Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, its characters, or its OSTs in any way. Those rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I do own the techniques I add and any OC I may choose to create for the betterment of the story.
A/N: And here's the 7th chapter. Things are shaping up for the climax of this small arc. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
CHAPTER 07: GOODBYE TO OLD FRIENDS
Hiruzen sat at the comfort of his chair enjoying the rays of the morning sun that basked over his window. He took a drag from his pipe, then let it out, smiling.
The tranquillity of the office was disturbed, however, when the door was pushed open rather forcefully, making it bang loudly against the wall.
"So early in the morning, and you're already destroying property." Sighed the old hokage.
"Things wouldn't be this way if you weren't so lax, Hiruzen. Have you grown senile with the years?" Danzo spoke as he entered the office, the cold in his voice drowning out the warmth of the sun.
Koharu and Homura came behind the veteran mummy, both elders holding frowns on their faces.
"The Uchiha and your daughter grow brazen every single day, yet you do nothing." Homura expressed his displeasure.
"The fourth may have supported the restoration of The Hidden Whirlpool, but we cannot let such an asset fall on your daughter's hands. No one but the Hidden Leaf must seize the legacy of the Uzumaki." Koharu said.
The office returned to its quietness once everyone had expressed themselves. Hiruzen eyed each of them calmly. He took a drag from his pipe, then blew out the smoke with the practiced grace of a trained smoker.
"Both those matters have been dealt with. It's just the matter of the appropriate day arriving, before all these bothers go away like they were never even there." Hiruzen said. "So calm yourselves, for the professor has already called checkmate."
Tenten had woken up early that morning, and had changed to more appropriate battle clothing.
'Mother won't catch me off guard today.' She chuckled underneath the bed sheets.
After having spent the entire day training in pyjamas the previous day, she decided she never wanted to experience the torture ever again. It now made sense to her why the attire was made for sleeping.
Time went on while Tenten waited, but Reiko never made her appearance. The eight year old climbed off the bed, confused. Wasn't it around the time where they should be starting with deliveries? She walked out of her room and knocked on Naruto's door. She heard shuffling, then a thud.
"Ow!' Came from inside the room, which made Tenten giggle.
Naruto opened the door. "Ha, I'm aw-!" The smile on his face was replaced by a pout of disappointment. "Tch, it's you."
"Hey!"
"Kidding, kidding." Naruto waved his hands in a placating manner.
While Naruto was open and bubbly with Tenten, he still found it awkward to be around Reiko and the others, which was what made him timid most of the time when either of them was present. Though he was getting better.
Tenten looked him over. She noticed that he was not in his pyjamas as well. He wore a navy long-sleeved high collar t-shirt with navy cargo pants and blue ninja sandals. It was clothes that Tenten wore when she was younger.
"You too huh?" Naruto caught on to what she meant, recognising that she wasn't in her pyjamas either.
"Seems so." He shrugged.
The duo walked together at the corridor of the Hatake house. They found Reiko sipping her tea when they walked into the kitchen. Reiko set her cup on the table.
"Glad to see you guys are finally awake."
"We woke up early. You didn't come to us." Tenten protested.
"Hm hm." Naruto nodded sagely, in agreement.
"Huh?" Reiko quirked an eyebrow. The kids seemed to be misunderstanding something. "I said that I would train you, I never said that I would wake you up every morning." Tenten and Naruto recoiled at the words. "Do you think Konoha has such a high success rate on missions because the Hokage wakes the shinobi up himself?" The kids shook their heads. The gaze Reiko was giving them spelled DOOM, in capital letters. Then she smiled all of a sudden, a sweet and warm smile. "I'll forgive you this one time, okay?" Tenten and Naruto nodded dumbly. "Yosh!" Reiko grinned, pointing at the two children, "Today we're going shopping!" The kids took steps back at Reiko's sudden expression of joy.
Tenten has lived with Reiko her entire life, but the eight year old was still creeped out by her mother's mood swings.
Reiko tilted her head to the side in confusion, "What? Not excited?"
