Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the original characters.
Author Note: I would like to thank everyone who added this story to their favorites and follows as well as everyone who reviewed the last chapter.
"Who do you think Cronus is bringing in?"
Naruto blinked and tilted her head to the side as Choji darted his eyes around them. It had been a couple of minutes since Akane informed them that she was going to bring in another couple of more people into the room. Maybe my step-grandfather? She paused and then shook her head before flickering her eyes at Narumi
"My son," Narumi growled. "If she brings Minato back from the dead then I'm going to whack that boy for being irresponsible."
Mitsuki stared at her. "You haven't seen Minato-niisan since he was six and the first thing you want to do is whack him? Mom, we should hug him…and then whack him for not even telling us that he was alive or that he even got married! Or that he even have a daughter!"
Her grandmother scowled. "He needs to be disciplined before I do any of that!"
"I have dibs of hitting him first," Naruto declared. The two other woman exchanged glances before bobbing their heads together. The Third Hokage gazed at her with wide eyes like he could not believe for a second that she was going to try and punch her father. Everyone else gazed at her with furrowed eyebrows.
Bakugou snorted. "I knew you were violent!"
You think I can hold my temper back when everything bad in my life is the result of my father deciding that he should put a beast inside of me? She clenched her jaws together and took a deep breath before darting her eyes to Todoroki. He looked at her with curious eyes and Naruto looked away from him. A scowl played on her lips and the blonde folded her arms against her chest.
"For all we know, it could be Jiraiya," Tsunade declared, shaking her head. "He has some explaining to do when it comes about leaving you in a foreign country by yourself!"
Yaoyorozu bobbed her head. "Well whoever Cronus is bringing, we can be certain that they are in the book in some way or form or that they may have influenced Uzumaki in some way."
Naruto hummed and bobbed her head as everyone whispered to each other. If that is the case then I hope that Cronus didn't decide to bring back that Matron. I really don't want to see her again. Her whole body trembled as everyone else exchanged glances. She looked up at the ceiling before looking back at the others.
The blond-haired girl stiffened and jumped up from her seat as a loud pop pierced through the air. Everyone turned their body around and Naruto could only stare at the teary-eyed red-haired woman. I look like her. That woman might not have her blond hair but the facial features were very much like hers.
She would know because of how long she spent tracing her own features in the mirror.
"Naru-chan, you really have grown a lot!" Naruto felt her throat clogged up as her mother dashed straight towards her. A hug enveloped her and the whiskered teen's eyes moistened. The whole room grew quiet and the blonde just listened to the rapid heartbeat that was her mother. "I always knew you were going to look like Minato but you resembled me more than him!"
The blonde cleared her throat. "S-So you are my Mom?"
"Of course I'm your Mom!" Her mother cried, puffing her cheeks. She threw an angry glare at the Third Hokage, who gulped and inched away, before flashing her a warm smile. "You didn't come from nowhere, silly but what is this I hear about you being anti-social? I know you were a baby but I told you to make friends! And to study!"
Naruto choked out the words. "S-Sorry."
"Kushina, let Naru-chan breath," her father said as he inched closer to them. "She is being overwhelmed here."
Narumi cleared her throat. "Akimoto Minato! You have some explaining to do! How dare you die without telling me that you were safe and that you got married! Do I mean nothing to you, young man! And introduce me to your wife!"
The whiskered teen blinked and then clutched her chest when her mother finally released her from the hug. Naruto dropped her jaws at the sight of the Fourth Hokage turning slightly pale from the sight of her grandmother. He was the strongest man in the village and he is terrified of his Mom? She scratched her neck and darted her eyes to her Mom.
Her mother gave her father a triumphant look. "I told you that we shouldn't wait till Naru-chan was born! My name is Uzumaki Kushina but you can call me, Kushina, Akimoto—"
"—You can call me, Mom," Narumi said warmly before throwing a furious glare at Minato. "You have five seconds to explain yourself, Minato! Do you know how worried sick I was about you? And how dare you make your daughter into a jinchuuriki! You disappointed me!"
Minato flinched. "I was planning to tell you after Naru-chan was born but something happened and well as you can see that obviously didn't happen. I was going to tell you that I was alive but I was hoping to do it when I was more secure as the Fourth Hokage!"
