Disclaimer: We do not own Naruto
Co-Author and Beta: Etheral-23
Chapter 26: Another day
XxX ~ xx ~ XxX ~ xx ~ XxX
As the morning rays of light cleaved through the window of their current lodgings, it settled down upon a futon with disheveled sheets and the naked form of a woman covered in said sheets. Her very wild and long red hair went all over her back and even spread a little beyond the width of the shoulders, a few bangs covering her eyes.
She smacked her lips and groaned in discomfort as her slumber ended, she tiredly moved to get closer to the form of her partner, seeking the warmth and comfort of her lover's presence. Only to find the bedside empty as her arm reached forward and felt nothing but the mattress.
Slowly she raised her head, running a hand over her wild mane while yawning; she tucked away a stray bang covering one blue eye, freeing her vision. She slumped and pursed her lips in displeasure at the sight that her lover was not present.
She had a good idea of where she was right now. "Meditating at sunrise..." She muttered in a groggily morning voice. "Damn sage-y things, who does that?"
Disgruntled, she lazily sat up as the blanket fell to her waist she stretches her arms above her head, with a small sigh she lets them drop as she gets out of bed, not bothered by her own state of nakedness. "Guess I will make breakfast then."
XxX ~ xx ~ XxX
The warmth of the sun and the cool breeze made for a perfect combination which brought comfort to her entire body, further relaxing her. On a field of grass, a woman sits meditating in a half-lotus position, eyelids closed and a serene expression on her face. Her messy blonde hair swayed with wind, the breeze caressing her mocha skin.
Her attire consisted of a one-sleeved light blue robe filled with wave and wind motifs with the sleeve covering her right arm, though she wore long dark fingerless arm gloves that reached to her biceps in both arms. A black tube top covered her chest area, her robe tied with a red sash; she also wore dark green loose pants and sandals.
Her mind drifted into the wind and the earth itself, allowing her to feel the natural energy flowed all around her. She welcomed it with her soul, but it did not enter her body, and slipped her grasp when she tried reaching it... just like she always did.
She refused to feel frustration; it went against her training and all she strived for. Determined to try again and again until she could finally succeed... Though a part of her wondered why it kept happening, why did nature not answer her calling.
Was she doing something wrong? For years she had prepared not just her body but also her mind, reaching out to the planet, not in demand of its power, but to further enrich her spirit. Just like her ancestors had done for so long, it was her duty to keep alive the clan's traditions. Her purpose was far from selfish; she should have made progress by now.
This failure, this disappointment, was unacceptable. The sudden flash of anger was quickly suppressed, her hands tightening and relaxing.
She was soon distracted, and she welcomed it, for it took her away from this place that made her feel negative emotions. "Hey!" It was the arrival of a familiar and exuberant voice. "Brought you something to eat" The redhead said, carrying a tray with tea and toasts, she was dressed in a sleeveless white shirt and a pair of black shorts.
"Thank you Lyn" The blonde replied patiently. "But during meditation, I require no substance other than harmony with the energies of nature" It was then that her body betrayed her, her stomach emitting a loud growl. If she wasn't so controlled of her own impulses she would blushed, or at least, she convinced herself she wasn't blushing.
"Aw, you're blushing!"
Damn it...
Lyn only giggled taking a seat as her girlfriend heaved a small sigh as she opened her sapphire eyes. "Still no luck honey?" The dry glare from the buxom blond was her answer which only mad the redhead smirk; "You'll get there. Haven't met someone so dedicated like you are with all the sage-y mysticism stuff."
"It's called Senjutsu, not 'Sage-y mysticism stuff'." Kya's clarification was met with Lyn sticking her tongue out at her; "Very mature for a woman in her mid-thirties."
"Well I'm Uzumaki, to us that means little" In a way, Lyn was right. If she survived this rather dangerous life of theirs, she might live well into being two centuries old.
But on the other hand, "That has little to do with maturity"
"What, you saying I should be a stick on the mud like you?" The wild maned redhead casually replied as she leaned to the side and picked her ear, "No thanks, you bring enough seriousness to this relationship as it is"
Well, somebody had to. Kya fought back a twitch of her eye at once more mentally admitting that this contrived thing the two of them had was apparently a 'relationship'.
Lyn groaned as she lifted her arms above her head, stretching her fingers, "I got a bounty today, some basin has been attacking a nearby village" She sighed in satisfaction as the joints in her limbs popped. "You want chicken today?"
The mocha skinned blonde was going to say no to Lyn's dish, even if the food in question was a giant fire breathing chicken. "I would, thank you"
The Uzumaki stood up and stretched her legs, "You gonna stay here meditating?" She asked with a touch of exasperation.
"You could benefit from it" Kya spoke with sincerity, "Your body is very compatible for sage training"
"Pffft wouldn't even know where to begin. Would love to carry on baachan's legacy but... I dunno. I think I'm not ready for that yet" The redhead said, her gaze becoming a little lost and melancholic. She soon shook her head and scoffed, "I'd rather be doing something fun, standing still for hours on end doesn't really appeals me" Kya suppressed a sigh. Well, she supposed Lyn was in tune with the world in her own way. She certainly was as wild as nature itself. "When I get back I'll go over the details for the journey to Konoha"
Kya soon regained her meditation stance, resting her hands over her knees and closing her eyes, "Will you take Tamamo with you?"
"I'd like to, but the girl might be busy. Some stuff going on later about-" Lyn soon fell silent, blinking a few times and she realized something. "Wait, you're not coming?" She asked in genuine surprise.
