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One More Time
Chapter 4: Political Arrangements
Naruto huffed softly her blue gaze narrowed as Nagato and Jiraiya began arguing for the seventh time since their return home. Konan was starting to show in her pregnancy now. It had been nearly three years since Naruto had gone out and ventured with Jiraiya.
With the blonde at his side Nagato had been convinced to their side and now had a healthy respect for Naruto. The blonde truly was a force to be reckoned with and after breaking the man of his naive ideals set to ensuring they could make the future a better version of what their today was.
Naruto also did seal away the power of his eyes though, along with it ensured the seal would convert the power and energy into healing his weak body. In the time both Konan and Nagato watched Naruto blaze through the organization and take down grown adults like it was childs play.
Either sparing and sealing some of their powers or outright destroying some of those they came across. In this time Nagato learned the truth about the Akatsuki he thought he had known. The deep dark secret that they were all under the manipulations of Obito and Mandara.
That they had been after his eyes once they matured but thanks to Naruto were forever out of luck. Though now the older Uzumaki felt it necessary to pester his former sensei about his dirty novels. One fight the blonde refused to help him on, in fact she encouraged Jiraiya about his dirty books.
It had been a hilarious back and forth about the topic that Naruto and Konan both ignored. It was strange to the red head considering they were both women and they were the least bothered.
'I'd rather he writes about it than try to live it out.' It was always the end point Naruto would make and it would be something Nagato could not dispute. He wanted to but the girl had a point. There was little harm in his continued work and more harm if they let him stew in the perverse thoughts.
"Oi! We're almost there so shut up." Both men turned to the voice and stared intently at Naruto. Her golden hair was tied up high and tight in a long ponytail and she was helping Konan walk at her side. Konan was four months pregnant and Naruto insisted on bringing her and Nagato back to the leaf village. Tsunade who had taken over as hokage before the blonde had left on her three year 'training trip' had given the approval for the two former missing nin to join their village.
Naruto had grown into her looks and she truly was a beauty now. Curved and toned down into sinewy muscles. Looking at her now there was no doubt that she was a woman, even dressed in her familiar black and burnt orange training gear. Her face grew into the promised beauty her youth had hinted at and she looked like a sultry version of her sexy jutsu.
She still wore binding wraps to cover her breast when her jacket was unzipped but both Nagato and Jiraiya were proving to be overprotective of any leering gaze sent her way. It would have been hilarious but Naruto found it more annoying than anything.
The small group entered the village and handed over their paperwork. Naruto recognized Genma and Raidou at the entrance looking over their paperwork. Genma was standing there stupefied eyeing Naruto up and down.
"You! Naruto's a woman!?" Genma was sputtering not noticing the glaring Nagato and sneering Jiraiya to his side.
"Oh, you're that guy Kakashi sensei says has the weird mouth kink." Naruto was nonchalant about it but knew it would fluster the man immensely.
Raidou cleared the group and Naruto could hear Genma cursing out her silver haired sensei as they walked away. The blonde was snickering as Jiraiya dragged her toward Tsunade's office.
Nagato spotted a red head coming out of the office in purple framed glasses. "Oh, hi Karin, guess who found another family member on her trip." The red head snorted and waved to Nagato.
"It's nice to see another Uzumaki with red hair, Naruto really lucked out on the gene pool there." Karin shook her head promising to see them again before trudging off with paperwork for the hospital.
"You have a gift for finding our people and saving them." Nagato eyed his relative who had her arms crossed behind her head as she walked.
"Uzumaki's get taken advantage if because we have such a wide range of peculiar bloodline limits. It's difficult not trying to save the few of us that remain." Naruto never looked back at him but burst into the hokage's office.
"Grandma Tsunade! I'm glad the village hasn't imploded while I was gone." Naruto ducked the flying sake bottle and Jiraiya caught it with familiar ease.
Their two guest sputtered but the blonde cheekily grinned before helping a stunned Konan to a chair. "No throwing things near the pregnant lady." Naruto chastised but huffed and sat back with a grin.
"I will always be surprised with you and your skills brat." Tsunade fixed her shirt letting it lay more settled over her ample bosom. Still wearing her pale blonde hair in low pigtails made the toad sage focus right on her and Naruto felt nostalgic.
Naruto's blue eyes glittered in mischief for a brief moment.
"Now that you are back, we have a few things to discuss." Tsunade sounded serious and Naruto sighed softly. She really had wanted to get to Shikamaru so she could go over what she accomplished and find out how his end of the three years went.
