dad whisper to you?" Tenten asked curiously.
Hana giggled. "That I should hold on to this one. And that he expected none of his grandchildren to be bastards."
"How do you feel about both of those?" Naruto asked hopefully.
Hana jumped him and gave him the kind of kiss she couldn't in front of her family. "I'd marry you tonight if I could. That answer your question?"
Naruto grinned and kissed her back.
Sakura and the Dragon March next. Please fave, follow, or review.