The blonde opened her eyes to give her and impassive look, "I thought my showing no interest in Saito's invitation was clear"
A mild glare came from her Uzumaki lover; "Oh come on! Never mind that Kushina came back, apparently she had a child with Minato Namikaze. A member of your clan!"
Kya remained impassive; "Being of mixed blood does not make him family. And my parents never knew his family. I am not like you or the other Uzumaki when it comes to family bonds."
Lyn let out a low growl, Kya had always been like this with people. Granted what she endured gave her good reason to be uninterested in meeting people let alone trust them. But no one can close themselves off from everyone forever. Being alone never solved anything... Except being lonely.
But now here was a chance for Kya to see another member of her own clan. Half-blood or not, this Naruto boy was as much Namikaze as he was Uzumaki, he deserved to meet a fellow kin. And Kya might never open up to nearly anyone, but by the Gods maybe she might open to another Namikaze.
Lyn knelt down; "You don't know how many Namikaze are left. And this Naruto boy may never meet one unless you go to Konoha. Same for you." Her eyes glared with unwavering steely resolve. "And here I thought you knew the importance of keeping legacy alive. Going on and on about your clan's heritage" She crossed her arms, "Now the chance of passing it to another Namikaze comes by and you outright refuse it, doing a bang up job there hon..."
The blonde's sapphire blue eyes narrowed in barely contained anger. Lyn had delivered a particularly heavy blow, one that hit her directly at her pride. But... she had a point. The Namikaze clan's heritage was barely alive as it was, long years of wandering and attacked by many enemies had left their people scattered to the winds. In all her life the only other Namikaze she had known were her parents. Their current situation put their sacred traditions at risk of being forgotten.
How could she call herself her parents' daughter if she just let that happen?
Kya sighed as Lyn grinned widely; the redhead knew she had won. "Perhaps... I should pass on what I know. As a Namikaze he has a right to learn of his heritage"
The redhead threw up her arms in cheer, "Success!"
"But don't think I'll 'bond' or anything with him" The blonde warned her with a glare. "I'm just doing my duty, that's it. My sage training takes priority"
"Oh I know" Lyn winked, "But I think this trip will be good for you. Who knows? You might actually like the kid"
Doubtful...
XxX ~ xx ~ XxX
"You really sure you're twelve?" Karin teased Naruto as the blond sluggishly waked up, popping several joints. "You creak like an old man." A giggle escaped her while being glared at by her cousin.
"Oh shut up, I'm not a morning person." While his redheaded cousin was already dressed in her new blue Kimono top and shorts.
"Aunt Kushina is getting breakfast ready. Get a shower and some clothes Naruto-Jiji." Kari only laughed as she ran out of the blond's room as he threw his pillow at her.
After a quick shower and getting dressed the blond paused as he entered the living room upon hearing a knock on the door. It was probably Sakura since she usually visited in the mornings. Nearing the door and opening it he was surprised at who was standing at his door.
"Hey," Ino gave a light wave with a small smile.
Confusion etched on Naruto's face as he blinked. "Uh, hey..." She was probably here to see Karin since Sakura introduce her to the Yamanaka heiress. "Karin's in-" He froze as Ino had suddenly globbed him into a hug. Saying he even more confused now would be an understatement.
Still, a hug was always nice to get.
"Is... something wrong?" Naruto asked he returned the hug.
A long sigh came from the Yamanaka as they detached; "Just wanted to say sorry for how I acted back in the academy." She gave her fellow blond a regretful grin; "after the prelims and talking to Sakura I figured I had to really refocus myself."
That Naruto had heard from his rosette haired teammate. "But also, I wanted to make up for being not much of a nice person."
To her surprised Naruto simply waved it off; "To be fair I did kind of act like an idiot back then." Kurama snorted in his mind but the blond ignored it. "So, yeah we're cool."
That was it, no yelling? Well she happy not to get yelled at, though she felt she kind of deserved it. Huh, Sakura wasn't lying saying how forgiving Naruto really was.
"Who's at the door?" Both blonds turn to see Kushina's head peeking out from the kitchen. The older redhead took a look at Ino; "Oh Inoichi's girl."
"Ino Yamanaka," The young kunoichi gave a respectful bow; "Nice to meet you."
"Well don't just stand there like logs, invite her in sochi. She can have breakfast with us."
XxX ~ xx ~ XxX
The moment Ino sat on the table she was already regretting her decision of coming here. Good gods almighty she had only seen this much food on a table when Choji invited her to dinner with his family. It seemed the Uzumaki household held a similar philosophy; eat or be eaten. Karin only ate a moderate amount while Kushina and Naruto devoured everything in sight, which were bowls upon bowls of noodles. Where did all that food go?
"Shou knom" Kushina mumbled with her mouth full before swallowing. "You know, I actually saw your fight"
Ino's head tilted curiously, "Oh?"
"It was pathetic"
Her gaze became downcast. "Oh..."
"Seriously, what the hell are they teaching you girls in the Academy nowadays?"
Karin glared at her; "Aunt Kushina..." She muttered harshly.
"You know what I was doing when I was your age? I was being a professional ninja"
Naruto deadpanned; "I have SEVERAL people that say the complete opposite"
"I can play pranks AND be professional, 'ttebane!"
Well Ino could definitely tell where now where Naruto had gotten his personality from. And this was the feared Red Death? The blond shook her head; "In truth it was really my fault for not taking ninja training seriously. Plus I got into being a shinobi for the wrong reasons."
