Just a quick author's note.
I just wanted to address the harem because I'm sure someone might say something otherwise after this chapter. None of the women in Narutos' harem will be sleeping with any other men besides Naruto himself.
The moon was high in the sky as its rays of light illuminated the forest below. A black blur could be spotted jumping from tree to tree. Said blur stopped on a branch as they looked up at the moon above.
'I'm so sorry, Satsuki-chan, Kaa-san,' Isane thought as her blood-red eyes looked into the sky above.
Dark-grey clouds were fast approaching. The telltale signs of a storm were there as a loud crack of thunder echoed throughout the forest. Isanes' Sharingan could spot the streaks of lightning in the sky as it began to rain.
Tears began streaming down her face as she recalled what she had done earlier. She started jumping from tree to tree. Her accursed clans' gift was replaying the memories of earlier that evening over and over in her mind.
Isane could feel her hands begin to shake before she clenched them into fists. Her hands were already stained with the blood of her enemies. Though, now she could add her family to that. It felt like her soul was tainted now as she attempted to flush the memories from her mind.
There were so many things the Ravenette wanted to do.
She ached to curl up into a ball and cry her heart out. She wanted to hug her younger sister and mother and tell them she was sorry. She wanted to preserve the fragile peace the Elemental Nations had, so she slaughtered her entire clan.
Now she could seek out any of her aspirations.
Coming to a steep cliff face, Isane stopped as she looked down the dark abyss. The rain had absolutely drenched her clothing as her ANBU outfit clung to her lithe body. She could feel her black hair that framed her face stick to her face as droplets of water ran down her tresses.
Taking a step off the edge, she found herself plunging into the abyss. The air rushing past her face chilled the cold rain even more as she ignored the bitter cold seeping into her bones.
This unjust world had forced her to kill her clan. She didn't have a choice. Her family would've revolved starting a full-blown civil war which would've caused another Great War. She found herself juggling the deaths of around one hundred fifty people to thousands of people dying. The option was hers and hers alone to make.
At least with the first option, she was able to negotiate with the Third Hokage to ensure the safety of her mother and sister.
War had been avoided with the deaths of her entire clan. Her direct family was safe. Though, now she was labeled an S-rank Missing-nin. All of this at the mere age of fifteen years old.
If only she had more time, maybe she could've found a way to avoid all of the senseless bloodshed.
Regrettably, time was a commodity she didn't have. She told herself multiple times that this was the best possible outcome. Though, she couldn't even force herself to believe that.
With the Uchiha clan now gone, there was a massive power vacuum left in its wake. She was sure the Hyuga clan would make a power grab. A pang of guilt and regret hit her soul as she stabbed a kunai into the side of the cliff face to slow her descent.
The despicable CRA was surely going to be enacted on a couple of people. Kushina, Tsunade, and Naruto would surely be the poor first three to have the act forced upon them. Kushina and Tsunade would probably just tell them to fuck off, though it would still weigh in on them.
Some repercussions were instituted if you didn't comply with the act. The most basic of it started with a simple increase in taxes on your goods, and it increased with every month. Eventually, it'd get to the point where you couldn't afford anything, and that left the person with two options.
You either marry someone or attempt to escape the village.
Isane quickly cut off that train of thought. She didn't want to think of what would happen to them because of her actions. So, she began thinking of something else. Specifically a person.
Naruto Uzumaki, she could see so much of herself in him, but he was different. The embers of greatness were within him. She knew that he'd accomplish so much, hopefully, good things. All he needed was a push.
She was placing her faith in Naruto to protect her family along with his own. Kushina and Tsunade had both been her role models, along with Mikoto. She never wanted to put them in a situation like this.
It was a hell of a burden to put on the shoulders of a ten-year-old, but she was sure he'd persevere. She just hoped that Naruto was just as unpredictable as his mother.
Then there was her sister. Kami, she had tortured her with the use of her Tsukiyomi. Satsuki was probably scarred for life because of negligence. She was just trying to help. Within the Tsukiyomi she had inflicted on Satsuki, she had left subtle messages for her. Her little sister would remember it thanks to her Sharingan activating and memorizing every detail.
Satsuki would likely hate her for the rest of their lives, but she just wanted to make sure she knew the reason behind their clans' demise. It was only for the worst-case scenario in which she died before Satsuki could find out.
Though, the turbulent world they lived in always fucked up peoples' plans.