"Y-Yay..." Naruto pumped his fist in the air weakly, the situation making him uncomfortable.
'Let's do this." Tenten muttered dryly.
"Tch," Reiko pouted, "You guys are no fun."
Tenten frowned, "And you are creepy with your mood swings."
"Tenten! You shouldn't say that about your mother!" Reiko now had tears rolling down her cheeks as she clung on the eight year old.
'Creepy as hell.' The eight year old shook her head.
"Okay then, let's go for breakfast!" Naruto jumped at the sudden shout. Reiko now had her fist in the air with a triumphant smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. "To the dango joint!"
"Kakashi's not home isn't he?" Tenten gave her mother a knowing stare. No wonder the older woman was so quick to forgive that they woke up late.
"Yes!" Reiko nodded proudly. "Otherwise I would've been forced to eat a health breakfast!"
Tenten shook her head, "Have you no shame?"
"None whatsoever!" Reiko said as she walked out the door.
'She's insane.' Naruto thought, yet he still followed after her.
The streets of the outskirts of Konoha were fairly quiet since it was early in the morning, though a couple of people could be see wandering the streets, most likely going to work. Some merchants were opening their shops while some shops were already open.
As they passed the people, Naruto was pleasantly surprised that no one was glaring at him. He looked around to be sure. Sure enough, people were minding their business, and some even greeted them with kind smiles. It was like Naruto was no longer in the Konoha, and not only because the designs of the houses of the outskirts were different from the rest of Konoha. For the first time ever, he allowed an honest smile to show on his face in public.
They arrived at the restaurant. The moment they stepped inside, Naruto's nose was assaulted by the tantalizing aroma of tea and sweets that made his stomach growl. His face reddened when Reiko and Tenten stared at him.
"Yosh! I see your stomach is ready, Naruto!"
"No yelling inside the shop please, lady Reiko."
Reiko faltered at the soft voice, going rigid. She bowed slowly, her body creaking as it went, like unoiled hinges of a door. "Sorry about that, Nanako."
The onlookers chuckled lightly, which made Reiko's blush intensify. The hostess, Nanako, then guided them to their table, and by that time, Reiko had gotten over her embarrassment, even if barely.
There weren't that many people in the shop, but even so, none spared Naruto a glance. it was... Weird. Naruto was not accustomed to being treated with such neutrality. Was it really Konoha? Naruto kept wondering, and the more the question lingered in his head, the more he thought he was either dreaming, or stuck in a genjutsu he did not want to wake up from. H-
"Rei-Rei, who's this cute little guy?!" A waitress had crouched next to Naruto. Her green eyes sparkled as she stared at the blonde.
"Kyah!" Naruto jumped. He would've fallen off his seat too had the woman not caught him, and pulled him close.
He turned bright red when he was buried in her bountiful carvens. Naruto tried to pull himself out but the woman held on tight.
"Hmmm...!" The blonde struggled to no avail.
"Name's Naruto, my son!" Reiko announced, smirking.
"Oh!" The woman's eyes sparkled even more. She finally eased on her grip and she allowed Naruto back to his seat. "Hey doesn't he look-"
Reiko shook her head, cutting the woman off.
"Right." The waitress stood up. "I am Shina, and I will be your waitress this morning. Is there anything I can get you?" She asked.
"Five plates of dango with tea!" Reiko declared, pumping her fist in the air.
"The usual then." Shina wrote on her notepad.
"S-Same." Naruto muttered lowly, still red. He just couldn't stare at the waitress.
"A plate of dango with tea." Replied an irritated Tenten.
The ice in the eight year old's voice chilled Shina, a tingle running down the waitress's spine. Tenten didn't know why, but seeing Naruto red in the face because of Shina did not sit well with the eight year old.
Shina flinched when she saw the glare. "R-Right, your orders will be ready in a few minutes." Then she quickly fled the scene.
Reiko had seen the glare too, and she just giggled. Now she had more material to tease Tenten with.
