Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Period.
Thanks for those who corrected me about that Ero-sennin thing... got myself confused...=)
Thanks a lot faithful readers and reviewers!!!
Chapter 8: Day one
Reiji was getting sleepy. Naruto and Hinata were currently paying for the bill in the restaurant.
"Looks like our little boy there is getting sleepy." Hinata said.
Naruto handed the bill to the man. "Yeah, come on we better go home too." They approached their one and only son.
"Hey kiddo, let's go home now. Come on, I'll give you a piggyback." Naruto patted Reiji on the head. He kneeled down and the sleepy Reiji got on his back. Reiji started to sleep.
"Look he's sleeping already." Hinata smiled. "He looks so much like you…" She added.
"Oi Naruto, remember that you are still the Hokage." Tsunade reminded him.
"I know, I know, I have to go to office early and do my paperwork…" Naruto said.
"Good, you still remember." Tsunade said.
"Heh, I just got my memory back!" Naruto grinned.
"Yeah, and you better not forget it again. See you another time." Tsunade waved goodbye at Naruto. Tsunade left and soon Naruto and Hinata left too.
"What mission?"
"Kill Uzumaki Reiji."
"What did the boy do?"
"Nothing much, its just he stands on our way…"
"He stands in the way of what?"
"He stands in the way of the Rokudaime's death."
"Hey that doesn't make much sense! The Rokudaime is already dead, why kill a dead- wait…" He recalls that his colleague looks exactly like the Rokudaime. "You mean…" He looked down at the ground.
"You didn't notice before?"
"He wasn't as strong as a Kage level ninja is…"
"It was because of the seal."
"You mean that you put the seven day curse seal in him?"
"Yes. And I will activate it tomorrow so that it'll be exactly the first day."
"But what does the kid have to do with this?"
"Of all the ninjas, he has the potential to learn Naruto's cursed seal removal technique. He's young but he is strong."
Kenji stared at Jiro with anger. "I don't want anything to do with this anymore!" He shouted. "I don't want to kill an innocent kid! I don't want to be a murderer like you!" Kenji added.
Jiro laughed in an evil way. "You call me a murderer? What about you, aren't you a murderer?" He asked. Kenji noticed that Jiro's voice sounded different, it sounded like Ichiro's.
"You're right I'm a murderer! But there's no way… there's no way I can kill my own son…"
Jiro's eyes twitched. "Ichiro's death is none of your business anymore." He glared at Kenji beneath his hood.
"He was still my friend. He was like an older brother to me…" Kenji said.
"I did what was right. He back stabbed me by forming an alliance with the Rokudaime."
"Enough… I don't want anything to do with you anymore."
"What if we make a deal…" Jiro said. 'I know you cannot refuse it…' he thought.
"What deal?"
"I will give you your freedom."
"I don't trust you. Death is better for me."
"I have my own cursed seal removal technique."
Kenji walked in the room and he got his katana from a table. He approached Jiro and he handed him the katana.
"A warrior's death, that's all I wish for." Kenji said.
"What if I show you your mother?"
"She's still alive?"
"Yes, in fact she's the one taking care of my grand son."
"You're kidding me…"
"I knew your father back then."
"…"
"Take it or leave it."
"I said that I can't possibly trust you…"
"You don't want to see and live with your mother?"
"Then show me where she is."
"I can only show you, but I can't let you live with her yet. Not until you finish this mission."
"…"
"What is your answer then?"
Kenji thought about it, the deal. He wasn't sure if he could trust Jiro.
"I want to make that I can trust you about this." He said.
"Come with me, I'll let you talk with her… and with my grandson…"
-
Naruto laid his sleeping son on his son's bed gently. He smiled when he saw the peaceful expression on his face.
"Naruto-kun…" Hinata whispered as she also watched Reiji's peaceful expression.
"What, Hinata-chan?" Naruto asked in a soft tone being careful not to wake up his only son. He turned his head and his eyes and Hinata's met.
"Look at him…" She whispered. "I've never seen him so… peaceful before…"
"Maybe it's because he has a full stomach…" Naruto said still with a soft tone.
"No, I think it's not because of that…" She smiled shyly at Naruto. Naruto raised his eyebrows. "I think it is because you're finally back at home with us… your family…"
Naruto warmly smiled at her. "Say Hinata-chan…" He approached his wife. "Would you like to go have a short walk with me?"
