Chapter Seven

Graces and Ghost Stories

Naruto packed his travel bag the night before to spare time to visit Ichiraku one final time. His father sent a message that Kushina desired to take him away from the village for training. The fact that the man could not deliver the news personally wounded him far more than the stupid test. He brooded over his third bowl of ramen if anyone would be at the gates to see him off. At the end of the day, Minato viewed him as a village asset more than a beloved son. Was all the kindness of his boyhood a lie to keep him loyal? Hana and Itachi seemed friendly, but could they have been a part of a clever rouse to ensure that the village weapon would be ready to die for the village?

The questions only threatened to bring fresh tears to swollen eyes.

"Thanks for the ramen." Naruto placed a handful of coins on the counter. "It'll be a while before I can enjoy this again."

Teuchi chuckled and waved his ladle. "These bowls are on the house, my boy. But, of course, it's not every day that my favorite customers get to travel the world. Do you know where Lady Kushina is taking you first?"

"No idea." He returned the money to his pocket. "No one tells me anything."

"You'll enjoy it," Ayame smiled and took away the dirty bowls. "Make sure to take plenty of pictures and come back with amazing stories!"

Naruto shrugged and rested his head on the counter. "I'll probably end up dead in a ditch somewhere."

The ramen chef and waitress exchanged an unreadable look. Teuchi sighed slightly. "Do you know Lady Kushina asked about you when she returned to town?"

"Eh?"

"Sure did." The chief dried another bowl and filled it with miso ramen, placing it in front of the young man with a smile. "She wanted to know what you were like and if you were a good person. So, of course, we told her the truth."

Ayame smiled brighter than a thousand suns. "I told her you were a hot-headed crude man with a heart of solid gold."

"Never have I seen a more noble individual come into my establishment." Teuchi grinned. "Now, eat your bowl and hurry along. Your journey awaits!"

Lifted by their words, Naruto devoured his final bowl of ramen and grabbed his pack to begin the walk to the front gates of Konoha. He would return to the village with the skills needed to improve the system. Kushina, for all her many faults, was said to be the equal of Minato in combat. But, unlike the rest of his peers, he would be trained one-on-one by a woman who could have been Hokage. The villagers parted to allow him to move unhindered to the gates, staring at him with a mixture of fear and disgust, yet Naruto trained for all of them. Upon his return, he'll become their defender from the likes of Minato and the other shinobi. He wanted to give them a future.

Tsunade waited for him at the front gates with Tonton snuggled into her breasts. The doctor gave him a slight nod, looking tired and hungover like most of the times he saw her. She placed the pig on the ground and waved it off with a small smile.

"Morning, doc." Naruto watched the animal dart towards the hospital. "Never thought I would see Tonton without Shizune." He always assumed that the pig belonged to the dark-haired medic instead of the Sannin.

"I wanted to spend a little time with bacon before we hit the road." Tsunade cracked her knuckles and began to stretch. "Kushina should be here any moment."

"We? You're coming with us?"

"I told you last night at dinner." Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "Or were you too busy stuffing your face?"

This made Naruto smile. Having his favorite (and only) doctor along with the trip made him feel far more comfortable. Despite her grumpiness, Tsunade showed genuine concern for and stuck for him during the tribulations of the past day. He still trusted her since his father had never informed her of the test.

"Who knew fried chicken could be so good?"

The Slug Sanin snorted. "Did I convert you from ramen?"

"Never!" Naruto gasped at such a horrid thought. "You will never sway me away from the one true noodle dish of mankind, harlot!"

Tsunade raised her fist. "You will either accept the chicken or be broken upon the fried altar, brat!"

"Granny!"

"Brat!"

"Granny!"

"Brat!"

Naruto huffed and turned away. "It's a good thing I like grannies." He looked around in search of anyone else besides the gate guards. "Did…anyone show up?"

Tsunade frowned, knowing who he was referring to. She bit her lip in a debate about whether to lie about him just missing his father or one of his siblings. Kushina's words from the previous night rang in her head. The truth is always needed.