"I'll have Jiraiya take Konan and Nagato to his home and you can tell me what shitstorm I gotta face." Naruto frowned but everyone did as she asked.
OMT
Naruto rubbed her temples pretty irate in the moment but her gaze was glaring down at the documents before her. Three bids of shinobi clans asking for Naruto to consider their people for marriage. She had not even been home an hour and some annoying bullshit was thrown before her.
Fugaku wanted Naruto to consider one of his sons as husband material. Hiashi wanted the blonde to consider Neji for the same thing. Shikaku threw his bid in for Shikamaru and Naruto guessed it was more so the two clans would not be able to press the blonde for demands upon her return without it being run and shut down by him.
If any of the men wanted Naruto to consider them they could not overstep one another. A blessing and a pain as Naruto was now faced with an unnecessary problem.
"This is stupid, I'm not alone on thinking this is stupid right?" Naruto looked up to Tsunade who was drinking down one of her many cups of Sake.
"I agree but once the civilian council got wind of it, they pushed for you to at least be forced to face the prospects." Tsunade watch Naruto roll her eyes and huff.
"Idiots the lot of them." She shook her head and collected the paperwork before preparing to leave. "I'll deal with it grandma Tsunade, can't guarantee any ego's though." Naruto smiled as Tsunade snorted on her leaving.
The blonde surged through the village bypassing where she ran into Sakura the first time and catapulting to Shikamaru's chakra signature. He was smoking and glaring at Temari who was heavily flirting with him.
The Nara had given zero interest in the woman but she was pretty relentless in her pursuit of him. Then again he was one of the few guys to outright turn her down, so it probably made him a challenge to her.
He had taken as many jobs as a chinin out of the village so Tsunade would not stick him as Temari's partner as a proctor for the chunin exams this time. From his knowledge Shino was partnered with the woman and his friend was also often hit on by her.
"Like I've said before, not interested." Shikamaru blew out a puff of smoke and Temari frowned.
"I've never seen you with anyone, I feel like this game of playing hard to get had gone on long enough." Shikamaru rolled his eyes and turned to walk away from the woman. Temari's hand snapped out to grip onto his arm and his gaze narrowed on her hand touching him.
"Damn woman just take a fucking hint." Shikamaru was exasperated and Temari practically growled.
"Why would you not want a hot woman flirting with you? What are you gay or something?" A surprised laugh caught both of their attention as Naruto swung into the picture landing before them.
"Gay? Well, that would be a problem seeing as his dad told the guy to try and wife me up." Naruto had her jacket unzipped and was shoving papers into an inner pocket, but her body was easy to see behind all the netting. Temari frowned looking at the beautiful blonde who blinked bright blues at her with a familiar whiskered face.
"N-Naruto?" Temari stuttered her brain short circuiting for a moment.
"Yo!" Naruto cheekily replied waving a hand showing a peace sign toward the sand shinobi.
"So, Gaara isn't gay." She spoke mostly to herself and missed the surprised burst of laughter from Naruto herself.
"We got shit to do." Shikamaru had put out his cigarette and dragged away the snickering blonde who immediately jumped on his back and made him carry her.
"Troublesome woman." Shikamaru huffed but was seen carrying a beautiful blonde through the village even passing members of team seven who all shared different expressions of disbelief.
Kakashi himself was having a mental breakdown realizing he had missed the fact that his sensei's precious legacy was a girl. Sakura immediately burned with envy but doubted it was Naruto's real form assuming her teammate was just using the sexy jutsu.
Though word spread around the village the truth of their number one knuckled headed ninja. Especially since word came from Jiraiya and Tsunade themselves.
Naruto Uzumaki was in fact a woman.
OMT
Naruto handed over a list of names to Shikamaru who glanced over it before handing over his own work.
They spent several moments sitting in Shikamaru's own office going over their paperwork before Shikaku burst into the room spotting the duo right at work.
"Thanks for killing Hidan." Shikamaru murmured before pulling out a new paper and revising events that would no longer come to pass as Naruto had taken out most threats and he had usurped any internal issues that remained with the few root that had been loyal to Danzo.
Sai had been on team seven while Naruto had been away for the three years under the watchful gaze of his handler Yamato and Kakashi. After several deaths of those in the Akatsuki organization Naruto had found herself in the pages of a few bingo books.