"But you still have to attend at your Hokage duties early tomorrow…" Hinata said.
"Well, the night is still young for us adults and the beautiful moon is out…" Naruto somewhat teased her with his grin.
"How could I resist you?" Hinata smiled. Naruto offered her his arm and she wrapped her arm around it. Before they closed the door, they closed the lights in Reiji's room and they whispered Goodnight to him.
They went outside.
"I have something to show you…" Hinata said.
"Well this is interesting…" Naruto said. Hinata pulled him.
They went on top of the mountain. Naruto saw the memorial statue.
"What's this?"
"They built it when you…" Naruto hushed her.
"…Really?"
"Everyone tried to help… but Tsunade-sama only chose a few to make it…"
"Everyone tried to help?"
"Yeah…Everyone tried to…those who were very anxious to help just donated a sum of money to at least fund this statue. Naruto stared at the statue with awe. He couldn't believe that they built this for him. He then heard sobbing. He instantly turned his attention to his wife. She was crying.
"Why are you crying? I won't leave you again…" Naruto wrapped his arms around Hinata and he embraced her tightly.
"During those eight years, when this statue was made… I was… always here… to pray… to hope that you'd come back one day… because after all, your body wasn't even found… I waited and hoped. When Reiji came out, I had less time to visit… the memory of you has been the one that accompanied me through those sleepless and lonely nights." Naruto wiped away her tears. He tried to stop her from crying but the tears won't stop falling.
"I was happy…happy because Reiji grew up like you… at the age of three, he was already asking where his father is…"
"And what did you tell him?"
"I told him that daddy was just out on a mission and he'd come back. When he turned five he got angry, I was forced to tell him the whole truth about your whereabouts. When I finished telling him, he cried all night. He didn't want to believe that his father, the Hokage, is dead. At the age of six, he started to attend academy classes. He strived hard to be on top and yes, he was on top of his class. He even beat Hyuuga Shiro nd Uchiha Mayu in the rankings…"
"And he grew up into a very good boy…I'm proud of that…" Naruto said with a smile on his face.
"He is a good boy, Naruto-kun…"
"Hinata-chan…I'm sorry…"
"You're already forgiven, Naruto-kun…" Hinata embraced him back.
Naruto sighed. "I caused you so much pain…" there was so much agony in his voice. He started to cry. Hinata placed her hands in his face and she smiled.
"You don't need to worry about that…now that you're here, everything would be fine…" Hinata said. Naruto leaned down and kissed.
"I swear to God, that I won't leave you… that I won't leave the both of you…" Naruto swore. -
Reiji opened his eyes lazily. He sat up and stretched his body. He yawned and he stared blankly at his room's door.
After a few minutes, the yesterday's events hit him.
He sprang out of his bed and he rushed out of his room. He hoped that it wasn't a dream…
Otousan…
He went downstairs and he saw a man wearing a Hokage robe facing Reiji with his back.
"…Otousan!" Reiji exclaimed and he hugged Naruto.
Naruto almost fell down because his guard was down.
Hinata stepped out of the kitchen and saw the scene, she smiled and she went back inside.
"Good morning Reiji-kun!!!" Naruto greeted his son and Reiji stopped hugging him.
He looked down at his son. He saw that Reiji's eyes were a bit watery. He pouted.
"Hey it's better to start the day with a smile than a cry…" Naruto patted Reiji in the head. "Cheer up, I'm not going anywhere anymore…" He smiled.
"Don't worry Naruto-kun; it's just tears of joy…" Hinata smiled at the two males in her life. "Good morning to the both of you…" She said. "Breakfast is ready!" She said.
After eating breakfast, Reiji frowned and he looked down at his empty plate. He wanted to spend some more time with his complete family. Naruto noticed.
"Don't worry son, we'll get to spend some quality time with one another later…" Naruto grinned at him and Reiji grinned back at his father. Naruto stood up. He approached Hinata and he kissed her in the lips.
"Otousan, are you gonna go now?"
"Yeah, be sure to be a good boy, okay?" Naruto patted Reiji in the head again. Reiji nodded and he smiled. Reiji approached the dining room's door. "…And Reiji-kun, I'll teach you some neat techniques when I get to have some free time… I promise…" With that Naruto waved goodbye and he left their home.