Isane couldn't recall how long she had spent in the gorge as she stared at her reflection in the running water. The illuminating beams of light from the moon could hardly reach her down here. Though that mattered not, thanks to these cursed eyes, she could see everything clearly.
"You're late," A cold, monotonous voice said from the darkness.
Tearing her eyes away from the waterway. Isane wearily regarded the masked man who stepped out from the shadows. She couldn't sense his presence before. It was almost like he materialized from nothing.
She did, however, recognize his voice along with his long black hair. The man had helped her earlier that evening in killing her clan. Madara Uchiha, in the flesh, stood before her.
The name alone was enough to send shivers down her spine.
There was a reason he was still feared throughout the Elemental Nations.
"There were... complications," Isane muttered out as she thought of her two teammates she had killed. It was more of an excuse, though she was sure the man saw right through her lie.
She wasn't going to tell him that she had paused on her journey here multiple times to keep herself from breaking down. Though, she couldn't gauge the man's reaction due to his burnt orange mask. All she could see was the lone Sharingan eye staring back at her.
Madara didn't bother saying anything as he walked past her down the stream.
Isane followed after the stoic man as she kept her thoughts to a minimum. In but a few moments, she spotted a small boat pulled up onto the ground beside the waterway. She raised an eyebrow at Madara climbing into the boat but didn't say anything as she pushed it into the water.
Isane jumped in just before the water began carrying them through the gorge. She felt a pang of loneliness seep into her heart. For the first time in her life, she was well and truly alone now.
Kushina let out a sigh as she ran a hand through her crimson locks. Her violet eyes were tracing her best friend, who was pacing back and forth. For the last couple of hours, both she and Mikoto had been sitting in the waiting room.
Mikoto's hair was messy, and her eyes were bloodshot. Her usual regal self was nowhere to be found. She looked like an absolute mess right now.
She couldn't blame her either. If anything, she found herself sympathizing with her. Both of their clans had practically been wiped from the face of the earth. Though Uzushiogakure had been destroyed by hostile villages. Whereas the Uchiha clan was killed off by none other than one of their members.
The redhead could only imagine how her best friend felt right now. Her entire family, except for both of her daughters, were gone. One of which was an S-ranked fugitive, while the other was in critical condition.
To think that only a couple of hours ago, everything was going alright.
'Thanks again, world, for being such an asshole. AGAIN!' Kushina bitterly thought as she began to think of her son.
With all the chaos going on, she found herself leaving him home alone, again. Sure, she had a shadow clone watching over him, but it wasn't really her. She could only imagine how he was feeling right now. She had seen the look on her baby boys' face just before she leapt away with Mikoto.
Never in her life had she seen the look of betrayal on his face. His violet eyes were full of confusion as she jumped after Mikoto. She just hoped he was okay.
Biting her thumb, Kushina shut her eyes as her thoughts continued. She knew how he felt like he was weighing her down constantly. Like he was some garbage or something. That wasn't the case at all though, if anything, he was the only driving force in her life.
Though, she just didn't know how to help him. Whenever she offered to talk to him about his issues, he just blew her off, telling her not to worry. Hell, the only time she did manage to get him to talk, he was vague about his issues.
Naruto was oh so stubborn... just like her.
Sometimes she wanted to smack him for acting so stupid. Though, she knew he'd probably take that the wrong way. She didn't want him feeling any worse than he already did.
The longer she watched Mikoto pace back and forth, the more she found herself longing to be by Naruto.
That settled it in Kushina's mind. When she got home, she was going to smother Naruto with love. She knew life was too short to be moping around all the time. Plus, she was tired of seeing him force a smile on his face when she asked if he was okay. Today, she was going to make him feel loved and wanted.
Speaking of time, she planned on announcing her retirement from the ANBU to the Hokage later today. Sure, being a Jonin usually meant she got a little less pay. Though that meant she finally got more time to spend with her son.
Hearing the door to the operating room open snapped her out of her thoughts as she and Mikoto rushed over to Tsunade.
Tsunade was dressed in her typical outfit despite the protests of everyone around her. Her blonde hair was tied into two ponytails as she rubbed her face. Even from a couple feet away, Kushina could see the dark bags under Tsunades' brown eyes.
Tsunade looked absolutely exhausted.
"How is she?" Mikoto frantically asked. You could hear the fright in her voices she locked eyes with Tsunade.