"Being a fan girl," Ino winced at Kushina's bluntness. "But Sakura knocked some sense into you?" Well she already knew since the pinkette told her how she and Ino had started training together at her house. But she wanted to hear it from her and see how resolute Inoichi's girl was.
"Yes ma'am." the Yamanaka gave a nod; "Listening to what Sakura told me about Nami got my attention."
"Good." Kushina smiled
"And..." Ino glanced to Naruto; "wanted to see if you wanted to be friends with me." Her eye twitched at the sight of Naruto stopping mid-eating his Ramen and look at her. He really needed some table manners...
Slurping up his noodles with a gulp the blond Uzumaki blinked; "That sounds cool."
At that came a bright smile and wink from Ino before she looked to Kushina; "After the exams you alright with my team training with Naruto's?"
"You know Kakashi is team 7's sensei right?" the redhead chuckled. "Buuuut I don't see a problem with it. Means I get to meet Shikaku's and Chōza's boys."
Hearing that Naruto squints while Ino sweatdrops; "Don't expect much from Shika." Both muttered.
XxX ~ xx ~ XxX
Hinata sighed to herself as she stepped out of the hospital, after getting a clean bill of health she was free to return home. To the glares of Neji, the judgmental look of her father and the elders. If she were being completely honest, Hinata wouldn't have minded a few days on the hospital bed, facing Neji wasn't something she looked forward to. If they even let him close to her at all that is, oh dear, she hoped her father hadn't punished him too harshly. Neji was not a bad person, he was just lost.
Her pearly eyed gaze dropped to the ground. It was her own fault, had she won the match in the prelims perhaps she could have made some change in her dear cousin... But she didn't and she had to live with it.
Steeling her resolve, she looked up-
"Hi there~!"
And got scared out of her wits, falling to the ground with a squeak. Good thing they were at the hospital, they would treat her after this heart attack.
"Oh my" The redheaded woman looked at her in concern. "You okay there, hon?"
Hinata gazed upward and froze with a blush as she saw Naruto, but also his mother and Karin looking back. "N-N-Naruto-Kun! K-Kushina-Sama! K-Karin-San!"
The blond knelt down in front of the Hyuuga heiress; "You okay?"
Kushina gave the young girl a look over as her son helped her up. Oh she looked like her mother alright. "Sorry I haven't got a chance to meet you, you definitely look like Hitomi."
That gained Hinata's attention from conversing with the Blond to look at Kushina; "You knew my mother?"
"Went to the academy with her. I know your dad and late uncle too." The older redhead's voice softened. Shaking away the negativity Kushina leaned forward which made Hinata freeze being face to face with the legendary Red Death; "Hmm... Yup exactly like your mom."
"We were coming to check up on ya," Naruto had made a promise to himself to visit Hinata, making up for his forgetfulness. He had least been coming to see her once a day. It was a bit awkward at first with Naruto doing most of the talking and Hinata being too shy to say much.
But she had loosened up a little. And became friends with Karin when she came with Naruto at times.
"Heard you were coming out of the hospital, so I wanted to see how you were doing" Kushina said as she sat on the balls of her feet in front of the Hyuuga. "That cousin of yours was a dick" She blushed heavily at the crude language. Oh dear.
"N-Neji-niisan is not bad" Hinata spoke as she smoothed her clothes and shyly looked at the redhead.
"Oh honey, you are just too nice" Kushina beamed at her, "Let me introduce myself formally, I know you pearly eyes like that stuff. Name's Kushina Uzumaki, nice to meet you"
The purple haired girl managed a small smile, folding her hands in front of her. "M-My name's Hinata Hyuuga" And bowed. "It's a pleasure to meet you"
Kushina made a strange face, "HNG!" Oh goodness, her voice, the shyness, the adorable looks. This girl was just so... so... "CUTE!" Without warning, she grabbed the girl into a tight hug and rubbed her check with hers, much like she used to do with sweet Rin. "Ohhhh I just wanna eat you all up!"
Karin sighed while Naruto dryly said, "Mom, you're making her uncomfortable"
Hinata was going cheery blossom pink. She was not used to physical contact like this at all, much less from someone so enthusiastic.
"I'd thank you not to smother my student, Kushina-sama" A voice came to Hinata's aid. Walking towards the hospital came a beautiful woman with long dark hair, red eyes, and a distinct outfit which resembled bandages but on a pattern. Along with her came Shino and Kiba, the latter who waved with a bright 'Yo!' Akamaru barking happily on his head. "I believe you're making her uncomfortable" Kurenai admonished, yet a small smile tugged at her lips.
"I lay claim to this girl" Kushina said resolute, holding Hinata tightly against her chest. "If anyone dares harm this precious cinnamon roll, I will destroy them"
"Hiashi-Dono might not care for that Kushina-Dono." Shino spoke in his usual monotone.
Kiba only sweatdropped at the redhead childishly sticking out her tongue; 'Is this really the legendary feared red Death?' He looked over to Naruto who was squinting. 'Well the weirdness matches.'
Kurenai being apparently the adult among the two tried to get Kushina to relinquish her hug from a full body blushing Hinata. She failed.
Naruto weakly chuckled; "Mom likes to hug."
"We noticed blondie." Kiba spoke dryly. He soon leaned back as Kushina leaned over to him with an extremely serious expression. The young Inuzuka froze while Akamaru dropped off his head and into Karin's arms.