"I told you to tell her in case something happened to us," Kushina argued, folding her arms against her chest. The red-haired woman flickered her eyes at Narumi before darting her eyes to Mitsuki and then to the others. "Naru-chan wouldn't have been nearly dead if you just decided that if we died then your Mom gets custody over her!"
"Kushina, I told you that would only be possible if Naru-chan showed she had a Kekkei Genkei when she was four or if she already learnt how to use her chakra," Minato argued back. Naruto blinked and flickered her eyes between them while her grandmother raised an eyebrow at them. "I'm not sending our daughter to Japan until she knows how to use her powers! Being discriminated for not having a Quirk is horrible!"
Naruto smiled thinly. "I got discriminated for being a Jinchuuriki, Bastard!"
Todoroki coughed while the Third Hokage took a step back. Her father stared at her for the longest time and then walked closer to her. The blonde clenched her jaws together and curled her hands into a fist as the blond-haired man placed his heavy hands on her shoulders. He gazed down at her with apologetic eyes.
"Naru-chan, I am sorry for all the hurt that my decision put you through," Minato said hoarsely. Narurto stiffened and stared at the sincere eyes of her father while everyone exchanged glances between them. "I know you are in pain and I ignored what Kushina's grandfather put because I believed that people would listen to the words of their Hokage. I didn't think of what you went through."
"Do you know how many days I wonder if you and Mom loved me?" Naruto asked quietly. "Do you know that when I realized that you are my Dad that the hero who protected the village, was the same hero who put me through this. Why me? Why not some kid who had parents? I had no one to protect me."
Her father took in a deep breath. "Do you know what was the happiest day of my life?"
Not like they taught us that in the Academy. Naruto shook her head and stared up at her father. He had a smile playing on his lips and his eyes was filled with so much pain as he exchanged glances with her mother. The whole room grew quiet and Naruto could see everyone reverting their eyes away from her. "The day that you became Hokage?"
"That would rank number 4," her father joked before smiling at her. "The day your Mom told me that I was going to be your Dad. I'm sure Kushina would say the same thing too but you have been loved since you were in your Mom's womb."
Her throat burned and her eyes moistened even more. It sounds like he and Mom really does love me. She sniffed and rubbed her eyes before smashing her hand against his stomach. Everyone blinked and watched with horror as the Fourth Hokage flew towards the other side of the room.
"Minato-ojiisan told you that he loves you and you decide to hit him?" Bakugou asked.
Naruto sniffed. "I still need to punch him for sealing the Kyuubi inside of me."
"I deserved that," Minato wheezed as he rubbed his stomach. "It seemed like you didn't just inherit your Mom's side of the family strength but Mom's strength as well. Cronus told me and I saw the clips but seeing is different from experiencing it."
Good because even if you did really love me, you still put me through some crap. Naruto rubbed her eyes and blinked when her mother hugged her again. She closed her eyes and just breathed in the scent of her mother's flowery perfume. It was so strange to have someone hug her like this. The last time someone hugged her this much had been Mikoto-obaachan and her mother figure was dead.
"By the way, Sasuke…your parents are going to be having a few words with you," Minato said with a tight smile playing on his lips. Sasuke blinked and then gulped when the blond-haired man leaned his body forward. "You are very lucky that your Mom convinced me to let her and Fugaku handle you because I would be bringing you to the after life with me!"
Sasuke blinked and then paled. "You know my Mom?"
"Mikoto-chan was my best friend!" Kushina answered with a large, thin smile playing on her lips. "And she was also Minato's teammate so you can say that we know your parents very well. Your Mom told me so many interesting stories about you and Naru-chan and imagine our disappointment when we found out that her youngest son tried to kill my only child."
He closed his eyes and looked down at his feet.
Minato grimaced and shook his head before looking at Mitsuki. "You really look more like Dad, don't you Mitsu-chan? And your son looks more similar to Dad. He talks about Katsuki a lot and told me about the shenanigans that he put you and your husband through."