"Physically, Satsuki is perfectly healthy. I couldn't find an issue with her," Tsunade began as a sympathetic look took form in her eyes. "Though, mentally, I'm not sure. Only time will tell," the busty blonde finished as she put a comforting hand on Mikotos' shoulder.
"We're here for you, Miko-chan," Kushina said with a soothing voice as she embraced her best friend.
Kushina felt a stab of sympathy in her heart as she saw tears begin forming in her friends' eyes again. She rubbed soothing motions on Mikotos' back as she thought of the past. She had been in the same position as her years ago.
Mikoto had been there for her back then, so she'd be there for her now.
"Why don't you and Satsuki-chan move in with Naruto and I?" Kushina offered. She didn't want Mikoto or Satsuki going back to the Uchiha compound, not after what happened there.
"Are you sure about that? I don't want us to intrude on either of you," Mikoto asked as she looked up at her. Those charcoal-colored eyes were looking at her with a mixture of hope and relief.
"I'm sure," Kushina nodded as Mikotos' embrace got even tighter around her.
Their embrace was cut short when Tsunade cleared her throat. Mikoto back away from her as they both looked at the Sannin.
"How's Naruto doing?" Tsunade asked as she locked eyes with her.
"He fell asleep on the couch a couple of hours ago. Kimiko is watching over him right now," Kushina answered as she felt a pang of guilt hit her in the chest.
Tsunade merely just sighed at her.
"Well, you two can go ahead and head home. When Satsuki wakes up, I'll be sure to escort her to Kushinas' house myself," Tsunade said as she smiled at them.
"Thanks again, Onee-chan," Kushina said as she hugged her surrogate older sister.
"Anything for my annoying little sister," Tsunade replied as she returned the embrace.
"Asshole," Kushina muttered, causing the older blonde to laugh as the two broke their embrace after a couple of moments.
"C'mere you," Tsunade said, gesturing towards Mikoto with her open arms. Mikoto was just standing there gingerly as she looked at Tsunade. The ravenette looked unsure of what to do.
Walking up behind her, Kushina gave her a gentle push, causing Mikoto to stumble into Tsunade's hug. Mikoto had always been incredibly reserved when it came to her affections. Before she could escape, Tsunade's arms had already wrapped around her.
"Just remember that you're not alone in this. You've got Kushi-chan, Naruto, and I here to help you and Satsuki," Tsunade whispered, just loud enough for her to hear. Mikoto stopped trying to escape from Tsunades' grasp as she froze.
Kushina smiled at the sight of her surrogate sister figure comforting her best friend. Tsunade definitely wasn't the most polite person. If anything, she was kind of an asshole. Though she did have a sweet spot in her heart for friends and family.
It was just like Mito said. Her last name may have been Senju, but she was an Uzumaki, through and through.
"Thank you both so much," Mikoto muttered with tears streaming down her cheeks as she returned the kind gesture.
Life may have beat them down constantly, but she had a feeling that if they were together, they'd always make it back to their feet.
Kushina's rising feelings of hope for the future were soon replaced with anxiety when she saw a masked man approaching them. A member of the ANBU confronting anyone after a disaster was never good news. She expected the man to walk over to Mikoto and begin talking to her.
Count her surprised and very anxious when the man stopped in front of her.
"Uzumaki Kushina?" The man asked. There were literally only two crimson-haired people in Konoha, but she nodded nonetheless. "The Hokage has requested your presence,"
Kushina nodded once more as the man vanished in a flurry of leaves. Looking over at Tsunade and Mikoto, she saw their worried looks. She forced a reassuring smile onto her face despite the anxiety coursing through her veins. Both of them definitely saw through it, but it was worth a shot.
A summons from the Hokage after such an event was never good.
Despite the bad feelings weighing on her chest, Kushina quickly left the hospital and made her way to the Hokages' Tower.
Crossing her arms, Kushina made sure to stand up a little straighter before entering the room the Hokage was waiting in. She had already felt on edge when she was coming to the tower. Now that she was in it, those feelings had intensified. Though she didn't want to appear weak, so she did her best to keep calm.
Taking in another deep breath. Kushina pushed open the door and walked into the room, and stood before Hiruzen and his advisors. The room itself was rather quaint for the Village leaders, but she paid that no mind.
"May I ask why you've summoned me, Hokage-sama?" Kushina asked with an even voice as she bowed her head to Hiruzen.