"Just me." Tsunade forced a weak smile to prevent the boy from brooding again. "I'm sure they would have been here. But, unfortunately, they're probably busy."

"Probably." Naruto crossed his arms and leaned against the open gate. "Whatever. I did not want to see them anyways." A total lie. "Minato is probably porking Mikoto right now."

"Excuse me?"

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "You didn't know?" Her blank, unamused expression answered his question. "Well, Lord Hokage is a frequent visitor at night to the Uchiha Compound, with the main house being his destination. So maybe he is going after Fugaku."

"Apple doesn't fall far from the tree," mused Tsunade with a slight smirk upon remembering Menma's devotion to Sasuke.

"Then again, he is frequently visiting the Hyūga Clan after dark. Maybe there is a weird love triangle between Minato, Hiashi, and Fugaku going on!"

"Save that idea, and we'll write a book entitled 'Eyes of the Hokage.' It'll be a homoerotic version of Make-Out Paradise featuring the three of them." Naruto was about to laugh until he remembered who cared about such a playfully dull tone. Kushina Uzumaki, dressed in a long red cloak covering chainmail, approached the pair with a slight smirk. She stared at Naruto for a long moment, then smiled.

"Apologies for being late! I received a message this morning from a good friend of mine. So we're going to change our trip a little bit." Kushina rubbed the back of her head, chuckling slightly.

Naruto glared at the woman and shrugged. "Whatever. I'm ready to start training, so I can come back."

Tsunade, deciding that she needed to be the group's adult, frowned. "Well, where are we going?" She took point and began walking out the front gate with her 'children' tailing behind her.

"My original plan was for us to head straight to the Land of Waves for private training." Kushina furrowed her brow. "Things changed this morning when I received a letter from Professor Dairoku Harada, one of the big brains at the University of Kobe."

This caught Naruto's attention. His dislike of Kushina faded as excitement crept into his voice. "Professor Harada is one of the leading experts on the Hōan Period! I've read a few of his books about the nations before the coming of the Sage of Six Paths."

"Excellent!" Kushina clapped. "Glad to see someone in Konoha wants to use their head for something other than a meaty hat rack." Naruto blushed at the compliment despite his best efforts. "You're correct; Dairoku is a brilliant man who has dedicated his entire life to preserving history. I met him at a dig in the Land of Earth a year ago. He was studying the reign of Emperor Toba."

Naruto blinked and searched his head for any fact relating to the long-dead Emperor. "Wasn't he the Emperor involved in the Hōgen Rebellion?"

"This man is on a roll today. And who says that ramen isn't fuel for the brain?" Kushina smirked at Tsunade, who rolled her eyes at the boring history talk. "You're right! While he died before the official start, Emperor Toba was one of two former Emperors that plotted to rule behind the scenes."

Having had enough of this and wanting to get everyone back on the same page, Tsunade coughed slightly. "And what does this have to do with Naruto's training?"

Naruto and Kushina glared at the Slug Sannin, hating to have their wonderfully interesting conversation dismissed so quickly. "Hmph. Sluggy-Chan, Dairoku has asked me to investigate a recently discovered tomb in the Land of Wind."

"Sounds like a job for a bunch of his students. So why does he need you to explore some dead guy's house?" Tsunade folded her arms, almost regretting coming along. This was going to be far more troublesome than she initially expected. A tiny part of her welcomed the call to adventure, though, and forced her to keep an open mind.

"You're right," Kushina admitted with a slight frown. "He sent a team of his senior students to scope out the place in preparation for a dig."

Naruto cheered and raised his fist in the air. "And we're going to rescue them all from bandits!"

"You can't rescue corpses," Kushina maintained her smile, but it seemed hollow with her flat tone. "What remained of them was found sixty miles away from the tomb's location."

"Remained?"

Kushina shook her head. "No intact bodies were discovered. An arm, a few hands, and other bits of discarded meat were found in a farmer's field. They're having a hell of a time identifying the victims."

"Why not hire Suna to look into it?" Tsunade adjusted her small pack. "The Land of Wind is within their sphere of influence."