"So...Tsume's brat. Looks like Hana got the looks in the family though." She dryly turned to her head over to Shino; "Your dad Shibi?" She had gotten a nod, which was as much as she would get from an Aburame; "Tell him I said hi." She leaned back to look at Kurenai; "Don't think I've seen you before though."
At that the female Jounin chuckled; "You might know my father perhaps. Shinku Yūhi?"
"OH… Nope, sorry hun but ringing no bells dear."
Kiba snickered at the sight of their sensei frowning in mild annoyance. "Hmm, my father said he only knew you professionally at most. I must say it is a pleasure to know you, you are an inspiration to kunoichi everywhere in this village"
"Good" The redhead sniffed, "About time people recognized how awesome I am"
"...The stories about your personality don't do it justice"
"Thank you!" Kushina took it as a compliment, it was not.
Kurenai shook her head before looking kindly at her sole female student, "Are you feeling alright, Hinata?"
"Y-Yes sensei" The girl muttered from her place amidst Kushina's bosom.
"You can tell her to let you go if you want to" Her teacher sincerely hoped she did. Learning how to say no was an important step Hinata had yet to take.
"But I like hugging her!" Kushina whined, tightening her embrace. The Uzumaki was not making it easy, but it served as a better test for the girl.
"Mom/Aunt Kushina," Naruto and Karin drawl in monotone.
The older redhead huffed; "Oh fine." She gently placed the Hyuuga girl back on the ground and freed to breathe again. "OH!" Kushina raised a finger as she remembered a thought; "Wondered if after the exams you like to train with us?"
That made the Genjutsu mistress blink; "Hmm... My team is more of a sensory team than anything."
Kiba however looked excited; "Oh come one Kurenai-Sensei! This sounds like fun to me. And gets some good sparring with Naruto and Sasuke!" Akamaru barked happily in Karin's arms while she pets him.
Did dog-breathe actually not call him dobe? Naruto looked genuinely surprised as he swore he heard a mild respect coming from Kiba.
Adjusting his shades Shino spoke up; "It wouldn't hurt to diversify our training."
Kurenai thought it over for a moment, "I do believe our team has been lacking in terms of raw combat prowess"
"Hey, that's what I'm here for!" Kiba retorted, feeling his pride wounded. "I'm the power house of the team!"
"And you got your ass handed to you in the prelims" Naruto felt the need remind him.
The Inuzuka growled ferally at that, but soon pressed his lips and let the growl die down in his throat. "Yeah... Guess I still have a long way to go. That bitch-UCK!" Kurenai bonked him in the head. "That... Kumo girl I mean knew how to overpower me in close quarters. Hmph, would have fought differently had I mastered the combined transformation technique yet"
Kushina's eyes lit up, "Ohhh you mean the one you Inuzuka's fuse with your dogs and turn into giant multi-headed monsters?"
"You can do that?" Naruto's hands flew to his head, "Th-That is so cool!"
"Damn right it's cool," Kiba smirked with pride as he puffed his chest.
For which Shino quickly deflated him; "You still have not fully mastered your Shadow Beast Clone with Akamaru."
"Shut up! Sis likes to rub that in enough as it is!"
A snort came from Kushina; "I imagine Hana-chan could runs circles around you!" Kiba only slumped forward with a whine that came from the little puppy.
"You can't rely on big flashy techniques all the time, Kiba" Shino reminded him, "Why? Because you will not always have the chakra needed to perform them"
Kiba threw his head back and groaned, "Must be nice to be a chakra tank like you" He said to Naruto.
"Can't complain" The blonde replied. It really saved his skin plenty of times before.
"Chakra levels only get you so far. Look at your teammate's father" Kushina gestured to Shino, "I know for a fact Shibi's reserves are decent enough, but he's got such fine control of his bugs he can pretty much make them devour a good chunk of a forest"
Kushina then pointed to Hinata; "Hitomi was one the best users of the Byakugan with her sheer precision. Hiashi was always amazingly skilled at their clan's Taijutsu." She noticed the distance in Hitomi's daughter's eyes. Kushina doubt Hiashi would tell her, but she wanted to speak to him anyways what had happened in the years she was gone. "However the Byakugan while their greatest strength it's also a crunch if you're not careful. A chakra-laced flashbang is a great tool to use against dōjutsu."
Hinata winced as she recalled lessons about the Byakugan's weakness.
"Main point though, all of you are still Genin. You're just getting into this, and you have not even scratched the surface of where you could go." Kushina crossed her arms under her bust; "Right now you're all rookies. As Sakumo-sensei said; 'untested blades are never safe to bring to battle.'"
Kiba deadpanned; "In other words buckle down and train our asses off."
"BINGO!"
XxX ~ xx ~ XxX
To say Sasuke didn't like to open up to people was like saying water was wet. It kind of went unsaid, something everybody knew for a fact. So for Naruto to see him like this, eager yet nervous, masked beneath a veil of carefully maintained indifference, he knew this was one of those moments he would treasure. When Sasuke casually asked his team to be there for his first summoning, he understood the Uchiha needed somebody to be there because this was important to him in more ways than he could properly put into words beyond his usual grunts.
Sakura stood with her arms folded in front of her while Kakashi lazily stood behind them, hands in his pockets. Naruto and his mother were nearly bouncing on their feet, excited to see who would Sasuke's first summoned partner.
The Uchiha in question looked resolute, staring at nothing in particular as he stood in the middle of the training field surrounded by his teammates. No more delays, no more excuses, it was time to live to his mother's legacy.
His hands flew into the handsigns pattern with great proficiency, as he had practiced them many times before, biting into his thumb to draw blood and slamming his palm on the ground.