The table then settled into silence as nothing was said. Reiko went at the back of her mind, thinking about... something. Naruto was still red in the face, and Tenten was still irritated with Shina.
The food arrived and the trio started to eat. After Tenten got something in her stomach, her irritation subsided, and with it came a realisation.
'Our breakfast in quiet.' Tenten side-eyed her mother. The eight year old could see the conflicted look that Reiko harboured on her, usually pristine, face.
Reiko caught the glance and she just smiled. Tenten blushed and turned away, embarrassed at being caught staring. She continued to eat, pretending like nothing happened.
After they had finished eating, they stepped out of the shop and in an instant, they noticed that the streets had gotten packed now that it was late in the morning.
"Let's go." Reiko held out her hands. While most would think she would protest, but Tenten took Reiko's left hand immediately and Naruto, although hesitant, took her right hand, then they started to walk.
While they walked, Naruto noticed that, even then, no one stared at him. If anything, people just greeted them, and Reiko replied each time, her trademark grin ever present. Naruto was a bit embarrassed by all the greetings, and he kind smiles they kept receiving.
All of that ended, however, the more they got closer to the village's main shopping district, as the scenery gradually started to change, until it was replaced with the buildings he was more familiar with.
Naruto could feel the glares of disgust, and the mumurs also started. The illusion had ended, and he was brought back to the painful reality of how much the hidden leaf despised him. They may have hated him, but at least now, he knew that not all of them were bad. So instead of bowing his head down in shame like he usually did, he just glared back at them.
"Yosh! We're here!" Reiko stopped them in front of a ninja clothing store. "They provide attire for ninja and civilians, but mostly ninja. So let's all go out and pick whatever we want!" She pulled the children inside.
The woman behind the counter turned towards the entrance when it was opened, her violet eyes flashing with recognition. "Reiko, Tenten, Naruto, welcome!" The woman recognised them instantly.
Naruto was surprised that someone recognised him. Well everyone recognized him, it was just a surprise that the woman knew his actual name. And for some odd reason, he found the woman's red hair mesmerising.
"Aunty Hotaru!" Tenten beamed, running up to the counter.
"Tenten, my how you've grown." The woman beamed too, her violet eyes sparkling.
Tenten blushed at the words, rubbing at the back of her neck. "Hehehe..."
Reiko held out a fist. "Hotaru, how've you been?"
"Enough of that now." Hotaru said, coming out from behind the counter and giving Reiko a hug. "This is more appropriate."
"Yeah yeah." Reiko pushed the woman off.
"Ha! Mother is blushing!" Tenten pointed out.
"Whaaaaah?! I-I'm n-not." Spluttered Reiko.
"You so are!" Tenten laughed.
"Hmph!" Reiko just stared away, easily admitting defeat.
"Now now, Tenten, don't tease your mother." Hotaru chided playfully.
Naruto just kept staring at the redhead, captivated. His azure orbs drank every last bit of her appearance without having enough of the sight.
"Pretty hair." He blurted out.
"Huh?" Reiko, Hotaru, and Tenten turned towards the blonde.
Said blonde blushed, looking down shyly, embarrassed by both the attention he was getting, and what he had said. He held his hands clasped behind his body as his right foot trailed circles on the wooden floor.
Hotaru crouched before Naruto. "Thank you, Naruto." She said, smiling. There it was again. She called him by his name.
"H-How do you know my name?" Naruto was still staring at the floor when he asked.
"It's a little secret I cannot tell you right now." She said, then she pulled him in a hug. "Though I'm finally glad to meet you, Naruto."
Naruto was surprised by the hug. So surprised that he did not return it. When his arms finally moved, Hotaru had pulled back., and for some reason, the inability to return the hug left him dissatisfied. It was weird because he'd never felt that way before.
"Now then, let us choose your attires for the academy!" Reiko pumped her fist in the air.
Tenten shook her head, annoyed by Reiko's loudness and Naruto's apparent interest in older women, Hotaru smiled, and Naruto managed to force a smile despite his internal turmoil.