Hinata saw Reiji's huge grin and she giggled.
"You better clean yourself up now or you'll be late for training!" Hinata reminded Reiji.After taking his shower he found out that he doesn't have any clean clothes… only the outfit that resembles his father's orange outfit when he was a Genin. Hinata noticed that he took so long.
'He should be finished by now… I wonder what he is doing…" Hinata went upstairs and she entered Reiji's room. '…Na-ru-to-kun?' She thought. She chuckled when she saw Reiji wearing that outfit. 'He looks so much like Naruto, especially with that outfit…' She thought.
"Oh Okaasan…" Reiji noticed his mom. "Why are you smiling like that?"
"You're really your father's son…" Hinata said. Reiji grinned in a foxy way. Hinata smiled more. "Oh before I forget…YOU'RE GONNA BE LATE YOUNG MAN!" Hinata reminded her son.
"Oops…" Reiji scratched his head. "Okaasan, where are my clothes?"
"Oh, your clothes…" Hinata sweat dropped. "They aren't dry yet…" Hinata said.
"Oh, Ok then! I'm going now!!! See ya later Okaasan!!!" Reiji approached his mom and he kissed her in the cheeks and Hinata kissed him in the cheeks too. He then left the house.
'AAAH, I'M GOING TO BE LATE!!!' He screamed in his mind. He ran in the streets as fast as he can.
Meanwhile, a white-haired man was walking in the street. He was in his sixties. He looked wiser because of the lines in his face caused by his age. 'Now, now, I think I better pay my respects to all of his friends… I heard that…' He thought. His mind was flying and he didn't notice that he was gonna bump into something.
"GET OUT OF THE WAY!" Reiji shouted. He then noticed the man he shouted it again but the man didn't seem to hear it. 'Damn, I'm gonna bump into him!!!' Reiji thought. He tried to stop but he couldn't; his speed was too fast and the distance between them was not that far… Reiji couldn't possibly stop…
"OOF" Reiji and the man fell.
"Itai, my back hurts…" They both said in unison. After that, the man widened his eyes.
"Naruto, is that you? But I heard that… wait… did you turn back into a twelve year old?"
"Hmmm, you know my Otousan?" Reiji stood up and rubbed his back.
"Do I know your Otousan?" The man stood up. "What do you mean by 'Otousan'?"
"I'm Uzumaki Reiji, the one and only son of Uzumaki Naruto and Hinata!" Reiji introduced himself. "And the genius boy of Konoha I might add…" He sent the man his foxy grin.
The man burst out laughing. Reiji stared at him with confusion. "Ano… mister… what's the matter?" He asked.
"Hahaha, nothing much… it's just that I never thought Naruto had it in him to establish a relationship like that with a woman." The man laughed again.
Reiji glared at him. "Don't underestimate my Otousan!!!" Reiji exclaimed and he fumed at the man.
"Ok, I know that your Otousan is a great man! Don't be angry!" The man tried to calm Reiji down.
"Then may I ask who you are?" Reiji asked.
The man grinned at him. He started to dance like a character in a Kabuki show. "The title "Frog Hermit" is merely a disguise. I shall tell you my true identity… I am the man who has no enemies in the North, South, East and West… Not even in the heavens! I am one of the Sannins… White-haired frog tamer…" A frog appeared and he was standing atop it. Even a crying baby would stare in awe… THE GREAT JIRAIYA!!!" The frog disappeared. "That is me, Jiraiya!!!"
Reiji stared at him with a blank expression while the people on the streets didn't even bother to watch Jiraiya's dance. Jiraiya sweat dropped. Reiji yawned. 'He's like his father…'
"Well anyway, is your father… alive?"
"Yes, you can see him in his office at the Hokage building…" Reiji said.
"Hey where are you going?"
"I have to attend training at training area 22!!!" Reiji ran away.
"Training, huh? Looks like he's a Genin already…" Jiraiya said. He then walked toward the direction of Naruto's office.
Naruto yawned. 'I hate to admit but… being a rogue is much more exciting than this… but it's alright since I'm back and all. And there's Hinata-chan by my side, as well as Reiji-kun my son…' Naruto smiled, 'But I really want to spend some time with them… my family…' He sighed. The door then slammed open. A white-haired man came in.