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"
Smoke burst forth from the summoning array that formed around his hand.
Sasuke let out a sharp breath. He had done it, he had taken the first step towards his mother's tradition, that of his grandfather and great-grandfather. And so would he follow it with his pride held high not just as an Uchiha, but as Mikoto's son. He was certain his partner would be the one he needed for such journey, an equally proud and strong fighter just like-
"EKKKKK! I can't believe I got summoned!"
A voice whose sheer excitement and joy that made Sasuke shiver made itself known.
With blinding speed, a blur popped out of the smoke, barreling into him with enough force to send him to the ground. Sasuke grunted as the newcomer pressed with their pawns against his chest and shoved their face right into his.
"Am I your partner?!" A white Bengal tiger, a cub no bigger than a housecat, cried out with the intensity of a hundred toddlers high up on sugar. "I am aren't I?! AHHHHHHHHHHH!" The far too cheerful tiger shrieked.
The white tiger cub affectionately rubbed her face with a loud purr against Sasuke's whose eye twitched. The tiger cub must be under the category of what people called 'adorable' because both Sakura and Kushina squealed so loud Kakashi and Naruto had to cover their ears.
"She is so cute!" The Uzumaki matriarch gushed in utter delight. "You are a she right?" The white tiger cub turned to look at her with blinking blue eyes; "Hi! Kushina Uzumaki, I was friends with the previous Tiger summoner Mikoto Uchiha."
The tiger gasped; "YOU'RE KUSHINA UZUMAKI!? But the chief said you were dead." leaping off young Sasuke much to his relief the tiger circled the redhead sniffing; "You don't smell dead. Why aren't you dead? Was the chief lying?"
Everyone blinked at how fast those questions came in rapid-fire without so much of a breath. Kushina however remained unaffected; "Almost died. Got stuck in a scroll for a while."
"OHHH! Bet that sucked." The tiger said bluntly before smiling showing her sharp fangs; "I'm Ty Lee Hello! Yes I'm a girl!" Before anyone could blink Ty lee had ran back to Sasuke leaping up. Unconsciously he caught her before she could hug him with her paws and lick his face spiritedly.
Naruto tried as hard as he could to reign in his laughter, shoulders shaking wildly, he feared he might slip up but he just found this utterly hilarious. Kakashi hid his face in his book but his shoulders gave him away. This had to be karma or something!
Naruto had a look like he just achieved eternal bliss, "I want to thank all the gods in heaven for witnessing this moment"
Sasuke grunted as he kept Ty Lee as far away from his face as his arms would allow. "Glad you're enjoying this..."
"Ohhhh immensely!"
"Imma be the best partner ever, just you watch!" Ty Lee swore passionately, "We're gonna have tons of adventures, and we're gonna have fun, and, and, and eat lots of sweets!" She happily said as she wiggled in his grasp.
This cub was like the polar opposite of Hien.
Sakura tried to reign her giggling, tried being the key word. "I-I'm honestly surprised you got one like... this" Hyperactive didn't feel enough to properly describe how energetic Ty Lee was.
"I want to change. Right now" Sasuke demanded.
"Awww don't be like that, you sour puss!" The cub admonished.
Kushina chuckled, "Oh so sorry Sasuke, these are the rules. First one you summon is gonna be your main partner" The Uchiha looked like he was going to protest more, until Kushina gave him a sly smile. "Wouldn't want to break the same rules your mother followed would you?"
The glare he was giving her could have set her ablaze, but he hanged his head and sighed in defeat. "Fine..." He sternly looked at the white tiger. "But you better tone this attitude you have down, I don't do that stuff"
"You don't do happiness, excitement, the joy at all the wonderful things life can give you?" The tiger questioned.
"Yeah. None of that"
"Hmph!" Ty Lee pouted at him, "You're no fun! But just you wait, I'm gonna stick around just so I can get a smile out of your frowny face!"
Kushina smiled widely to herself, before noticing the look Kakashi was giving her. There was no rule about 'first summon is your main partner'. That didn't make any sense to begin with as a summoner could summon any specific creature for the task at hand. You didn't have to stick with one on a longer basis than you did with any other animal unless you wanted to.
The Uzumaki matriarch just winked at him, asking him to keep quiet with that simple gesture. Kakashi sighed; well perhaps this Ty Lee cub would be good for Sasuke. A more counterbalancing influence on his life perhaps, time would tell.
"So what do you do for fun?" Ty Lee asked her summoner upon being set down.
"I train" He curtly replied.
"That's no fun! You should chase mice!"
"Are you a tiger or a housecat..?"
XxX ~ the following day ~ XxX
She had begun to notice to crowd of people was steadily growing as the days rolled by since coming to the Hidden Leaf Village. People were no doubt excited for the 3rd stage of the Chunin exams, though as far as her personal opinions go on being ninja in this age, Kuroreimei found it utterly laughable.
In a time long passed she recalled the true assassins who were masters of the shadows and blades. If you had managed to see a true shinobi, you were already dead. These 'ninja' as far as she was concerned were glorified government funded mercenaries.
Still, they served a purpose she supposed.
The balance of the Elemental Nations was delicate to maintain, but such balance had quickly become stagnation in less than a century. Now the ninjas were locked in a pointless cycle of retaliation. Attack, defend, counter-attack, and prepare for the next conflict. Such narrow sighted path was no way to live. Humans always had trouble looking at the bigger picture and thinking long term.
And she was meant to find an inheritor of Rama's Will here of all places?