Nicknamed 'Shinigami's soul collector' it still showcased an older picture of the blonde still growing out her hair and prepubescent. She was nearing a flee on sight order and many still assumed Naruto was male in the books.
Naruto made a name for herself in the three years of messily taking out several high powered missing nin and stopping plots across the elemental nations.
Shikamaru had been impressed to say the least but he had expected it honestly. Naruto was finally free to showcase all the power and skills she had hidden away and cultivated throughout the years of her existence.
Shikaku eyed the two who poured over their documents but he needed to get a few things addressed for Naruto.
It was going to be a pain in the ass when they had so much other important things to deal with, but political matters were important and unfortunately time consuming. Naruto sighed and finally pulled out the documents Tsunade gave her as Shikaku approached her and his son.
She waved the papers and his grim expression told her everything.
"How much are the other two clan heads pushing you?" Naruto allowed Shikamaru to look over her shoulder at the paperwork and Shikaku settled down on one of the cushions in the room. Naruto and Shikamaru took his lead and settled down as well.
"It's mostly Fugaku pushing everything. I'm sure had he not been pushing his bid so extremely Hiashi would have held back from pushing his own bid. With you away and building your reputation, the deaths of his clan members have all but stopped and he has figured it had to do with you. You have impressed the stubborn bastard and Mikoto who had been friends with your mother is more than ecstatic at having you join their family with either of their sons." Shikaku watched both Naruto and Shikamaru calculate a few things in silence.
"Hiashi found that your views changed both his nephew Neji and Hinata his heir. You have positively improved two important members of his clan and he wishes to add that to his home and clan. Had you been born male he would have been pushing Hinata into your arms eagerly." Naruto huffed and looked up to him.
"What about you, this can't just be to protect my interest." Naruto eyed Shikaku who only smirked.
"Now let's not be coy Naruto, my son had been head over heels for you. I can't let him miss his opportunity to woo you. What kind of father do you take me for?" Naruto scoffed and ignored the grumbling coming from the younger Nara at her side.
"Yeah, yeah sure. This is annoying but we're going to have a lot of time to sit around here until I can track down the few stragglers of the Akatsuki. Obito being one of the main problems. I was only able to seal away black Zetsu but white Zetsu and Mandara are still free as well." Naruto rubbed her eyes tiredly.
"Jiraiya kept Obito from taking the tailed beast from the fourth Mizukage. Mei was put in power but Yagura is still the one hosting the three tailed bijuu. When it was discovered he was being possessed by Obito his people were outraged but less by him and more at the Akatsuki. Now he works at Mei's side but has removed himself politically." Naruto yawned exhausted from traveling but powered through.
"Gaara is secured and safeguarded with his bijuu as well, I reworked his seal a bit to ensure a better balance and thus created ties to the sand village for the leaf after the invasion." The blonde shook her head annoyed.
"I tracked down Han the container for the five tailed bijuu, and Utakata the container for the six tailed bijuu and sent them off with B for training. Octopops and B saw me and like Gaara remembered everything in our past. He's going to ensure they don't come into harms way and Gaara said he's going to keep Fu the container of the seven tails back after she goes into the upcoming chunin exams in Suna. He plans on training the girl to protect herself and connect with her bijuu and her village has agreed to it. We should all be lucky I had little interaction with Han and Utakata while alive or we would have more people knowledgeable about the future." Naruto leaned forward reading over a few more papers.
"B has Yugito under more pressure for training now as she is under his jurisdiction. Tsunade will be getting a treaty soon from Kumo though offering up Han and Utakata to help 'train' me and my bijuu. Slowly but surely all the jinchuriki are teaming up and forcing our villages to play nice." Naruto rolled her eyes before meeting Shikaku's gaze.
"I'm going to have plenty of time to crush a few ego's while in the village. The civilian council has little control over me and for years has had little control over me. It's why you all had to ask for a bid, I'll try to not fuck up my future chances as hokage by hurting the poor Uchiha's pride. It will be handled so don't feel so guilty about it. Something would have happened sooner or later honestly." Naruto shrugged and Shikamaru seemed bored from the conversation.
"Did something similar happen in your past?" Shikaku was curious but Naruto was already collecting paperwork to hand off to summoned Pa, to take somewhere safe and sound.
