Disclaimer: Play Frostpunk, It's an amazing game!
Okay so uuuuuuhhhhhhh sorry? I… didn't plan to take this long to update. I just didn't have any idea what to write. I'm very sorry! This chapter is shorter than usual but I wrote more in the last couple of hours (It's 1:30 am, Wednesday for me) than in the last three weeks. Combined
Please don't kill me!
Reviews!
TheSlySage: Those are pretty good ideas actually! I don't think I will add them though.
The cameo is not a bad idea, might make it happen.
Nithi velu: Don't worry, the action comes soon!
I already gave some hints though?
Racan: The image just came so vividly that my hands slipped :-)
Reviewer no Kage: Thank you for the compliment on the fight! I had fun writing that.
Tanjiro and Nezuko will only come in the form of mentions or some simple scenes. I don't want to make the a full-blown character yet. Though this can change.
The fuuinjutsu part literally came to me the very moment I wrote it. I'm glad you could follow it. This is my explanation of how I plan to give Naruto the Uzumaki powers naturally while showcasing his genius.
You planted the idea of Asuma being their sensei into my head and I liked it. I decided to give him some development on why he is who he is.
I'm thinking of alternating POVs between Jiraiya and Asuma with some others sprinkled in. What do you think?
I'm sure all of you were waiting for this update though! Have fun reading!
There are a lot of things you learn by living in the same room as Uzumaki Naruto.
First of all, he is a rabid cuddler.
That is not even a joke. He can, and will, make time for cuddles whenever he can. Whether that be whilst losing his sanity over a seal, planning a prank, or making plans to capture a castle is just a side note for him. If he wants hugs, he will get them.
That is what someone would say that only knew him for a day.
If someone lived with him they would understand the why of this phenomenon.
People show love by giving what they never had.
Naruto will constantly find a way to touch you, not out of malice or perversion, mind you, but he is simply built that way. A rub on the back, holding hands, a kiss on somewhere, or sometimes braiding your hair.
He grew up severe lack of love. He also grew up with not much in the way of touching, especially positive. As such, little Naruto decided that the two must be connected. He isn't wrong either. Others kiss, hug and hold hands to show affection so it must be true, right?
So when he found people that weren't mean to him and didn't mind touching he showered them with it. At first, it bothered her –naïve she was- until it was explained to her by Mom.
She cradles that memory deep within her mind, a reminder of better times. It was a sunny day, and the afternoon beams of lights lightly caressed her as she read in the living room. Mom was clanking away in the kitchen, making a simple curry for the two of them. The two of them since He was away on a mission and Father was doing something that she found she didn't care about enough to ask. She imagined the spicy smell forming clouds of different colors floating around the room. Its source? The kitchen is just a dining table away. She always liked reading with some kind of background noise. That day was no different, Mom's eternal hum of something nonsensical song. Yet, she felt like she heard that song from somewhere, or maybe not? Perhaps it was just Mom's voice. Just when she was about to lay down for a nap she remembered Naruto's incessant need to touch. She snapped back from being in between the waking world and the dreams. She looked at Mom and asked her question. She, strangely, doesn't quite remember her wording. Whenever she tried to recall the sentence she only gets white noise instead of answers. Instead, she remembers Mom's reaction crystal clear.
All of a sudden she simply stopped. Humming cease to be, clanking fading away, Biwako could easily imagine the smile not being quite right anymore. Even now, she does not understand what exactly that emotion was. She was slightly scared, had she done something wrong? Mom always encouraged questions even if she didn't get answers. Questions chase away ignorance as well as arrogance since they went hand in hand.
When she turned to face her it was a strange sight that greeted Biwako. Face showing a sad –no-no. Not sad, but perhaps melancholic? Nostalgic but without the positive side? Mom walked out of the kitchen –dinner forgotten- and crouched down in front of Biwako. She still remembers the surprise, Mikoto Uchiha would not let the apocalypse stop her from finishing curry. And yet here she was, crouching in front of her daughter and taking her hand into her own.
She explained that people show love differently. Some by spending time with each other, some by buying gifts. Naruto simply shows it by touching.
That got her thinking, how does she show it?