The pale dark haired woman sighed to herself. Was she doing the right thing, or just trusting blindly in prophecies? How was she even going to witness such a will, it wasn't something that anyone could just show out of the blue.
Her thoughts were soon interrupted as she was caught off guard by a young blond haired boy that smacked into her and making both her and the blond hit the ground hard.
Naruto let out a groan as he shook his head, he was so caught up on the fact he was late for practice he had not noticed someone in his path and ran into her. Rubbing his eyes with right hand, his left felt he was grabbing something really soft. "Do you always run into a lady and grab their breasts young man?"
The blond froze before lowering his hand and finding himself on-top of a raven hair woman in a red kimono who was dryly staring at him. With his other hand holding one of her breasts. Kuro swore the boy teleported off of her now standing with an intense blush covering his cheeks. "I-I'M SORRY!" he outright in a panic yelled waving his arms frantically.
"Hmph" She stood up, dusting off her kimono. The woman kept a perfectly controlled expression in her face despite the mild irritation she felt. "No harm done" Honestly, to have been so distracted by her own thoughts she didn't notice someone running at full speed, shame on her.
The boy was still doing everything he could to avoid looking at her in the eye. Pre-teens...
"So, do I not get to know your name after you got so forward with me?" She gave him a teasing smile.
"I-I said I was sorry!" He quickly sputtered. "N-Naruto Uzumaki, ma'am"
Her smile shattered as her red eyes widened ever so slightly in surprise. "Uzumaki you say"
Well now... interesting.
"Uh, yeah" The blonde scratched his neck awkwardly. "Guess you heard of my clan?"
"Enough to know you're supposed to be redhead"
"Oi! It's the genes' fault!"
"Of course" She humored him, and scrutinized him with a critical eye before giving him a friendly smile. "My name is Kuroreimei. Kuro if you'd rather avoid the mouthful"
"Nice to meet you!" He gave her a beaming smile which showed all his teeth. "Can we forget... 'That' ever happened?"
She chuckled. "No problem. Now" She softly bowed to look at him closer. "You were in a big hurry, don't you need to keep going?"
His blue eyes widened, as though he had just realized. "Crap, you're right!" He began sprinting once again, giving her a last look and a wave as he spun mid-step. "Sorry about earlier, see ya!" And disappeared on a corner.
Kuroreimei chuckled to herself, such a fun kid... The humor in her quickly died down, her brow furrowing in deep thought. Someone from that line... So the Uzumaki carried on. Was this what the seer had seen? Was this where that legendary will would be reborn?
The Queen of Lanka did not believe in coincidences. She would keep a close eye on that boy.
XxX ~ xx ~ XxX
Naruto let out a long weary sigh. Not only did he bump into some lady he had accidentally groped her as well. And if that was not enough his mother added a few 'EXTRA' hour of training for being late.
Oh he felt so damn sore in places he never thought possible!
Heading through the village to get some ramen for a break he spotted someone who made him smile; "Haku-chan!"
The said Hyoton user perked up upon hearing her name and turned seeing Naruto run up to her. "Naruto-kun." Beside her were Kouhei and Chojuro.
"Sup," The whip wielder of Haku's team said casually before grimacing; "What the hell happen to you?"
The question came to the look of blond Uzumaki. Front head to toe he looked like he was in small-scale war. Even his clothes were in partial tatters "Sparring lesson with my mom."
Haku winced but kept a friendly smile, "I see she did not go easy on you" The twitch in his eye did not look healthy. "We were just heading over to train ourselves"
"Right" Naruto said as he remembered, "You and Chojuro are gonna fight in the final exams" He placed his arms akimbo, as he looked at the two. "So, Yugito-chan and the Suna girl. Kind of like your opposites in the fight I think, one is fire the other is long range"
"It will be a challenge" Haku admitted, "But we're confident in our chances"
Kouhei snorted, "You're confident, four eyes here can't stop shaking at the thought"
The young swordsman let out a sad whine and looked down on the ground.
Haku gave him a reproaching stern glare, "Kouhei..."
"What? If he can't man up for his round, then he's not gonna impress anyone to get a promotion, much less actually win his match"
Naruto deadpanned, "Says the guy who lost his match"
A vein throbbed underneath the whip wielder's forehead. "Hey, my opponent was a total freak!"
He wasn't wrong in that regard. Gaara was a beast, plain and simple. But... knowing he was a jinchuuriki, Naruto couldn't help but feel sympathy for him. He could only imagine what he went through. To kill as to 'justify his existence'... he couldn't even begin to describe how messed up that was. The things Suna must have done to Gaara for him to develop that sort of mentality, that... sheer bloodlust, that overall sense of wrongness. It made Naruto feel much more grateful his later childhood was relatively happier and much safer than whatever Gaara had been through.
He felt the need to help Gaara, because Naruto could feel the pain and loneliness that laid beneath, he understood it very well...
He shook his head out of those depressing thoughts, he didn't even know how to help Gaara in the first place. So he focused on the present, a curious thought coming to the forefront of his mind as he remembered a peculiar detail of that fight in the prelims.
"You still slapped him around real good though. Didn't know you had a water element that strong"
"Yeah," Kouhei's tone was outright dismissive. He soon turned his head to look away.
The three teens were taken aback by how un-talkative Ringo was about using that powerful water element. You would think having something like that you'd least brag about it. But ever since the month for the 3rd exams begun Haku had told Naruto that Kouhei went quiet when by upon being mentioned.
Like he hated it, for whatever reason.