As the current leader of their village, Hiruzen was the only one she'd be showing any respect to. She'd be wary of Danzo because of his reputation. The other two were nothing but advisors, so honestly, she couldn't find herself to care for either of them.
Hiruzen puffed on his pipe one more time before setting it down and looking her in the eye.
"Kushina-chan, by now, I'm sure you've heard of the Uchiha clans' demise?" Hiruzen asked with a heavy voice.
Kushina could've snorted at the question. By now, she was sure it was the talk of all the Shinobi with clearance. Hell, she was with the Uchiha matriarch when she got the news.
"I have," Kushina answered despite knowing that Hiruzen knew the answer to it already. She had sensed the army of ANBU units surrounding the hospital she was just in moments ago.
Danzos' remaining eye opened as Kushina felt a surge of apprehension course through her. The only time she'd ever seen the old Warhawk pay attention or show any interest was when the subject pertained to Konoha's supremacy. That's when she knew for sure that she wouldn't like what came next.
"Kushina-chan," Hiruzen began as a heavy sigh escaped him. The old man had a troubled look on his face that she doubted was genuine.
You couldn't juggle being a good man along with being the leader of the strongest nation in the world. She had thought Minato was that way. Though on Naruto's birthday, he had proved her wrong. Ever since then, she'd always paid more attention to people to see how they acted.
"I know you've refused to remarry since Minatos' death, but with the Uchiha clan gone. A large chunk of our military forces are gone," The old man continued before she interrupted him.
"No," Kushina blankly stated as she struggled to not glare at the man. She knew where this charade was going.
By no means was she remarrying and pumping out babies for the sake of this village or any village for that matter.
"Kushina-chan, I only ask that you find love again. The village would prosper with the help of your children," Hiruzen stated, still using his grandfatherly tone.
Kushina bit down on her tongue to keep the grimace off of her face. Listening to the Hokage trying to convince her to do this infuriated her. She wasn't going to marry anyone for the rest of her life.
It may have been old school or naive of her, but she had thought Minato was the one for her. Though, after seeing how he more than gladly sealed the Kyuubi inside their child. She had lost all faith in him.
Thinking about Naruto's sealing again brought up a mixed amount of emotions in her. She should've protested against it more. She should've done something. Though, all she did was follow alone with what Minato had said and helped seal the Kyuubi in her son.
If anything, she was as much of a failure to Naruto as Minato was.
"I love Naruto," Kushina stated as the Hokage only stared at her.
"I'm sure you've heard of the Clan Restoration Act?" Hiruzen asked as he crossed his old fingers.
"I have," Kushina bitterly answered, no longer able to keep the grimace from appearing on her face.
"I only want you and Naruto-kun to be happy. That's why I'm giving you time to find a husband of your own choosing," Hiruzen said with a gentle tone.
Repulsion, that's all Kushina felt right now as she leveled a glare at Hiruzen. Hiruzen may act all grandfatherly, but he was nothing more than a snake. Hell, the only reason Tobirama must've picked him as his successor was because he was charismatic and not a sociopath.
"Is this act being enacted on Naruto and I?" Kushina asked as she took a deep breath in an attempt to calm the searing anger raging through her veins.
"It is. Tsunade will also be placed under the act," Homura chimed in from beside Hiruzen.
"I was asking the Hokage, not you, dickless," Kushina snapped at the man. She was no longer in the mood to deal with anyone's shit.
"Both you and Tsunade will have five months to find a suitable partner. Naruto will have three months when he becomes of age," Hiruzen said as he glared at Homura.
A wave of fury coursed through her as she clenched her fists so tightly she was sure her knuckles were white. Part of her wanted to ask about Satsuki and Mikoto. Though, she quickly shut that part out. It was only petty jealousy. She loved those two like her own family. She was glad that they might be spared from the act.
Though, knowing Hiruzen, he'd probably do the same thing to them come a couple of months.
"With that in mind," Kushina began as she made no attempt to hide the fury in her tone. "I resign from the ANBU and any duties tied to it,"
Hiruzen just stared at her for a long moment. She could tell he was contemplating refusing her demand. Though, after another minute, he nodded in acceptance.
Hell, it was the least the old fuck could do. Though, with how the Hokage was acting. She doubted there was any hint of kindness to it. If anything, it was likely a ploy to attempt to keep her loyal to the village.
Danzo and Hiruzen had both likely thought out this damned plan. Not only did they plan on resurrecting the Uzumaki clan in Konoha with Naruto and her. They intended to do the same for Tsunade and the Senju.