Shikamaru snorted and looked up to his father. "Once people found out Naruto was in fact a woman she had marriage proposals pouring in, even some from the royal house hold of the fire nation. They stopped once the war came up but it was one thing that she learned to handle. She was the last of her clan, and in charge of herself by then." Naruto hummed at Shikamaru's response waving off Pa who clutched the sensitive documents.
"This time I'm also going to have a serious prospect. Your son stated a long time ago he wanted to marry my dumbass. I plan to force him to prove it since we have downtime." Naruto grinned and Shikamaru tried to will away his blush.
"He proposed? Was this in your past?" Shikaku was interested and eyeing his grumbling son.
"Before he plunged a knife into my chest he told me he loved me." Naruto snickered as Shikaku choaked. She fluttered her eyed innocently as Shikamaru glared at her.
"We never told him the details of our time travel stop making it seem like I stabbed you for fun." Naruto laughed loud and Shikamaru shoved the annoying blonde toppling her to the side.
"By the way, I went to the Uzumaki ruins like you asked. The tome is destroyed and only lives deep in your and my mind." Naruto settled down eyeing Shikamaru with a raised brown. "I'm not sneaking into Kakshi's house to find that kunai to destroy it. Without the tome the kunai is useless. So, no more time travel for anyone, let's try not to fuck this up." Shikamaru stood and helped Naruto up.
"Now, let's go and watch your team lose their minds over you being a woman again." Shikaku laughed as they pair left before setting out to make arrangements on behalf of Naruto. He was almost eager to see Fugaku and Hiashi get their balls busted by the blonde.
With that enjoyable thought in mind he set out to find his wife to help make some plans.
OMT
Naruto snickered at Kakashi's soft groaning when spotting the smug blonde. "People called you a genius too." She was having a good time poking fun at her sensei who was horrified at having missed such a crucial detail about the blonde.
Sasuke who had been drawn into the situation was blinking rapidly drinking down the image of Naruto.
Said blonde was teasing their sensei but turned to greet the 'new' member of team seven. Sai.
The boy had apparently tasked himself once again to give nicknames and he idiotically called Sakura ugly in this lifetime as well.
Sasuke he called a tyrant and he seemed to be coming up with a name for Naruto. The blonde prepared for the worst, this was the same man who called her dickless for years because he knew she was in fact a woman.
"Siren, because with a body like you have it will call men to their dooms if you wish it." He was smiling as he spoke and Naruto deadpanned, slightly wishing to be called dickless once more.
The blonde rubbed her face exasperated before Shikamaru was lazily tugging her toward her favorite ramen spot. The men of her team followed as Sakura had taken one look at the blonde and like in her first life time went straight to Tsunade to get confirmation herself.
They passed by Kiba and Shino who both faltered for a moment. "What the fuck?" Kiba was questioning his entire existence and Shino was in straight up shock.
Naruto was happily eating a bowl of her favorite ramen with Shikamaru at her side lazily eating his own.
"When were you a girl?" Kiba asked and Naruto swallowed before facing him confused.
"I've always been a girl dog breath." Naruto was awarded her second bowl and Shikamaru snorted as everyone eyed him warily.
"You knew!" This time it was Sasuke stating the obvious even more shocked and Shikamaru just shrugged.
"I've known since we were kids." It was technically not a lie as his first life he had also figured out Naruto's gender then as well. Just more toward the end of their time spent in the academy.
"I'm surprised Sasuke didn't know when both his brother and cousin knew." Naruto spoke rising from eating her second bowl and submitting to Shikamaru who chose to wipe her mouth for her.
Sasuke looked as if his soul was escaping him and Kakashi too looked as if he were contemplating his entire existence. Shikamaru stopped Naruto from ordering a fourth bowl as the third was placed before her. She pouted but was used to his hen pecking ways.
"Wait…if Shikamaru knew does that mean you two are together?" Kiba asked stupidly and was immediately smacked by Sasuke and Kakashi.
"Not yet." Naruto said in between bites making her lazy friend snicker as both Sasuke and Kakashi jolted as if they had been stung.
"His dad really wants us to get hitched though." Naruto was happily swallowing down her bowl of food. Every one froze except Shikamaru who rolled his eyes and shoved over his bowl to the hungry girl.
"Don't forget about the Hyuga's and Uchiha's as well. Keep making a name for yourself and Fugaku might already be planning your wedding vows for Itachi, or Sasuke." Shikamaru grumbled but Sasuke choaked hearing his name and clan involved in this.
"My dad knew!" Sasuke shouted horrified and Shikamaru snorted and looked at the raven haired teen.