"Why didn't you use it before? Your water affinity is through the roof, man"
"Cause I didn't feel like it, okay?" Tough his eyes were mostly hidden by his hair, they could feel the intense glare coming from them.
Haku's gaze softened considerably. She had tried asking Zabuza about what they had seen in the prelims, and even though it was beyond obvious the bandaged man knew something, he kept it hidden underneath vague lies, 'How should I know?' he had said, 'Kouhei's business are his own'. And it was obvious Zabuza knew Haku didn't buy it, but whatever the truth was, he wasn't talking. No, Kouhei would have to tell them on his own volition eventually. If that day ever came at all.
Naruto couldn't really understand it himself. But it looked like he wasn't getting any answers out of the Ringo anytime soon, so he just let it slide. None of his business, Kakashi-sensei would say. Of course, that hadn't stop Naruto before, but even he could tell Kouhei wasn't nearly even ready to talk about this subject that burdened him so much.
"You guys want to go eat some time?" Naruto asked changing the subject.
Haku gave a light nod; "When we can." The Ringo gave a quick thumbs up with nod from Chojuro.
XxX ~ xx ~ XxX
One would think serving as the entrance gatekeepers would be the most tedious job in the whole village. But Kotetsu Hagane and Izumo Kamizuki knew better, contrary to popular belief, most of the time it was actually the main entrance by which enemy ninja would try to sneak in. A good ninja hid himself in plain sight, disguised as simple civilians, merchants or the like. As such, it was their duty to see through the disguises of any potential enemy Nin. Proper documentation was only the first step, and with the final part of the exams soon to roll in, there were lots of forgeries going around. A quick snap of their fingers and the ANBU stationed there would soon take down whoever they thought was a threat. Never did Kotetsu and Izumo let pass someone who they knew was lying about their identity.
Until today in which they had specific orders to let one such person pass that is.
The documentation was good, very good even... In fact it was too good, how the hell would a mere tourist get something signed by the scribes of the Fire Court itself? The seal was a dead giveaway.
Kotetsu kept his bandaged face carefully impassive, the person before him was doing a terrible job at trying to look inconspicuous. Baggy pants and a hoodie with which she hid most of her face, though he could still see the traces of soft rose hair and her pale green eyes were as clear as day, the posture was tense, her face betrayed every kind of emotion, this person doing such a poor job at sneaking in she might as well be carrying a sign that said; 'amateur'.
They had been informed the moment she left the capital of course. She did not do a very good job at leaving quietly either...
Izumo gave her a friendly smile, "Everything seems to be in order. Enjoy our beautiful village"
"Thank you!" The young woman said, a touch too exuberantly. "I will!" And walked inside the village with a quick pace. Trying to avoid any further conversations with the ninjas.
The bandanna wearing chūnin sighed, "She's doing a terrible job at sneaking in"
"Give her a break" Kotetsu came to her defense, "The lady hasn't been trained in stealth" He then tapped the button on the radio communicator around his neck. "She's in, Hokage-sama"
"Good job" Came their leader's voice through the radio.
XxX ~ xx ~ XxX
"Your part is done, let the ANBU tail her from now on" Said the aged Hokage as stared through his crystal ball at the young woman in a hoodie.
"My lord" The voice of Neko at his side asked with concern, "Is this wise? With all the recent events, the exams might not be the safest place for her"
"Orochimaru has yet to show himself again, besides, she is more than capable of taking care of herself" Hiruzen leaned back on his chair, taking a drag from his pipe. "Furthermore, Akiha-sama felt she earnt this chance to indulge herself. He believes it might quell the rebellious streak she's been having lately"
"Far be it from me to go against the daimyo's wishes" Said the purple haired ANBU, "I am just concerned is all, this is all very unorthodox"
"Hmph" Hiruzen let out a short laugh, "Considering who your teacher is, I thought you would be in favor of being a bit unorthodox every now and then"
"I strive to uphold myself to the standards I developed under Kushina-sensei's tutelage" Said Neko, "That is, always do the opposite of what she would do"
The Hokage nodded in approval, "That is wise" He looked once more at the crystal ball, and saw the young woman sitting on the outdoor tables of a coffee shop. "Now, let's make sure our dear princess stays out of trouble"
XxX ~ xx ~ XxX
She had done it! She had successfully sneaked into Konoha to see the exams! Great victory for Maiyuri Sasaki!
Ohhh she had been so nervous at first. But remembering her requests of going to see the Chūnin Exams being denied by her father on multiple occasions fueled her drive to act so... irresponsibly.
She wasn't going to lie, she kind of liked this sensation.
Maiyuri bit back a sigh, fiddling with a lock of her rose hair. Yuma was being a very bad influence of her, she could just imagine her giving her a thumbs up at this ridiculous plan of her.
Though the exams weren't the only reason she wanted to leave the capital. She would not be doing this if that were the case. She just... couldn't take it anymore. She was a young woman of age, she could make her own decisions, but most of her life she had lived secluded in the palace, learning the art of statesmanship and war. The only times she had glimpsed the outside world was when she trained with the monks at the Fire Temple, or whenever Yuma was in town and she would take her on one of their wild escapades.
Aside from that, all her life had been her education on politics and martial combat, nothing else.
Maiyuri loved her father, she truly did, but sometimes she felt he was not giving her the liberties she required. Like he did not trust her to keep herself safe. She wanted to go outside, see their nation for what it was, to see their people and mingle with them. Only then would she truly feel capable of one day inheriting her father's throne.