"Oi Naruto, I thought you were dead!!!" Jiraiya said.
"Not really…" Naruto continued to sign the papers.
"Oi Naruto…"
"What now, Ero-Sennin?"
"How come I never heard that you have a son and wife now?" Jiraiya asked.
"Hell, you left Konoha again when I was sixteen remember?" Naruto said.
"Oh yeah…"
"Hey what about that news that you died… It spread like a disease here eight years ago in the Fire country ya know…" Jiraiya approached Naruto's desk.
"Long story…"
"Tell me…"
Reiji finally arrived at Training area 22.
"Hey where have you been?" Mayu asked.
"Sorry… I bumped into 2 persons that father knew and we had a little talk. Shiro and Iruka sighed.
'At least it's acceptable…' Iruka thought. "That doesn't matter much now… let's begin then…" he said.
"Oh so that's what happened, eh?"
Naruto nodded. The door opened again and this Tsunade came in.
"…Tsunade-baba—"
Tsunade sent Naruto a punch. Naruto fell from his seat and his nose was bleeding because of Tsunade's punch.
"What? You're bleeding? But I didn't punch that hard…" Tsunade then healed Naruto.
'Why do I feel much weaker when I got my memory back?' Naruto thought.
"Thanks, Tsunade…" Naruto stood up. "Anyway, why are you here?"
"I am suggesting that you leave your paperwork here and let the chuunins handle it…"
"You're giving me a day off?! But I just got back!!! It's my job right?"
"Wait, I'm not finished yet!" Tsunade sighed. "…I also suggest that you spend some time with your son…"
"I remember that that kid told me he'll be training at training area 22" Jiraiya said.
"I already told the chuunins so they'll be coming here any minute now…"
"Oh, then Thanks Tsunade…" Naruto left.
There was silence for a moment in the office.
"What was that for? You're giving him a day off?" Jiraiya asked.
"I talked with the kid earlier and it seems that he really would like to spend some time with his father." Tsunade answered. "And that would give me time to hear about the information you gathered about Takamura Jiro…" Jiraiya raised his eyebrow. "Come on, tell me now!!! I don't have all day!!!"
"Ok, do you understand guys?" Konohamaru asked. The three nodded. "Hmmm?"
"What's wrong Konohamaru-sensei?" Shiro asked.
"Reiji you have a visitor…" Konohamaru said. Reiji looked around and saw his father. He smiled.
"Hey, Konohamaru, How are you doing?"
"Better since the wounds you inflicted on me are now healed…" Konohamaru grinned.
"Oh sorry about that wound…" Naruto scratched his head and he grinned.
"No, it's alright… I get all those wounds every time I challenge you, right?" Konohamaru asked.
"…Yeah." Naruto replied.
"Hey, Otousan, I thought you are busy in your office?" Reiji asked.
"Ah, they gave me a day off…"
"They gave you a day off for what?"
"They said I needed to catch up with some things first than to bury myself in paperwork…" Naruto said.
"Then what are you doing here?" Konohamaru asked. "They are a lot of things to catch up to…" He added.
"Hey, Konohamaru, can I borrow Reiji from your training?"
"What are you gonna do to him?" He asked.
"Train him myself." Naruto replied
"…" (Konohamaru)
"…" (Shiro)
"…Yay!!!" Reiji jumped in joy
Mayu pouted "Hey that's not fair! Why do you get to be trained by the Hokage himself?"
"…Because I'm his son!" Reiji answered
"Alright…" Konohamaru said.
"Konohamaru-sensei, you better teach us neat things too." Shiro said. He sounded like Neji.
"Heh, you're really Neji's son huh?" Shiro nodded. 'From the looks of it, he looks more like a she…' He thought while he stared at Shiro.
"Something wrong, Hokage-sama?" Shiro asked.
"Nothing…" Naruto said. He then turned his attention to Mayu. "You're Sasuke's daughter right?" Mayu nodded with a warm smile. 'Good thing she's not as cold as Sasuke when he was young… ah! What am I thinking? There's no reason to be cold anymore and besides… she doesn't know about Itachi…" Naruto smiled at her.