She will never admit to it bothering her as much as it did. Though it was always in the back of her mind until a night went restless and she remembered that conversation. She was fortunate enough to find a book containing love languages –'how cheesy'- and their description.
She didn't mind touching but it didn't feel right to call it her love language.
Gifts, she enjoys giving and receiving. It might be that?
Acts of service are kind of a blend between all of them from what she understands. Master of none –better than master of one doesn't apply here- but it feels lackluster. It isn't this either.
Words of affirmation? Pfff-. She might have learned to –forced to- talk more as a side-effect of living with a certain redhead, but she doesn't like talking with others much. Wait. Maybe that proves it then? She only genuinely enjoys talking with one person –no matter the topic. Hmm.
Then she read the last point. Quality time. Does it feel right? Yes. Did she have a lack of it growing up? A father that cared more about the clan, a brother that was just barely keeping his sanity in ANBU, and a mother that, despite being a reserve kunoichi, was constantly called in for a mission –against her will- meant little in the was of Family Bonding Nights.
…
When her world was falling apart did it help that someone –Naruto, who else?- was always there? Yes.
So her love language is quality time.
It was slightly strange after that revelations, the world felt a bit cleaner. It wasn't so, so tangled.
She understands why he is always the way he is, whenever she does the whole quality time together thing she always feels better.
Still-
"Why, exactly, are you perching on my back?" Doing push-ups on its own is a special kind of hell much less with a red-headed weight on her.
"Vantage point." Because that makes sense.
"For?" You can forgive her for panting that out, she has been doing this for about thirty minutes now. She needs answers.
"So that no enemy may sneak up on you. They can't get behind your back if I'm sitting on it." So logic is dead, got it.
She pauses in her workout and watches the sweat dripping from her nose onto the tatami, "I hope you noticed that we are in friendly territory, right? You may not be the sharpest kunai in the holster but…" Fake worry for his mental state crept into her voice.
"Oi! Is this the way you thank me?! Hmph such impudence!" It is easy to imagine him turning his nose up dramatically. His voice became what she would call a perfect imitation of the Uchiha Elders, "very well! I shall not let your poisonous words seep into my psyche." Biwako snapped her head back to look at him with a look of utter disbelief. 'He knows what those words mean?' He climbed down from her back and looked down at her form still mid-push. If his lips were not twitching madly it might have been a belittling gaze. "I will now take my leave, barbarian! I hope you will enjoy your savage activities –all the while worrying for your back lest you find a knife buried deep! Sweating, hmph!" She could not stop the slight snort from leaving her mouth. Judging by the fact that he is on the back foot in his valiant war against smiling he caught it. Still, he has a role to play. As such he turned around like has some billowing robes and stormed out of the room. Like the dramatic little shit he is.
She decided to just take her time to sit cross-legged and stare at the door he just used to make a dramatic leave. She won't acknowledge the smile on her face.
'Three. Two. O-'
"Hihihihihi." Adorable giggling filtered through the door. Steps soon followed.
"Pervert!" Such exclamations filled the streets closely followed by various wooden clanking.
"Pervert? I, Jiraiya the Gallant, is no simple pervert! I am a Super Pervert!" Was the answering shout as a tall man with white hair almost his own size run out of the onsen. His self-imposed quest to research the wonders of women's bodies satisfied for the day. But he is nothing if not hardworking and as such he has already begun exploring for further vic- khm, research partners.
Such is the life of one Jiraiya the Gallant. A man feared by men and lusted after by women. A man whose legendary tales are only surpassed by his libido. A man who-
"Ah, excuse me." A man who just bumped into someone. How embarrassing is that?
Still, he wears a satisfied smile, the kind that spoke of a job well-done. Why shouldn't he be? He had a clandestine rendezvous with one of his favored informants just the night before. Not only had he received information on the most troublesome children since a drunk, sleep-deprived Minato but according to Sabi-chan a contender for his title –the Best Informant and not the Super Pervert- has died due to fugu poisoning.
'Ambrosia he expected and yet he only got the Witch's Apple,' he blinked in surprise at his errant thought. That is a pretty good line, maybe he could use it in his next book? He snorted lightly, 'yeah, when I stop having this stupid writers' block. Never.' Alas, the life of a writer is arduous.