The fashion montage started, which meant that they had to try on a few outfits. It was a few outfits for Hotaru and Tenten. It was a few too many for Reiko and Naruto. After three hours of trying clothes on non-stop, we find Naruto and Reiko sprawled over on the floor.
"These should be enough." Tenten said.
"Should?" Reiko paled. She couldn't go through that again.
"Listening to you guys talk about clothes, and also me trying them on for three hours was not a good first experience shopping for me. Plus, I think I might have a fear for shopping now." He felt a chill run up his spine when he said the word. "Yep, definitely a fear." He muttered.
"Hm hm." Reiko nodded sagely.
Hotaru and Tenten laughed at Naruto and Reiko's expense. Naruto's stomach chose that moment to grumble, to which he blushed to. The girls giggled. Talk about adding insult to injury.
"It's lunchtime anyways, let's get something on the way." Reiko said, smiling.
After Reiko paid for the clothes, the trio left to get food. Since Reiko had somewhere else to be, they got hotdogs and ate while they walked.
Tenten was embarrassed by Reiko and Naruto, who held stacks of hotdogs and ate away like beasts, while she only had three. They walked until they were back to the outskirts again.
Naruto still couldn't shake off how it still felt like the place wasn't the hidden leaf. They turned to a trail that led them to a park where Tenten and Naruto saw two children playing in the sandbox.
"Come on!" Tenten grabbed Naruto's hand and she pulled him towards the sandbox. "Sasuke, Hinata, hey!" Tenten shouted.
While Tenten and Naruto went to play with their peers, Reiko sat between the two men who sat at the park bench a few meters away from the children. The bench was also in a secluded spot, but it had a good view of the entire park.
"Lovely day, isn't it, Fugaku, Hiashi?" She asked.
"Why have you called us out here, Reiko?" Fugaku spotted a stern gaze, which made the visible creases below his eyes more pronounced, with his arms folded.
Fugaku Uchiha had short, dark brown hair that reached to his shoulders and onyx colored eyes. He wore the standard flak jacket over his light brown skin tone, along with a black shirt with the Konoha Military Police Force symbol on the shoulders. Along with wearing shin guards and a black open-front apron with white diamonds on the bottom.
"Though it pains me to do it, I agree with Fugaku's question." Hiashi nodded.
Hiashi had long, black hair, and featureless white eyes like all members of his clan. He wore very traditional, loose fitting robes with a long- sleeved, brown haori.
Reiko took in a breath, then she sighed. She spread her arms behind the two men, then she clasped them together, bringing the heads of the men into a loud collision.
Fuguka and Hiashi bolted to their feet in an instant after the incident, one hand clutching at their head, "What was that for?!" The men shouted together, while the other hand pointed an accusatory finger at Reiko, then they pointed the fingers at each other. "Hey! Stop copying me!" They said, then gritted their teeth at the same time, sparks flying between them. "I'm copying you?! As if!" They spoke simultaneously again.
"Hahahahahaha...!" Reiko was learning on the bench as she laughed. "Now you sound more like the boys I was in a team with."
"Tch." Hiashi and Fugaku folded the arms and looked away. Though they both spotted smiles on their faces.
"Not that this isn't welcomed, but why now?" It was Hiashi who asked, sitting back down along with Fugaku.
"Do you two believe in the myth that a person knows when they'll die?" Reiko asked back.
Fugaku and Hiashi were quiet, unsure how to answer the question.
"What are you talking about, Reiko?" Fugaku asked after a tense moment of silence.
"Got a letter from Kakashi this morning," She sighed before she continued to speak. "Itachi will start his secret mission on the 27th of January."
It was only a week away, Fugaku stiffened. He was aware that Itachi was working with the Hokage, but the clan head did not expect things to escalate so far, so fast.
Hiashi also knew of the Uchiha's coup. Fugaku did not support the coup but he had to pretend to support it so that he wouldn't be killed, and replaced by a more willing candidate as Uchiha clan head.
"But what does that have to do with you dying?" Fugaku asked.