"Come on Otousan! Let's train now!" Reiji was now standing near Naruto. He was putting and he was tugging Naruto's robe.
Naruto looked down at his son. "Oh sorry…" He turned around. "Come on let's go!"
-
"WHAT THE HELL? DON'T TELL ME THAT THAT'S THE ONLY INFORMATION YOU CAN GIVE ME! I GAVE YOU EIGHT LONG YEARS!" Tsunade shouted at Jiraiya.
"Calm down…" Jiraiya said.
"…calm down? CALM DOWN? I WAITED EIGHT YEARS FOR THIS!!!" Tsunade glared at Jiraiya like she was going to rip his head off.
Jiraiya almost panicked when he saw that glare. "Hey, it was not that easy! Even for me… I sacrificed my precious data gathering for this!!!" Jiraiya said.
'He sacrificed his data gathering?' Tsunade thought. She then laughed. "You sacrificed what? I don't believe you!" Tsunade said.
"Why won't you believe me?" Jiraiya asked.
"If you sacrificed your data gathering, then it would mean there would be no new volume releases for your famed adult book for the past eight years and Kakashi would be pretty frustrated by now…" Tsunade said.
Jiraiya sweat dropped. Tsunade glared at him again. "OK, so I didn't sacrifice it! But it was really hard!"
"Tell me why?"
"Takamura Jiro became a missing nin almost 50 years ago… He's supposed to be over 70 now… Even though he was a strong ninja, age must have slowed him down so he's not a very big threat…" Jiraiya said.
"He can still be. Judging from the information you've gathered, we still don't know much about him. We don't know if he is a part of an organization or something like that… we don't even know his goals…" Tsunade said.
Jiraiya nodded. "You're right, have you asked the older people here at Konoha?"
"Yeah, they told me that he was an evil ninja." Tsunade sighed. "Strong too… the black sheep of the Takamura clan… he was the one that was good at inventing new cursed seals…" Tsunade said.
"Oh…"
"Otousaaan…" Reiji said.
"What is it?" Naruto asked. They were both walking towards the public bath where the hot waters were.
"What are we doing here?" Reiji asked.
"I'm gonna train you…"
"You're gonna train me here?"
"Yeah…"
"What will you teach me then?"
"I'm gonna teach you proper chakra control."
"Konohamaru already taught that to us… and I don't see any trees here…"
Naruto laughed. "He only taught you tree walking! I'm gonna teach you how to walk in water…" Naruto stared at Reiji. They were now standing in front of the hot stream. "In order to walk in water, you have to be able to properly control your chakra." Naruto explained.
"Oh…"
Naruto then stepped into the water. He walked in it like it was solid ground. "Trust me; this lesson will help you a lot…"
Naruto then started to teach Reiji."Jiraiya-sama, what are you doing here?" Konohamaru asked.
"Have you seen Naruto, Konohamaru?"
"Hai, he went here to fetch his son…"
"Do you have any idea where they went?"
"No I don't…" Konohamaru said.
"Thanks for the info, Konohamaru…"
"Glad I could help, Jiraiya-sama…"
Jiraiya turned around. 'Well I better go data gathering instead…" Jiraiya chuckled while he walked away.
"Who is that man, Konohamaru-sensei?" Shiro asked.
"He's one of the legendary Sannins…"
"…HOT!!!!" Reiji exclaimed and he jumped out of the water. He was panting and he was soaked.
Naruto laughed. Reiji reminded him so much of his youth, well not so much since Reiji was not a drop-out…
"Come on, I know you can do it kiddo." Naruto grinned at his wet son.
"But Otousaaan, the water is sooo hot!" Reiji said.
"I know, I went to have the very same training here, you know. And at that time I was training for the chuunin exams finals."
"Did you pass, Otousan?"
"Ughhh, no, because the final exam was… well… interrupted…" Naruto scratched his head.
"Interrupted by what?"
"Long story… hey you better go back to your training!" Naruto exclaimed
"…Hai Otousan!" Reiji trained again.
Naruto looked around and he saw a white haired man… peeking… at the… bath house… meters away…
"…ERO-SENNIN!" Naruto shouted and pointed where Jiraiya was. Naruto's shouting broke off Reiji's concentration. "YOU NEVER CHANGE, ERO-SENNIN!!!" He exclaimed. Reiji fell in the water.