Speaking of Sabi-chan, he got quite lucky last night. A beauty unrivaled in these regions. Rust-colored hair that glints in the moonlight, eyes of lapis, a body of lightness. But if one looked closer they would see that behind the sweet façade lies a viper that survived only due to her poison.
A grin took over his face, and yet he sweet-talked himself into her panties. Never let it be said Jiraiya the Gallant doesn't know how to satisfy women.
'Hm? Where might I be?' It seems like in his reminiscence his feet took to exploring the streets. Around him were simple shops with people bantering for better prices. Smells filled his nose, everything from fresh apples to newly-caught fish. He smiled, these places always promised something fun. Feet regaining their original purpose he started to journey through the market. But where does he start? Or maybe journeys shouldn't have a start? Oh well, following his nose never lead him astray.
The place was as full as it should be during high noon. He could hear anything and everything from mothers scolding their wayward children to idiots getting scammed just across the street. He took note that his nose chose a smell rather salty and starchy to follow since it was getting stronger with every step. Perhaps some food? He is rather hungry and some company would be rather nice.
He is –literally- knocked out of his thoughts by something hitting his leg. Something that bounced back and "Ow" -ed. Looking down he finds himself looking at the young boy, mayhaps seven years old, rubbing his forehead. Presumably the point of collision.
The child looked up and Jiraiya sees the exact thought running through his young mind.
'Oh crap, tall and scary!'
"Hi there!" He grins down at the kiddo and extends a helping hand, "hope my thigh wasn't too hard."
Poor kid is bewildered enough that it is only good manners that makes him take the hand. He doesn't do anything else though so it falls to Jiraiya to pull him up with one pull.
"Woooah!" Seems like he didn't expect Tall and Scary-san to take this course of action.
Jiraiya pats the kid-who's-name-he-yet-to-hear on the shoulder, "run along my little friend. And take this with you for good fortune," with that he plopped one of his emergency Icha Icha book into the kid's hands.
"Aki-nii!" Both of their heads snapped to the most adorable little girl he has seen since Konan. Wild, brown hair a few shades darker than the kid –Aki?- that bobs with every step she takes, green eyes –the same shade as the kid- that peak through her bangs, chubby little face filled with baby fat though it is currently split wide open with a grin that show her slightly incomplete denture.
He only had this one second to go over her features before she collided with her objective. Aki wobbled for a second where he looked like they would fall but in the end, he defeated gravity and kept himself and the koalafied girl stuck to his torso.
He took a second to smile down at them –and ignore images superimposing themselves on the pair- before deciding to walk away, he wasn't needed here.
He threw a hand back to wave at the siblings and disappeared around a stall. The salty smell is getting closer, now mixed with various spices and meats with a hint of fresh vegetables presumably bought from the market around him. It is just around the corner-
'Ah. I almost forgot that the world hates me.'
In front of him is but a simple ramen shop. A ramen shop with remarkable similarity to Teuchi-san's shop.
A grown man shouldn't feel like crying just by seeing a ramen shop.
"Come on sensei! I'm hungry!" Ringo's voice snapped him out of whatever funk he was in. That wasn't fast enough for her so she decided to grab his other arm –as his left is occupied by an impatient Akihiko- and tried to pull him. Minato –the little traitor that he is- decided against helping his Gallant sensei instead he just simply watched from the sides, amused as hell.
"Welcome!" The voice rattled him out of his memories. It seems like while his mind was trying its damndest to make him cry he stepped into the little stand.
It is simple in design, dark wood bar counter and white stools with red seats. An older gentleman was manning the counter who simply nodded at him. He took seat on the far right.
"Two miso ramen please."
"Understood." His voice sounds like how he looks, old and dignified, odd at a place like this but not unwelcome.
His mind starts to wander as he waits for his meal. He got a large amount of info about what his wayward kids had been up to.
Their first month was spent evading capture. He is very proud of them for that, especially since he has a feeling that they left a lot of markers everywhere making them close to impossible to capture. Reports have shown that they packed a lot of supplies –this is how they've known the two left willingly. The only reason they could track them reasonably well is that they made a few amateur mistakes in the first month. After that, they only saw them a few times per week –less and less each month.
What they didn't know until now is what happened after that. Apparently, around six months in they traveled to Wave Country for some reason, and hoo boy were they busy!