It was only a matter of time, she supposed, but it still infuriated her. With the Uchiha clan at full force, they made up a decent chunk of the military force. Hence why the act hadn't been placed on them earlier.
'Fucking snakes,' Kushina resentfully thought.
"Will that be all?" She asked, her voice full of anger. She was itching to get the fuck out of this building.
The moment the Hokage nodded, she stormed out of the room and made sure to slam the door as hard as possible. Hearing the hinges shatter brought her a tinge of joy as she hauled ass down the staircase. She didn't want to set foot in this tower for the rest of her life.
Right now, all she wanted to do was vent her anger. She felt the urge to break multiple things. Running a hand through her long crimson hair, she felt tears begin to well up in her eyes. Her initial enthusiasm about rebounding from anything was quickly fading.
Kami, what was she going to tell Naruto? Sorry honey, but both of us have to get into a relationship with someone and have tons of children. All for the sake of the fucking village!
At this point, she was practically a blur on the rooftops as she headed for a training ground to vent her anger.
It wasn't long before she reached the training ground. Walking up to a tree, Kushina punched it with a chakra-enhanced fist. The tree lurched and groaned as it fell. She didn't pay any attention to the falling tree. She was more focused on how or if she broke the news to her baby boy.
A gust of wind blew through the field as Kushina shook her head. She wouldn't sugarcoat it for Naruto, not anymore. He was old enough and clever enough to understand the situation. Knowing him, he might even come up with something to help their ailments.
She stopped putting any more thought into the act as she started venting her anger out on the training ground.
Narutos' eyes fluttered open as the sun peered through his blinds, the beams of light hitting him right in the face. A painful throbbing in his head caused him to clutch at his skull. Looking around, he found himself on his bed.
Though looking at the clock, he found that it was already well past noon.
Seeing that the day was already practically over, Naruto went to lay his head back. Just as his head hit the pillow, all the memories from last night suddenly found their way into his mind as his eyes widened.
He would've jolted out of bed if it wasn't for the hand stopping him from doing so. Looking at the owner of the hand caused him to let out a sigh of relief. Sat beside him was Kimiko Hatake, daughter of the White Fang.
The beauty beside him had a flowing mane of silver hair that covered her left eye along with her forehead protector. Her black mask was still in place as she wore her typical jonin garb. Though her vest was undone. Showing off her ample breasts that were barely restrained by a thin, gray shirt.
"You're going to kill someone with all that excitement of yours," Kimiko muttered as she expertly flipped to the next page of her book with a single hand.
"Kimiko-nee," Naruto started, causing the silver-haired jonin to look at him. "What happened?" he asked as he stared into her lone, coal-colored eye.
"Well, Isane murdered the entire Uchiha clan besides her mother and sister. She put Satsuki into a genjutsu, so she's at the hospital. Mikoto-sama and Kushina-sama are at the hospital with her last I heard," Kimiko explained as she shut her book closed.
Other than Mikoto herself and her daughters, he could care less about the rest of the Uchiha clan.
Naruto just let out a sigh as he rubbed his aching head. The vivid memories from last night were still playing in his mind. His conversation with Isane was the most prominent, just before the abrupt ending with Satsukis' blood-curdling scream.
Naruto felt his heart drop at that thought. All of Isanes' feelings from last night made sense now. Though, why would she do something she didn't want to do?
Hearing a thud on the nightstand beside him snapped him out of his trance. Naruto looked over and saw Kimiko placing a book on the nightstand. The title read Icha-Icha volume four.
"Kaa-chan would murder you if she saw you reading that," Naruto groaned as he rubbed his head again. It felt like the headache was getting worse.
"Probably. Let me go get you some water," Kimiko said as she left the room.
Laying his head back on the pillow, Naruto put an arm over his face to try and block the sun. He hoped Satsuki, Mikoto and Isane were alright. Despite what Isane had done, he still hoped she was at least safe.
Part of him wanted to know why Isane did what she did. He could feel all the anguish she was going through as she sat beside him that evening. Though, he doubted he'd find out about that anytime soon.
"Here," Kimikos' voice said suddenly from beside him as she leaned down to offer him a cup of water. He hadn't even heard her walking around. Silently walking came naturally to her at this point, he summarized.