"Oh, Dairoku tried that already." Kushina rubbed her chin. "Suna sent a squad of Genin to investigate the place. Their corpses were mostly whole when found."

Naruto shivered at the thought of finding the mutilated corpse of a fellow Genin. This all sounded too spooky for his tastes. But, of course, he refused to share such details with Kushina. "And Suna isn't sending anyone else?"

"Given that the students were citizens of the Land of Fire, the Daimyo has requested his Wind counterpart to allow someone from our lands to look into it. So Dairoku has personally asked yours truly." Kushina adjusted her cloak, pulling the hood up to prevent being blinded by the sun. "We'll be heading to the Land of Wind right away and training you on the road," she added before the other redhead could complain. "I've been thinking over our schedule. Travel in the morning and spend the last three hours of the afternoon training."

Tsunade hummed in approval, content that her lover had actually thought about how best to approach the training.

Naruto, sensing the exciting part of the conversation was over, returned to his usual self with a glare at his new teacher. "And what will my lovely wife teach me?" He noticed the odd flinch from Tsunade and the awkward shuffle from Kushina.

"About that…" Kushina rubbed her forehead. "Guess we need to clear the air before any real progress can be made, eh?" Then, seeing the unamused look on her student's face, she stopped and grabbed his shoulder. "I'm sorry."

"What?"

"I am sorry for yesterday. I am sorry about the test. I am sorry for the stupid marriage contract." She sighed. "I'm sorry about a whole lot with you. I won't waste our time explaining my actions or justifying them. Maybe later, we'll talk more in depth about stuff. As of today, my sole focus is turning you into a badass warrior that can achieve whatever dreams you have. We have six months together, no matter what. If you want to find a new teacher and cancel this silly arranged marriage in these six months, I won't stop you and will take the blame along with any consequences. For now, however, can we agree to genuinely work together? Put the bad blood aside for the timing being for a higher purpose."

Kushina extended her hand and offered a weak but genuine smile. Naruto stared at the waiting hand and glanced at Tsunade, who had a surprised look on her face. He wanted to swat the hand away, rejecting the ceasefire of hostilities, and spit in her face. However, as a future Hokage, he needed to learn to work with people he didn't like. Not to mention, Kushina was one of the strongest people in the entire village. With a heavy sigh and knowing that this was the right thing to do, he took her hand. "We have six months to avoid killing each other. First, though, why did you put my name down? I am the least desirable bachelor in all Konoha, especially to you."

Kushina chuckled slightly and glanced at Tsunade. "I did it to make Minato upset."

"Hmph. You should have seen the look on his face when Naruto said he would enjoy you." Tsunade watched as the young man turned a shade of red that matched his hair. "Really funny."

"I was only joking!" Naruto suddenly found the doctor's presence far less fun. "I am NOT a pervert!"

"That's a good one. I should have said something like that," Kushina made a mental note to make up fictional sexual escapades to share with her ex-husband. "Trust me. I know you're far from a pervert. I remember explaining to you on your tenth birthday how to compliment a woman. I think you said I had pretty hair."

Tsunade shook her head and continued walking. "Careful, Naruto. She tends to like people who compliment her hair." She paused to glance back at the two. "When should I expect your first child?"

Both redheads, temporary partners for the trip, decided to turn their ire against the Slug Sannin.

"What was that, granny?"

"Keep yapping, and I'll hide your sake!"

Kushina ordered her team to stop two hours after a quick lunch. She walked into the forest, motioning them to follow her, and stopped at a large clearing by a creek. Her eyes darted around, searching for animal tracks but found nothing that would interrupt them in the middle of the night. They were still close enough to Konoha to avoid being ambushed by bandits or missing-nin. Their journey would seldom have such a peaceful place to stay.

"Alrighty," Kushina clapped her hands and turned to her teammates. "This is a perfect place to make camp for the night. It's a bit early, but I figured we could spend this time training and getting to know one another. We'll start with introductions to break the ice before splitting up. Tsunade, do you mind pitching the tents?" Seeing her lover nod, she looks toward Naruto. He did not glare at her anymore and seemed curious. "We're going to begin your training while she makes camp."