The Wave daimyo unofficially gave them a house cleaning mission since she was backed into a corner. Some guy named Gato was trying very hard to take over the place through sheer capitalism. Naruto and Biwako decidedly said "no" and assassinated him along with his gang.
On one part he is proud. Not only have they completed their first mission –unofficial it may be- but that first mission was firmly B-rank. They also did it very clean and quiet as it took him quite some time to figure it out. At this point, Wave is well on its way to recovery since they used Gato's hoarded money and artifacts as recompense. Remarkable how much progress they made in the last three months.
Otherwise, he is a mix of guilty and various other not-so-good things. He should have been there. His kids shouldn't have had to kill so early on, they are so young. Especially not an entire gang! But life is a cruel mistress, he only hopes that they managed to heal from bloodying their hands.
After their stint in Wave, they went straight to Iron. One of them most likely heard about the civil war there as well as their neutrality so they put two-and-two together and decided that they would be the safest there.
In a war-torn country that will not stand for Konoha to step into their domain.
The moment Jiraiya heard that he developed the Migraine of Migraines spoken of in legends.
Like student, like sensei.
"Two Miso ramen, sir." The elderly owner(?) placed the two noodles in front of him.
"Thank you," Jiraiya inclined his head and put the payment into his hands, "keep the change, it was worth coming in here just for the smell."
The owner's mask cracked and he gave a little smile, "thank you, sir." He was gone the next second, no doubt preparing the next noodle for the next hungry customer.
Jiraiya began eating but his mind was far away.
He wonders what they are like. Are they happy? Safe? Healthy? Are they there for each other? People are amazing what they can do when they have someone they can trust implicitly.
He remembers fondly when he got a new picture of them.
Little Biwako with her black-on-black coloring like every other Uchiha. Short hair that didn't even try to hide the soul-seeing look in her eyes. Sword strapped to her back because she was too short to carry it on her waist. He wondered why she had her hair short, Uchiha women traditionally hold it long, -he suspects it is to insult the Hyuuga- until he remembered that sword dancers of old weren't allowed to wear it long until they mastered their way around the blade. Maybe she lives by that code? She certainly looked like she would.
Naruto with the same wild hair as Minato but with Kushina's colors that couldn't hide his sapphire eyes a carbon copy of his father's. He presented a stark contrast to his best friend. Where she was monochrome and serious he was bathed in the colors of dawn and smiled so hard that his eyes squinted. If Jiraiya wasn't the spymaster that he is he would have pegged Naruto as a well-meaning knucklehead based on the picture alone.
Jiraiya disagrees on the knucklehead part. He has seen that look many a time on Kushina, the eyes of a trickster and the smile of a cat-with-the-canary. A fox so cunning that he doesn't even need to wear the chicken's feathers to blend in.
After his eyes, he noticed his hair, especially the noticeable similarity to Jiraiya's own mane. He couldn't resist asking Sarutobi-sensei why he had it like that.
Sensei simply grinned at him and told him that little Naruto once came barreling into his office –saving him from paperwork- and started going on and on about a certain someone called 'Jiraiya' and 'Hokage-jiji he is so cool! Did you know that he is one of the Sannin and a sealmaster and he taught Yondaime-sama?!' followed by dozens of questions that ultimately led to Naruto declaring Jiraiya the Gallant as the 'Coolest Ninja in the Nations'. So little Naruto started to grow out his hair since it was just as spiky as Jiraiya's.
Jiraiya won't lie, he cried a bit then. It's okay though only Sensei –who he still trusts- and some unfortunate ANBU that were threatened into obedience –not like they would tell. Still, he hadn't felt as happy since Minato was named Hokage. Or maybe when he was asked to be the one to officiate their wedding.
He was also the reason Naruto took up fuuinjutsu! Well, one of them. He was the reason someone remade the Hiraishin. Twice! Imagine that.
Oh, how much he wants to see them both. How much he wants to teach them both. Even so, he is patient. Both of them are smart and strong. They also trust each other greatly so they probably work together well. If push comes to shove and the rain clouds gather they can always escape with Hiraishin.
He will see them one day, he just needs to wait.