"Yeah, it's why my dad put our clan bid in when him and Hiashi started trying to use Naruto's absence to make her date you guys on her return." His eyes bore into Sasuke's but Shikamaru realized he truly hadn't known, well the horrified expression on his face gave it away but still.
"Don't worry Sasuke, you are soooooo on my do not marry list." Naruto replied cheekily and made her teammate frown.
"What's wrong with me?" His pride hurt but Naruto turned to her teammate eyeing him slowly like he was a nice sword she was thinking of buying.
"Not my type, besides I would not survive if all the girls from our academy year tried to kill me over being made to marry you." Naruto snorted "Not that there's much to fawn over." That part she mumbled more to herself.
"I doubt me and Neji would get along marriage wise and no offense but the Uchiha clan freaks me out, so Shika here seems like the best option, and I actually like the guy." Naruto paid for their food and tugged a grumbling Shikamaru out with her.
"Though I doubt your dad or Hiashi will let me escape without formal proceedings having been seen to." Naruto snorted addressing the stupefied Sasuke and waved off the group before dragging along her cargo and returning him home.
She had to do some reacquainting with some of her precious people before she could rest for the day.
OMT
Naruto received a letter from Gaara letting her know no one had come to collect his bijuu this time around. The blonde was pleased then again she had severely handed Deidra his ass several months back. She sealed his mouths while she was at it and made him have a healthy fear of the Uzumaki name before he was tossed back in the direction of his home village. Naruto knew he would suffer more being unable to use his 'art' and live. Hell, she made his whole chakra network unstable and unusable he deserved to suffer for the lives he took and enjoyed taking.
Sasori was killed, there was no skirting around it, Naruto could not spare the man when his intent was to follow through with his plot of killing Gaara and stealing away his bijuu. The man had not wanted to leave his goal to the organization, then again he had been mostly controlled by Mandara toward the end of it all.
It had been a bloody three years but the blonde doing what was needed, Naruto avoided a lot of unnecessary trouble. She tucked away the paper and idly sighed before turning her head to look over at the wrapped box sitting innocently on her small dining table.
Her hair was up twisted in an elegant knot with several pieces of hair pins and jewelry sticking out of her golden hair. Her make up was dark, her eyes a smokey black and grey making the blues of her iris just pop. Her lips were the brightest shade of red and her skin practically shimmered.
Konan had really outdone herself and it was amusing to see both Jiraiya and Nagato spaz out when hearing she had to listen to a few marriage proposals.
The blonde had agreed to meet with each clan one on one and hear them out. Naruto though was pretty sure she'd be pressured into several dates and then she would 'make her decision' so to speak. Naruto had never been one for playing undecisive, but to avoid stepping on toes politically she would have to be convincing.
Otherwise she would have just easily spoke of marrying Shika and then let the understanding man free if it didn't work out. He was the safety net in this situation and he was her friend, his father only offered him up because it was the right thing to do in that situation.
The blonde sighed and realized the sun was beginning to descend so she stood and undressed finally moving over to the offered box. A gift from the Uchiha clan toward the prosects of marriage.
Naruto pulled out a long black Kimono with delicate red chakra blossoms and white snow flakes decorating the dark fabric. Grimacing she knew for a fact these were their clans colors and slipped into the several layers of offered cloth.
The scarlet kosode easily slipped on, followed by a deep red hitoe, before slipping on the decorative outer piece of the blossom and snowflake patterned fabric. A brilliant white and shimmering gold obi decorated with black vines was tied around her form and she remembered to place the bow facing backward.
The only reason she knew how to tie any of these or wear them properly had to do with the fact that she grew up helping the sisters of the whorehouses and geisha houses in the slums. Naruto knew formalwear as most Geisha that left the district were beauties offered up to the ruling fire daimyo or members of his court.
She had tabi socks on and it felt odd for her as she usually wore ninja sandals. She slipped into thick sleek black geta and left her home. Naruto shoved down her annoyed emotions and traveled out of the slums toward the Uchiha district.
She walked silently making people freeze and stare in her wake. Naruto truly looked stunning and so unlike herself, she was a beautiful sight to behold though. Naruto arrived to the Uchiha gates and handed over paperwork proving she had been invited onto the lands.
The guards though had been stunned by the blonde beauty and as Naruto walked through the land in silence the people of the clan watched her. Some of the women in envy, some of the men in longing and some in fear of who and what she housed.