"Thanks," Naruto said as he accepted the glass of water and downed it. The cool refreshment helped soothe his headache some, but he'd probably need more.
"How're you doing?" Kimi softly asked. That lone coal-black eye was looking at him worriedly.
"I'm fine," Naruto quickly answered.
A flick to his nose nearly made him curse as he looked at Kimiko. Despite the mask she had on, he could tell she was smiling at him. Though she was giving him that signature eye smile as well.
"You know, lying to me or your mother will only get you so far," Kimiko muttered, smile still in place. "Are you going to tell me how you're actually feeling, or do I need to flick you again? she asked, as she prepared to flick him once more.
"Fine, fine," Naruto irritatedly mumbled as he held up a hand to deter the woman. "I'm a mess," he simply stated as he put his hand down.
"Mind going into any details about that?" Kimiko asked as she tilted her head at him.
Naruto opened his mouth and shut it a couple times as he broke eye contact with Kimiko. He was so used to just bottling it all up inside that actually talking about it was more difficult than he expected. Part of him started falling back on his old habit, just to save him the effort.
"You don't have to talk about it if it bothers you that much," Kimiko offered as she put a hand on his arm and gave it a gentle squeeze.
The sheer sincerity in Kimiko's voice finally wore down his proverbial defense. Kimiko and his mother could always get him to talk. Though, it was just a matter of having the time to do so. Seeing as he was cornered by the woman fretting over him, he let out a sigh.
Feeling Kimiko take his hand in hers caused him to look up at her. Her free hand was up by her face as he pulled down her black face mask, revealing her delicate pale features. He'd seen her face plenty of times, but it was only on special occasions.
Typically, Kushina was the only one to convince her to take it off for family pictures. She had always been a little different around them, being more open and such. Though, she probably only kept her mask on to keep all the guys from fawning over her.
"How'd you react the first time someone... tried to kill you?" Naruto asked as Kimiko narrowed her lone eye at him.
"I returned the favor," Kimiko honestly answered as her grip on his hand got tighter.
"I fucking froze," Naruto said as a bitter laugh escaped him. "Some fucking no name would've killed the heir to the famed Uzumaki clan. All because I hesitated," he nearly shouted out the last part as his frustration started building up.
What was the point of all the training he went through if he couldn't even use it to defend himself? He was becoming a Ninja, so he could protect the people he loved. How was he supposed to do that when he lacked the resolve to kill a man trying to kill him?
Kami knows the next time something like that happened, he wouldn't hesitate.
"It's different for everyone, Naruto," Kimiko said in an attempt to try and soothe him.
"How're people supposed to rely on me when we fight an actual Ninja?!" Naruto shouted as he tried to get out of the bed, his hand slipped out from Kimikos' grasp. He didn't feel like being in bed. His blood was boiling as the urge to break something coursed through him.
"Sit down," Kimiko said in a tone that left no room for argument.
Naruto locked eyes with the woman for a moment. He knew arguing or fighting with her wouldn't do any good. So, he begrudgingly sat down on the edge of the bed.
"No one expects a first year in the Academy to kill anyone," Kimiko began as she wrapped her hands around his clenched fist. "There's no shame in having someone rescue you. Even the strongest people need to be saved sometimes,"
"I'd rather not be getting rescued all the time," Naruto mumbled as he looked away from Kimikos' alluring face. "I just want to become someone that can be relied on when the time comes,"
"And you will be," Kimiko said with a smile as she massaged his fist.
"What makes you say that?" Naruto asked with a raised brow as he turned to meet her gaze again.
"Well... you have me, your mother, and Mikoto-san all rooting for you," Kimiko replied with a thoughtful look on her face. Then a mischievous smile made its way onto her face in the next second. "Plus, there'll be all the training you'll get here in a couple years,"
"Why do we have to wait a couple years?" Naruto said as a smile made its way onto his face for the first time today. Training was always something to look forward to. Not only would he get stronger because of it, but he was able to spend time with his family.
"I thought you'd dread training with me a little more," Kimiko said, pouting at him.
"Kaa-chan can get pretty rough with her training," Naruto deadpanned with a shrug.
"She can be pretty harsh, can't she?" Kimiko reminisced with a fond smile on her face.
Kimiko forced him to move over as she sat by him on the bed. The next couple of minutes between them were spent in silence as they just enjoyed each other's company. Actually, talking to someone did make him feel better. Though he wouldn't make this a habit, he would be more open to vent his frustrations.