She had grown up hearing about ninja, and had even seen some in person. But those were experienced adults, now that she was in Konoha, she couldn't help but be... disturbed at how young some of them were.
Some couldn't be older than twelve...
The princess wasn't naive by any stretch. But the fact that child soldiers were more than a concept and an actual practice bothered her greatly. Children should not be plunged into life or death battles, blindly thrown into the horrors of war.
"Your mom is making ramen again? How you two have not suffered several heart attacks by now I'll never know"
"It's all in the attitude, you have to respect ramen and it will respect you"
"Do you hear yourself talk sometimes? That is not stuff normal people say"
"Then I don't wanna be normal"
"Mission accomplished…"
Her eyes glanced around and noticed a blond boy with whiskers speaking to a rosette haired girl. The Kyuubi Jinchurriki, of course she knew of their nation's 'trump card'. It made her sick that the poor boy was made into a weapon without a single choice in the matter.
His looks alone screamed Namikaze. Personally Maiyuri believed the secrecy of his heritage was a big farce, but then again, people didn't see what they didn't want to see. And any semblance of keeping his parentage a secret was gone with the return of his mother, the legendary Red Death.
To think she had been alive but in hiding all this time... At least that was the official story; Hiruzen-dono had of course informed her father who had confided in her the truth. A scroll that saved her life, truly, the prowess of the Uzumaki seal craft was unrivaled.
Just thinking about what the adults alone had to go through made her worry about the future generations of ninja. The clans had banded with the intent of stopping the cycle of conflict, but it had only expanded between villages. One step forward and two steps backwards. The history of the Elemental Nations in a nutshell.
Perhaps one day she could make things different.
"Sometime you have to break from your cage and spread your wings to show people you're ready."
Maiyuri sighed as her longtime friend's words echoed in her head. Easier said than done when you're the child of the daimyo. Granted once her father caught wind of what she had done to get here there would be an enormous scolding awaiting for her back home. But until she actually saw the world for what it really was, she knew in her heart she wouldn't be a good ruler otherwise.
So she would see what Konoha had to show her. All of it, whether it was good or bad.
XxX ~ xx ~ XxX
Prophecies were a curious thing; this the Toad Elder Gamamaru had come to learn in his long years. His gift of foresight wasn't as clear as many would expect, sometimes he himself had trouble understanding what he was seeing.
The future was often foggy, or perhaps a better analogy would be to say that it was like turbulent waters, always moving and shifting on its multiple paths. The further you tried to look away, the more it diverged on its paths. Few oracles could tell the future with utmost certainty, often due to the gifts of the gods.
But knowing the future carried a risk, that of making it a self-fulfilled prophecy. In that way one could say the stream of time also went backwards in full circle.
The vision Gamamaru had seen long ago, that of the Child of the Prophecy that would bring peace in a tumultuous era, as time went on he uncovered more and more details. The promised time felt closer than ever, and many pieces on the board were starting to move.
Throughout the years Gamamaru had seen and heard of various individuals that could potentially be the Child. Minato had been promising, but had been cut short before his time. And that boy Jiraiya trained in Ame who had inherited the Rinnegan too had been slain according to the Sannin.
There was also Naruto to consider but... There was something that made him pause. Could it possibly be that only one person was the Child? His vision could have been symbolic; after all, more than one individual could inherit a will.
His vision lately had shown him another image, one far more clearer than the ones that came before. That of a magnificent hero who had saved the world once. The message was obvious.
The Child of the Prophecy would be someone that would inherit Rama's Will.
When darkness would be at its peak, evil at the cusp of victory and hope hung by a thread. The inheritor would only smile and fight with all their might to the bring darkness into light. To think such a will would return once more.
"All roads point to Konoha"
The Chūnin Exams, he could feel it, it was a pivotal point that would set off a chain of events.
"Fate points there" The soft feminine voice of his companion spoke, red eyes lost in thought. "Are you certain?"
"As certain as I can be, old friend" The elder spoke, leaning back on his great throne.
"Hmm, I guess it makes sense. Shishou's descendants live there after all" She replied with a small shake of her head, white hair with a touch of soft blue swaying as she did so.
"Are you planning on traveling there?"
"Only for a moment" She said as she stood up, brushing her white and red kimono. "I've much to do still" A smile graced her lips, "But it would be nice to see them" She looked at the toad elder, "Have you told your student the full truth, Gamamaru?"
"Not yet" The great toad replied. "But soon, it is time Jiraiya assumes his duties fully. So we must tell him of the past"
The woman gave a nod; "It will be a lot for him to take."
"Jiraiya can endure; he is a strong willed one."
An amused smirked crossed her lips; "And rather stubborn as well as I hear."
Gamamaru chuckled; "That he is."
Her mood soon darkened, "…Once again, war is on the horizon. And the fate of the world hangs in the balance" She took a deep breath before determination returned to her eyes. "So we must be ready. We must continue to seek allies, only then will we stand a chance"
"Those who inherit Rama's Will, will be at the center of it all Tomoe"
"Heh" A smile graced her lips. "Heroes who are driven by an impossible task, they are the ones who change the world"
She remembered such people fondly, their courage was magnificent. Though eras may pass, the flame of that spirit would never die.
"Teacher" Tomoe swore passionately, "I won't let you down"
XxX ~ xx ~ XxX ~ xx ~ XxX
Kya's design is based on Tia Harribel from Bleach
Lyn is based on Cis from Animatrix
As a reminder, Kuroreimei's model is Yuuko Ichihara from xxxHOLIC
Another Shoton chapter coming!