Naruto arrived to the main clan household and was escorted immediately into the home. Shisui greeted her at the entrance helping her out of her geta and walking her toward the tea room.
"Had I known you could clean up so nicely I might have begged uncle to make me park of this marriage game." Shisui smirked down to Naruto who only looked back at him coldly.
"I didn't exactly ask for this, and honestly I feel like there's so much more we should all be focused on instead of trying to find me a husband." Naruto murmured this softly as she knew most walls had ears. "It's just apart of life though." Shisui frowned at the blondes disposition and wanted to press for more but they arrived to the tea room.
Remembering how traditional the Uchihas were Naruto easily dropped into seiza and dropped into a bow as the doors opened toward the room.
Sasuke was uncomfortable never having seen his teammate so contained and orderly. Shisui was bowed low behind Naruto his forehead pressed to the floor in respect toward the main branch household. Naruto was not so deep into the bow, showing respect but not reverence.
Fugaku liked that, the girl had some pride about her. "Rise." Both Naruto and Shisui rose from their bows each avoiding looking Fugaku in the eyes and it was something that only endeared the blonde toward the Uchiha clan head all the more.
Itachi smoothly stood at his mother's and fathers glance and helped Naruto stand and enter the room. She was seated in between the two brothers and the doors to the room closed with a quiet snap.
Naruto gave a soft but firm greeting that was received well from Mikoto and Fugaku.
"I am sure you are aware of the reasons we have asked you into our home Uzumaki san." Fugaku was curt but was not one to beat around the bush.
"Yes, Uchiha sama. The hokage has explained your intentions in detail." Naruto let her cool blue gaze raise when talking to the man, holding his gaze for a moment before dropping it back down. Itachi was eyeing the blonde who was so young compared to him and wondered what the hell his father was thinking.
Sasuke was still reeling on the fact that Naruto was in fact a woman and the thought of having to date his teammate scared him. She was Naruto, she got beat up and dirty, you shoved her face in dirt you didn't kiss her.
He didn't know if he could defy his father's wishes though, as Itachi himself could not deny his father either. The two brothers wondered what their fathers aim and intentions were, why he seemed so pleased to have someone not of their clan marry into the main branch household.
It was peculiar, especially considering there were two other high tier clans doing the exact same thing. Hiashi Hyuga was not known for allowing those outside of the clan to marry into it, especially when Neji was technically third in line to take over their clan.
Then there were the Nara's who never did anything without a well thought out reason and plan. They were straight up offering the clan heir, but then again Nara's were less inclined to worry about purity of the bloodline, their talents came from intensive training with the creatures that reside in their forest. All they needed was someone with sharp enough intellect, they cared for nothing else in an heir.
Naruto herself was a huge mystery. The girl was obviously a secret prodigy and had to have some intelligence for her to be able to not only hide it but master her level of power she currently had. Sasuke knew this was all futile though, Naruto and Shikamaru had been close for years, he had thought they were a gay couple until the truth was revealed.
Sasuke kept that bit of information to himself though. He was going to help his teammate get through this political clusterfuck with as little ego bruising as possible. He knew Naruto, the girl had great instinct's and skills and their future would mean they would all need someone to lead them. For the leaf to succeed in their future Naruto had to become hokage, it was something the rookie nine had discussed between themselves while she had been gone for the last three years.
No one was a better candidate and she would need the backing of the clans, so to keep the prospect of her in such a position, they had to licks some bootstraps here. Sasuke had a goal and he would see this through to the end, because Naruto Uzumaki was someone who would do the same for anyone else.
Now Sasuke just had to convince his older brother of that.
OMT
Naruto looked herself in the mirror and eyed her make up critically. The shimmering lilac surrounding her deep blue eyes were pretty. Though the long multi-layered kimono of pale purples and whites were what truly caught the eye.
Her obi was decorated in a plume of deeper purple wisteria on a white base. Her gifted kimono had a stream of butterflies in purples and blues stitched into the fabric as if trying to curl around the wearer.
Somehow Konan had gotten half her hair braided in small strands and twisted it in with the loose strands. It looked beautiful but Naruto was still unconvinced that this could be her. Her small hands clutched the fabric of the sleeves in nervousness before she finally slipped on the provided white geta before slipping out of her home and heading toward the Hyuga land.
Like before people stared as it was hard to believe a beautiful creature such as this was their rowdy and rough Naruto. Naruto was greeted at the entrance to the Hyuga land by a servant and escorted deeper into the quiet compound. A very stark contrast from the bustling aura of the Uchiha land.