Reiko held out her left hand, a seal glowing white on her palm. It played a repeat of the conversation that Hiruzen, Homura, Koharu and Danzo had that morning. She had managed to apply the seal when she was biting off Hiruzen's head. That slam on the table worked wonders for her.
Hiashi boiled silently while Fuguka held a deep scowl.
A dry chuckle escaped Reiko's parted lips before she spoke. "We were supposed to give the seal 15 years to gather enough chakra. As it stands, I have to fill three years worth of chakra. You both know what that means, right?"
"The Eight Inner Gates Formation." Fugaku muttered.
"Even then, I would still be cutting it too close."
"I must admit, I'm surprised you can still smile like that though." Hiashi sighed.
"I smile because I choose to. Besides, I know all of you will be okay. Just make sure not to miss me too much, okay?" She jabbed a thumb at herself. "Make sure to be outside on the 27th, and I'll show you why I'm the strongest."
Fugaku and Hiashi hit her at the top of the head at the same time.
"Ow! What was that for?!"
"We already know that." Hiashi shook his head.
"For the woman chosen to be the first female Hokage, it baffles me how you still think you have to prove yourself." Fugaku said.
"Ultimately, the people chose Minato."
"You mean after you refused." Corrected Hiashi.
"Yeah, I never liked that chair."
Fugaku and Hiashi laughed at the response.
Hiashi grinned. "Come to think of it, you were the first person to ever refuse the position."
"Why be Hokage if you can be stronger than the Hokage?" Fugaku followed up, shrugging.
"And here I am, the only one who wasn't a candidate for the Hokage position." Groaned Hiashi.
"Stop!" Reiko cried out. She had turned red because of all the teasing.
"Hai hai, Hokage-sama." Hiashi slouched on his seat as he waved Reiko off.
"Hiashi, you are slipping up again." Fugaku pointed out.
Hiashi sat up straight in an instant, adopting a more formal way of sitting. The trio eyed each other, then they burst out laughing.
"Hey," Reiko said, "think Tsunade-sensei will come back when I die?"
Hiashi gave an uncharacteristic sigh before he spoke. "If anything, I'm sure it would make her stay away from the hidden leaf even more."
"Or she might drink herself to death." Fugaku threw in his two cents.
"That too." Hiashi nodded, the trio laughing at the expense of their sensei.
After that, they spent the rest of the day talking about the past, and recalling some of their missions together. Fugaku laughed when Reiko brought up how Hiashi was rebellous and lazy when they were kids, much to Hiashi's dismay. Though the tables turned on the Uchiha patriach when Reiko brought up how Fugaku used to be a crybaby. The Uchiha was red in the face while Hiashi laughed. And even though they were enjoying their time together, they just couldn't escape the grip of reality. They couldn't escape how this was goodbye.
Like how all good things must come to an end, dusk came and they all had to leave.
"I don't like that Sasuke kid." Naruto said, pouting.
They were walking back to the Hatake Clan house.
"Why's that Naruto?" Reiko asked.
Naruto just pouted, saying nothing.
"He's sulking because he didn't win a single match, or even land a single hit against Sasuke." Tenten revealed the reason behind Naruto's bad mood.
"Hey, I almost had him a couple of times!"
"No, you didn't."
"Okay I almost, almost had him."
"That's not a thing."
"Gaaah!" Naruto ran his hands in his hair rapidly, his frustration even more obvious now. He stopped all of a sudden though, then smiled. "He won today, but, I'm sure if I keep training, I'll get him one day."
"Then I'll be in your way after that." Tenten jabbed a thumb at herself, an arrogant smirk depicted on her face.
"You're so on!" Naruto's smirk widened.
"Yosh! Then we will be gung-ho with training starting tomorrow!"
"Yeah!" Wait... "We weren't gung-ho already?!" The kids paled.
Reiko shook her head. "Not even close!"
Naruto and Tenten looked at each other. 'What have we gotten ourselves into?'
A/N: Thank you for reading. Your reviews are love. Oh, and Happy Father's Day!!