Tsunade rolled her eyes. "Do we really need to do introductions? Last time I checked, we're not Genin…well, I'm not."

"We are ALL saying something about ourselves." Kushina glared at the woman, leaving no room for arguments. "Most likely, we'll be forced to fight side-by-side. I can't speak for anyone but myself, but I rather know the person protecting my back. So who wants to start?" Upon seeing neither Tsunade nor Naruto stepping forward, she decided to be the first. She modeled her answer using Kakashi's typical style for prospective students.

"My name is Kushina Uzumaki. I like cooking, books, training, and hunting. My dislikes include traitors and perfume. As of right now…I don't have a dream beyond ensuring my student's success."

Naruto, sensing that it was his turn, forced a smile. "Naruto Inuzuka. Ramen, fighting, theater, and fiction are my favorite things. I can't stand cruelty or tricks. My dream is to become Hokage and have a family." She expected such answers but welcomed hearing them from his mouth. All eyes landed on Tsunade.

"You know my name. You know my likes and dislikes. I dream of drinking and being left alone." It warmed her heart to see Tsunade in such a good mood. Naruto groaned at the answer and muttered something involving grannies. She watched as her lover began the vital task of preparing a livable campsite for the evening. Her initial reservations about having the Slug Sannin join them for these months had been for nothing. Tsunade played as a bridge between her and Naruto, directing their passions and flaws into something more wholesome.

"What's the first lesson?" Naruto broke her from the realm of thought. "A spar?"

Kushina shook her head and discarded her cloak. "Not today. We're going to begin the most important part of your entire training. If you take nothing else from my instructions, please keep these lessons in your heart." She led him away from the camp towards the creek with a sealing scroll tucked under her arm. She unrolled the scroll upon finding a comfortably shaded spot under a large tree. She released the items hidden within: two sketchbooks and a complete set of graphite pencils and charcoal.

"These are the greatest gifts I can ever give you," she gestured to the artist's tools. "I have a similar set in my own pack that has become a close friend during my travels."

Naruto stared at the items with a confused expression. "How are these supposed to help me become a shinobi?" Finally, he picked up a pencil and waved it in her face.

Just as expected. She retrieved a sketchbook from her bag and sat in the grass, gesturing him to do the same. "Take a seat, Naruto. This is your first lesson." He did as ordered but looked displeased by the unexpected instruction. "A few years ago, I spent some time with a group of warrior monks from across the sea in a land called Vitulus. Each initiate of their order was required to memorize five graces: honor, humility, mercy, restraint, and most importantly, forgiveness." Kushina took out a worn pencil and opened her book to a new page. "Through art, we can practice the graces and control the passions that lead so many, myself included, astray. If one cannot control their urges, they'll become little better than a demon."

"Forgiveness?" Naruto found the word bitter coming from the woman who had caused him so much grief. "Why should I forgive those who would harm the innocent and do so much evil?"

Kushina sketched out the image of a bird and shook her head. "You are right. Certain people have committed such terrible deeds that they are unforgivable." Her violet eyes glanced up from the page to stare at him. "However, you must learn how to forgive yourself for the things you'll be forced to do."

"And how does this make me into a better ninja? I can't fight someone with a pencil…I think? How can I defend someone with a pretty picture?"

"You will use a sword or whatever weapon you choose to save your life and the lives of those you love." She gestured to the pencils and charcoal. "These will save your soul. We will start with basic sketching and move on to painting once you grasp the basics. Afterward, we'll explore things such as calligraphy or blacksmithing. Once you have tasted all the possibilities, I wish you to pick a school of art to dedicate yourself to." Her eyes flickered back to the campsite. "I have bought you a few books to read during our downtime from various subjects. Read each, and we'll discuss it while we travel."

Naruto looked uncertain but nodded his head slowly. "Right. I'll give it my best."

"That is all I ask for." She smiled and turned her back to him. "Take up your pencil and watch me."