Naruto was handed off to another Hyuga servant to be escorted into the large estate and helped out of her geta before being led quietly down a hall toward a tea room door. With practiced ease she easily dropped down into a seiza bow as the doors opened. The servant who had accompanied her was practically pressed flat to the floor.
The blonde frowned at that internally but let nothing show on her face. Now was not the time for Naruto to be worried about the fate of the Hyuga. She had to worry about that once the world was safe from Mandara.
"Come in Uzumaki san." Naruto lifted her gaze and rose with more grace than many thought she had. Neiji was already at her side on one knee offering his hand which she took to allow him to rise.
He kept his eyes averted as he carefully led the blonde to the table. The flush on his cheeks gave him away though and Naruto once against was confused why the Hyuga had fallen for her. Even in her first life she had been shocked by the information but reused to show it as Neji had been dying at the time.
Like Hinata they both confused her with their liking of the blonde. Naruto had not been that great of an influence in either of their lives so the interest in her had almost no base.
Well, that's how she felt about it at least.
Naruto smoothly settled down figuring this meeting would go much like the Uchiha one. They had wrangled out several promised and chaperoned dates for each brother and Now the blonde was sure that's what Hiashi was planning on doing for Neji as well.
Shikaku san was probably going to have to push for the same as this was something even he could not be lax about.
So, the blonde settled down looking elegant and beautiful and began to negotiate her time. Hiashi was stubborn but he had never gone against the stubborn former hokage.
The blonde got him to make her promise one day a week for Neji like she had to promise to Sasuke and Itachi. Though the real challenge was next.
OMT
Naruto grumbled to herself while looking at her make up. She looked young, enchanting. The sheer iridescence and dewy look her face and eyes sported made the woman look like a goddess come to grace the land.
The Nara clan had sent over a multilayered kimono the color of a blending sea. Hues of shimmering greens and blues wrapped around her form and the colors only making her blue eyes shine brighter. The obi was a pearl white with colorful fish etched into the soft fabric in bright yellows, reds and oranges.
Her lips were shiny, and she had her hair tied half up and twisted in intricate loops held up by pins. Naruto held her frown looking at herself and realizing the next few years she was going to suffer. Politically this was a mess that all occurred because she had kept the Uchiha alive.
She didn't regret letting Sasuke have his family or Itachi a chance to a real life. She didn't enjoy how or why she got involved in this three-way pissing contest of clans.
All because she was a woman.
It really was annoying and it kept her from freely going out to search for Mandara. She and Gaara were doing their damned best to search for information on the cursed Uchiha and hoped to continue to do so one the Akatsuki numbers had dwindled to the remaining three they had left.
Yet, like before the man seemed to have disappeared. He was probably cursing the blonde Uzumaki who had ruined his intricate plot and doomed him, but desperate was not a place Naruto longed to keep him.
Now, a kunai in his throat and his heart in her hand is where she wanted him. Obito was the difficult part of this puzzle. Kakashi was not going to like Naruto killing his former teammate but keeping the man alive was a risk the blonde could not take.
He had already taken her mother and father from him and Kakashi. She would not let him take her sensei's life again, so no matter what she needed to be discreet about this. Lay low in her village and play up her part of a besotted teen to the world. She was a spymaster like her sage sensei before her and she needed to utilize it fully.
Once she appeared happy that was when this bastard would strike, as he always had waited for a moment for her to enjoy her life only to bring her world to ruin once more. Naruto sighed and gathered herself trudging out her apartment and slipped into the pearl geta before walking to her destination.
She truly looked like a golden goddess gracing the land with her presence and found herself before the Nara home in a flash.
The negotiations were short and easy but Naruto and Shikamaru had made clear to Shikaku, that these dates were for planning and information sharing. They were in the past for a mission, romance could come later but both agreed. Now was the time for Shikamaru's long draw out cover story to come to fruition.
Soon the village will see a couple 'falling in love'. The pair already knew they were all a lifetime too late. Waiting to save the world had to come first, then maybe Naruto and Shikamaru could explore their untouched feelings they held for one another.
For now, it was just another tool to use in their attack. They could not risk more, not until it was finally over. They were in this together though.
Now Naruto just had to get through a few promised dates without insulting a large clan…Naruto cursed to herself.
She was screwed!
Thank you for reading!