"…HOT! HOT! HOT!" Reiji shouted and he jumped out of the water again. He stood panting next to Naruto who was fuming with anger. "Otousan, is there something wrong?" Naruto didn't reply. Reiji looked at the spot where Naruto was looking at. He saw Jiraiya peeking. "…PERVERT!!!" He exclaimed.
"ERO-SEEENNNINNN!!!" Naruto shouted meters away. Jiraiya was too busy with his peeking, he was chuckling and all. Naruto was now very, very angry.
Reiji tapped Naruto's back. Naruto shook his anger away. "What is it, Reiji-kun?"
"Let me do this Otousan…" Reiji did some seals and he transformed into a voluptuous woman.
Naruto grinned. He nodded in agreement because he knew what Reiji is going to do.
"…"
"…"
"…PERVERT!!!" Reiji shouted while he was in the voluptuous-woman-form.
At an instant, a lot of women went out of the bath house in their robes with very angry faces. The place was like hell. All of the women wanted to smash Jiraiya into ashes.
"Hey… calm down will you." Naruto said. Reiji turned backed into his normal form. He was laughing very hard when he saw Jiraiya's battered form.
"…Hai, Hokage-sama." The women calmed down and went back inside of the bath house.
Naruto then glared at the battered Jiraiya.
"Guess women… are… stronger than they look like…" Jiraiya whispered.
"I agree with that, Ero-Sennin…" Naruto then helped Jiraiya up. Jiraiya stood up.
"Your kid is really like you Naruto…" Jiraiya said weakly.
Reiji grinned. "Of course I am like Otousan!" He said. Naruto patted him in the head.
"Reiji, help this pervert and we'll take him home so your mom can heal him…"
'Humph, why do we have to take him at home?' Reiji thought. "Otousan, can't we just drop him off the hospital?" Reiji asked.
"I want to talk to him…" Naruto said.
"Otousan, he is heavy…" Reiji said. Reiji was the one aiding Jiraiya to walk.
"Think of it as training…" Naruto said.
Finally after minutes, they arrived at their house. Naruto knocked at the door. Hinata opened it.
"Naruto-kun, you're early!" Hinata smiled. She then saw Reiji aiding Jiraiya. "Oh, Reiji-kun… What happened to Jiraiya-sama?" She asked.
"You don't want to know…" Naruto said. Hinata raised her eyebrows and then she smiled. She remembered what Naruto told her years ago.
Jiraiya is a pervert…
Hinata recalled as she lead her family inside the house. At that time, well 9 years ago, before they were even married, she decided to know more about Naruto. Naruto of course loved her so he told EVERYTHING about his life.
"Hinata-chan, is something bothering you?" Naruto said while he helped Jiraiya sit down on the couch. Hinata gestured for Reiji to get the medicine. Reiji ran as fast as he can.
"No, nothing is bothering me…it's just that I remembered what you told me about Jiraiya-sama…"
"Oh…"
"What did Naruto tell you anyway?" Jiraiya asked.
"Nothing important…" Naruto said. He then left the room to see why Reiji is taking long.
"Come on now, Mrs. Uzumaki; tell me what your husband told you…" Jiraiya insisted
"He told me…"
"He told you what?"
"He told me that you are a pervert…"
Jiraiya's half closed eyelids suddenly opened widely. "He told you WHAT!?" He stood up at an instant. "…NARUTO!!!" his voice trembled in anger.
Naruto and Reiji arrived at the living room carrying medicine for Jiraiya's wound.
"Why are you standing?" Naruto asked.
"You…you told her I was… a pervert!!!"
"…So?" Reiji said.
"It's definitely true…" The father and the son said in unison. Hinata almost laughed out loud.
"You know I can't lie to my Hinata…" Naruto added.
Jiraiya felt he was defeated. He sank in the couch and he fumed in anger.
"You better calm down, Jiraiya-sama…"
"At least someone still respects me in this house…" Jiraiya whispered. "So Ero-Sennin… something tells me that you didn't come here just to visit."
"You're right…" Jiraiya replied while Hinata cleaned his wounds.
I Guess there will be another delay... because I'm busy with my other fic "Doubts"
Until next time...