He hears a shout coming from the front. Unfortunately, the wind's howls drown it out, 'unbelievable, just a few meters and I'm as deaf as I'm blind.'
"What!" he tries to scream back over the storm but he is not sure whether he was heard. This sage-damned snowstorm blindsided them around ten minutes ago. Or maybe thirty? Nah, he can still feel some of his fingers so it wasn't longer than fifteen minutes ago.
He catches another shout but he still can't make out a word. He squints at her, 'maybe she is trying to signal something?' He catches her look and he only has a moment to get over his surprise when her eyes start to spin.
Genjutsu overtakes his vision. Just a few meters to the front and up bright red words levitate.
CAVE TO THE LEFT. HUNDRED METERS.
'A hundred?! Trust an Uchiha to see through this white hell.' He followed the shape –for that is the only thing he can see- through the cold winds. They were fortunate enough to know that it will snow today so they ditched their usual kimonos for something warmer. They were idiots to ignore Mifune-san's warnings that a blizzard may form. They should've listened! But nooo. They thought they knew better. They thought that their coats and fur would keep them warm, if all else fails they can always just circulate chakra through their system. It may not be much but it must be enough. Right?
Wrong.
He can just barely feel his fingers –or toes. They weren't in this storm for longer than a dozen minutes for Mito-hime's sake! Yet here they are, clothes doing nothing and chakra system straining due to use.
He glanced forward at the Biwako-shaped form. If his system feels like lead that what does her's feel like?
'Wait is that- hell yeah!' They arrived at the cave! 'Uzushio-sama is with us!'
They stumbled into the shelter together, Biwako almost falling if not for Naruto's quick reflexes catching her.
"Thanks."
"Not a problem."
He started looking around the place. It's less of a cave and more of a hole in the mountain side if you asked him. The whole place is like two meters tall, three meters wide, and two long. There are only a few hard edges, the rest seem smoothed out. Like the bottom of a river carved through time.
His eyes widened in realization and his head snapped to Biwako at the same moment, "Biwako this is-"
"Man-made," she nodded at him, "I noticed." She then smirked slightly, "it seems you are getting dull, old friend."
"Pah! Preposterous!" He grinned back.
She chuckled which prompted him to join. They needed a bit of joy in this situation. She began looking around.
"Do you see something to burn?" She asked without glancing back.
He didn't hear her though, his eyes raked over her. Something is wrong with the way she is holding herself.
"Naruto?" She looked back at him. If he wasn't himself he wouldn't have noticed the way she hunched, how she ever-so-slightly panted the words or how her arms looked like they wanted to curl around her.
"Biwako," he breathed out, horrified, before his eyes hardened, "sit down. Now!" He pointed at the spot farthest from the entrance.
"Pardon me?" She snapped back.
"Sit. Down! Your chakra systems are overheating!" He was on the verge of shouting.
The overheating of chakra paths is a nasty thing. It happens when you push through too much chakra too quickly. He didn't get every tidbit but he gets that it is something similar to what happened to those Wakizashi he bought.
She badly hid recoil behind an impressive glare, "do you think so lowly of me? A little snow won't take someone like me down."
"A little snow won't," He acknowledges," but circulating your chakra so that you won't freeze solid and using your Sharingan for who knows how long will!"
She doesn't manage to hide the recoil this time. When she looks like she would protest further –making no heed to the cold winds biting at her side- he cuts in.
"Biwako" his voice cracked and he doesn't even care, "please." Just to drive his point home he sits on the second farthest point from the mouth of the cave and pats the ground beside himself.
She opens her mouth before stopping and letting her tense shoulders drop. She walks over to him and plops down. It doesn't take long to scuttle closer, to preserve the heat of course. He tugs her into his lap and turns around so that the winds nip at his back. She lets out an adorable yelp and turns around –still in his lap- so she can look at him. He gets a glare for being a self-sacrificing idiot but she lets it go. For now.
"What if someone sneaks up on you?" She asks for nothing else but to fill in the silence. Well, as silent as a blizzard can be.
He makes that infuriating grin that he knows she likes, "how could anyone do that while you are here?"
She rolls her eyes but doesn't answer. Instead, she leans over his should and hug him just like he hugs her. So she can absorb more heat of course. Why else?