Naruto finished his sixth cup of ramen and sighed happily. He glanced down at his sketchbook, admiring the crude forms of animals and plants lovingly created by his hand. The initial dislike for his first lesson ended quickly as Kushina guided him in basic exercises in creating shapes and lines. By the third hour, he combined both to forge a life on his page well enough for Tsunade to tell what each mess of bodies was supposed to be. The Slug Medic summoned them away from the creek as the first round of ramen finished cooking, a reward for Kushina and himself surviving each other for a day.

He glanced over the small fire at Kushina. She stuck a marshmallow on a stick and held it over the flames until it became charred. Today went far better than he expected, and he hoped this wasn't a fluke to win him over quickly. Violet eyes caught his stare, and the woman gave another small smile.

"Naruto," she stuffed the blackened lump of sugar in her mouth. "Have you ever heard the story of Emperor Sutoku?"

"Wasn't he the son of Emperor Toba?"

Kushina beamed and roasted a marshmallow for him. "Correct. He and his father plotted against Emperor Konoe, his youngest brother. Well, there is far more to the legend of Emperor Sutoku than what historians say."

"A ghost story around a campfire? This is far too cliché for my tastes," Tsunade whined over a cup of warm sake.

"You hush." Seeing Naruto still eager yet slightly freighted, Kushina continued. "Well, Emperor Sutoku was not known to be a good person. He was forced to abdicate the throne to his little brother and was exiled to a monastery to repent for many grave crimes. During those long years of exile, Sutoku learned magic and tried to trick the Imperial Court into accepting cursed copies of holy scriptures. They rejected the gifts, forcing the former Emperor to reveal himself as a terrible demon!" Naruto yelped and clung to Tsunade's side, who looked extremely unhappy about her sake time being interrupted. "The demonic Emperor launched a reign of terror across the entire empire. Blood rained from the sky, the moon turned a sickly green color like rotten flesh, and strange beasts roamed the world's forests. Emperor Konoe prayed to Amaterasu for aid in stopping the demon. Sages tell how a mighty hunter and his two wives came down from their mountain home to make war against the fallen Emperor Sutoku! They stood together against the massive horde of evil spirits summoned by Sutoku the Sorcerer, slaying many demons in defense of the innocent. At the war's end, the three lovers died to banish Sutoku from this mortal plane into a realm of pure darkness!"

Naruto cried out and squeezed Tsunade. Her sake cup flew across the camp, disappearing among the grass and earning the vulpine man a swift punch to the back of the head. The blow did little to calm him down. "No more! Please!"

"Oh, stop being such a scaredy fox." Kushina snorted and smirked. "I haven't even told you how Sutoku stood over fifty feet tall with skin the color of blood or how his fangs were the size of trees. Funny enough, some stories say that he had a whole kingdom of imps in his stomach."

Tsunade yelped as five fox tails wrapped around her. "Granny! Can I sleep with you tonight? Please! I don't want Sutoku to get me!" Naruto buried his face in her breasts, temporarily forgetting that they were precisely the things he had dreamed of so many nights.

"Of course, you can stay in my tent," Tsunade smirked as Kushina gawked. She rubbed Naruto's head. "Kushina can maintain a solitary vigil against any dead guys coming to haunt us."

Naruto released his grip on the older woman and prepared the seventh cup of ramen. A comfortable silence fell upon the group as each became lost in their little worlds.

Kushina's giggles pierced the night. "Guess this is a bad time to tell you that we're going to Emperor Sutoku's tomb."

I love writing Naruto, Kushina, and Tsunade together. In my drafts for this chapter, I had kept doing random scenes with them changing allegiances to each other. Kushina and Tsunade would gang up on Naruto only for Tsunade to join Naruto than for him to side with Kushina. Tsunade is a perfect balance for Naruto and Kushina, bridging them and serving as the heart of the group during these early adventures. Apologies if I have yet to respond to your review in a PM. I'll be doing that tomorrow evening.

To the reviewer who suggested I change the description of the story...that is a good idea! I'll be updating it and making a new title by the time this chapter is uploaded. Welcome to 'The Sun's Trio'.