"Naruto, no matter how you feel. Just know that I'm happy to have a little brother like you," Kimiko said, breaking the silence as she laid a kiss on his head.
Before he could reply, Kimiko's stomach rumbled quite loudly, causing her to shyly look away.
"Let me whip something up for you," Naruto laughed out as he got off of the bed and made his way out of the room. Kimiko's lone eye brightened up at the mention of his cooking as she practically jumped off the bed and followed after him.
"I'll never understand how your cooking is already so much better than mine," Kimiko said with a pout as she stared at her empty plate.
"You're the one who taught me how to cook. Plus, it wasn't like it was anything special," Naruto stated as he picked up their empty plates. The meal was a simple pork katsu with shredded cabbage as a side.
As Naruto began washing the dishes, his thoughts drifted to his family. He hoped Satsuki and Mikoto were doing alright. Knowing his mother, she was probably worried out of her mind. Hopefully, they'd get home soon. He'd already made extra food for all of them.
"Your Mother is on her way back," Kimiko said, causing him to whirl around to look at her.
He half expected to see a smile on her face. Count him confused when he saw the conflicted look on her face. Seeing that look on her face made him feel easy.
Naruto figured she'd be relieved when Kushina came back. Though, judging by how the door was practically thrown open. He would soon find out why she had that look on her face.
"Stupid motherfuckers!" Kushina shouted as a table went flying down the entryway.
Kushina walked into the dining room. A furious look was on her flustered face as she looked at them. Her grey training pants and orange t-shirt clung to her body. Beads of sweat were running down her face as she let out a huff. She was taking in deep breaths through her nose as she took a seat at the kitchen table.
She looked royally pissed off.
Acting quickly, Naruto filled up a glass of water and offered it to the furious woman.
"Thanks, hun," Kushina said with a small smile as she began drinking the chilled water.
Naruto could sense the rage and sadness emanating from the woman as he walked up beside her. This wasn't the first time he'd seen her angry or sad, but it was the first time he felt the intensity of these emotions from her. Just seeing her lip quiver and her hands tighten around the glass made him want to hug her.
Unlike him, Kushina was rather outspoken with how she felt. To see her trying to hold it was heartbreaking. He had been quite a reserved person for the majority of his life. Starting right now, that was going to change.
Kushina confusedly looked up at him as he stood beside her. Leaning down, he wrapped his arms around her and just hugged her. He could feel her confusion morph to happiness as she leaned into the hug. There were still tinges of anger from her, but for now, she mainly just felt happy.
"You feel any better?" Naruto asked, ignoring the drops of sweat seeping into his clothes.
"I'm still angry, but yeah, somewhat. What's gotten into you?" Kushina asked as she tilted her head to look up at him. Her inquisitive violet eyes were gazing into his own violet eyes.
"Do I need a reason to hug my mother?" Naruto asked as Kushina narrowed her eyes at him. Yeah, he wasn't that convincing. "Alright, you looked like you needed one," he said, folding underneath her gaze.
"Thank you, Naruto. I needed that, but I need you to sit down," Kushina said as she let out a frustrated sigh.
Naruto could feel the tinges of anger come back full force as he took a seat just opposite of her. To see his overbearing mother, this worked up over something, made him nervous. For her to be like this meant whatever happened was a big deal.
Kushina's hands combed through her long red tresses as she let out a deep sigh.
"You've been taught about the CRA in the Academy, right?" Kushina asked, not even attempting to sugarcoat what this conversation would entail.
From the corner of his eye, Naruto spotted Kimiko tensing up at the mention of the act as she stared wide-eyed at both him and Kushina. Since he was from a clan, of course, he'd know what the CRA was. Though, that didn't mean he wasn't shocked to hear about it.
"Does this have something to do with Isane?" Naruto asked as he clenched his fists.
If the CRA was enacted on Kushina, that would mean she'd have to marry someone or be forced to marry. Now, if she chose to marry again of her own volition. He'd be a little upset, but in the end, he just wanted her to be happy.
Though, nothing happy ever came from the CRA.
"I assume Kimiko told you about the Uchiha massacre?" Kushina asked as she looked at the silver-haired jonin. At his nod, she continued. "With them gone. Konoha is missing a large chunk of its military force. They want you, Tsunade, and I to... help make up for the deficit," Kushina said through gritted teeth.
Hearing a glass shatter behind him, Naruto turned around and spotted Kimiko looking livid as she began pacing around in the kitchen.
"After everything you've already sacrificed for this village. The Elders want to marry you off to some man and make you some breeding cow?" Kimiko said with fury lacing her voice.
It must've been a cold day in hell for both Kimiko and Kushina to be this angry. Though he was right on board there with them. He may have only been ten years old, but his mind was racing on ways to avoid them marrying anyone entirely.
"It's never enough," Kushina said with a heavy voice as he saw tears brimming in her eyes.
"Why don't we leave the village?" Kimiko asked as she looked at the two of them. "Just pack up some supplies and just go off the grid,"
"And go where? We'd be hunted down by Ninja from both Konoha and other villages when they got news of us leaving," Kushina stated as she closed her eyes.
Naruto knew that leaving the village was already a no go for them. As much as he hated to admit it. He'd just be a liability to them.
"Then what do we do? I'm not going to stand by while they force you to marry some stupid cunt!" Kimiko shouted. Her face was red with anger as she took deep breaths.
"Just sit down and relax. I'm pissed off too, but we're not going to come up with a good solution if we're just shouting," Kushina said with a surprising amount of restraint.
Naruto slowly tuned out the two women as they discussed possible plans. His mind couldn't conjure up anyways to avoid their given situation. Much to his chagrin.
Right now, all he could do was get stronger. So that maybe in the future they could leave the village if they still wanted to. Though, by then, all of them would've been forced to marry someone. That was something he wanted to avoid entirely, but how would he go about it.
Seeing Kushina's defeated face, along with hearing Kimiko let out a series of curses, made his heartthrob.
That's when an idea hit him. The CRA only required that you marry someone. It didn't specify who you married as long as you had eventually had children.
"So, the CRA requires you to marry someone, right?" Naruto asked. He only wanted confirmation of it.
"Unfortunately, yes," Kushina answered. She sounded defeated, though he could still see the frustration clearly on her face.
"And males under the act have to marry a minimum of four women, right?" Naruto asked once more as he looked at both Kimiko and Kushina. Receiving a nod from both of them, he continued speaking. "Why don't I just marry you, Tsunade, Satsuki, and Mikoto? It's probably only a matter of time for those two since they're the last loyal Sharingan wielders,"
Kushina and Kimiko both just stared at him. His mother looked... well, dumbfounded. She taught him to do whatever it takes to protect his family. If he had to marry them to protect them, why wouldn't he
"And you'd be okay with marrying your own mother? You know they'd want kids eventually, right?" Kushina asked with a serious look on her face. Though, he could feel what could be described as a feeling of happiness coming from Kushina.
"If it meant that you didn't have to marry some random man you don't love. Then yes, I'd be fine with it," Naruto said as he fiddled with his fingers. "All of you mean the world to me, and I do love all of you. Though, I could see if you didn't want to," Incest wasn't exactly smiled upon in their world anymore. Besides bloodline clans practicing it, it was actually frowned upon.
His declaration may have sounded strange coming from a ten-year-old, but he meant every word.
He'd do whatever it took to protect them.
Kushina looked at him with a stone-cold facade on her face. Though, he could feel the apprehension, surprise, and eventual joy at his declaration. A smile made its way onto her face as she let out a sigh of relief.
There was one unhappy person in the room, though. What he felt from Kimiko was a little surprising to him. The older woman had a sense of loneliness and longing from her.
Naruto couldn't recall feeling any passionate feelings towards him from Kimiko. Though, he just figured that she was probably just hiding it really well. Hell, she was where he got the idea to bottle up all his emotions from.
"I could marry Kimiko too. Just to help appease the Elders," Naruto added as he looked at Kimiko. A surge of joy came from Kimiko as she quickly pulled her mask over her face. He smiled at how she attempted to hide her blush.
For the first time that day, the Uzumaki household was filled with laughter.
Naruto knew that life was going to get very, very complicated from here. Though, come all the hardships and joyous experiences that the future held for them. He'd face all of it and persevere.
End
Sorry for using the CRA trope. I know it's been used constantly. There also isn't that much action going on in this chapter. I'll try to pick it up some in the following chapters.
Anyhow, I hope the chapter was good. Let me know what you thought of it in the reviews.
Regarding my update schedule, at this point, I'm probably just going to update whatever I feel like. I'd rather not force myself to write since it's a hobby. Sorry if that pisses you off, but it is what it is.
Until next time.