"I think he resembles you a little bit," Mitsuki answered, quirking her a lips into a tiny smile. Masaru bobbed his head and turned a little bit pale when Minato smiled thinly at him. The blond-haired woman narrowed her eyes at the Fourth Hokage. "Minato-niisan, I'm a grown woman with a teenage son! Don't you dare threaten my husband!"
Minato smiled wider. "But if I find out anything that I don't like?"
"…He is free game!"
"Mitsuki!"
Her Aunt rolled her eyes. "I am giving him the chance of fulfilling the role that he didn't have a chance of fulfilling when he was alive. I will make it up to you when we are done with the books. I will even try some moves from that book—"
"Old Hag! That's way too much info!" Bakugou yelled with reddened cheeks.
Naruto nodded her head and watched as her father turned a sickly shade of green. Narumi shot a disapproving look to her daughter while Kushina just chortled at those words. The blonde rubbed the back of her neck and looked down at her lap before flickering her eyes to Todoroki. The heterochromatic boy just gazed at them with furrowed eyebrows.
There was another loud squeaky pop and everyone turned around to blink. Naruto exchanged glances with Sasuke as Mikoto, Fugaku and Jiraiya stood right in front of them. The blonde rubbed the back of her neck and watched as her mentor blinked at the sight of her before gawking at the sight of her parents.
"Minato! Kushina! W-What—"
"Jiraiya-sensei, you have some explaining to do," Minato said, pulling out a kunai. His tone spoke of danger even though there was a smile on his face. Her mother clenched her hands into a fist and narrowed her eyes at the white-haired male, who took a step back. "You left my daughter alone in a foreign country?"
Naruto cleared her throat. "Well I kinda ask him to leave me alone."
"Doesn't matter," her father declared calmly. "Even if you asked him to leave you alone, he should have been in the country."
The blond-haired girl puffed her cheeks. "I can take care of myself! I have been living alone since I was six and I have been doing a pretty good job at taking care of myself."
"Naru-chan, if Mikoto-chan hasn't helped you with budgeting then you would have spent all of your remaining expenses on instant ramen!" Her mother protested, flickering her eyes at the black-haired woman. The black-haired woman smiled slightly at her before hardening her eyes on Sasuke. The black-haired teen flinched. "And from what Akane-chan told me, you shouldn't have been alone in your state!"
Jiraiya flinched. "Minato and Kushina, I can explain why I haven't been around Naruto but if someone made it clear that they wanted space then shouldn't I give them space? Naruto wouldn't believe for one second that I'm doing things because I care and she refused to travel the world with me!"
"You left her to fend for herself!" Aizawa reminded him. "She's 15 for goodness sake!"
The blond-haired girl tuned things out and tucked her head between her legs. It feels so weird to have people who care about me and I don't understand why he even cares. He isn't my teacher yet. She rubbed the back of her neck and watched as Mikoto darted her eyes at her and Todoroki before looking at Sasuke.
Black eyes gleamed with understanding and Naruto frowned when the woman wrapped her arms around Fugaku's hand. She knitted her eyebrows together when her mother-figure whispered something to her husband's ear. The black-haired man blanched and opened his mouth to argue but Mikoto jerked her finger at Sasuke.
Fugaku sighed and made his way to Sasuke while Mikoto walked up towards her. I wonder what Mikoto-obaachan said to Fugaku that made him blanched. She tilted her head and blinked when the woman stopped right in front of her. The black-haired woman dropped her hands on her lap and offered her a smile.
"Thank you, Naruto-chan for trying to stop Sasuke-kun from doing something reckless," Mikoto said. Naruto blinked and tilted her head as the black-haired woman gazed at her before throwing a disappointed look at Sasuke. From across the room, Fugaku shook his head and seemed to be talking down a visibly-shaken Sasuke. "I'm sorry for what my foolish son did to you."
Naruto clenched her jaws. "You don't have to apologize, Mikoto-obaachan. It is the bastard's fault…not yours."
"I may have some part to play and the same goes for Fugaku," the woman answered quietly. "Just know that I wish we had made a different decision when it came to you and Sasuke-kun. I don't know if the book would ever explain it to you but once the whole series is over then you can be reassured that I will explain Itachi's actions."
The blonde stared at her. "You still love him?"
"Itachi is still my son and my first-born," Mikoto answered with a soft smile. "And I told you that there was a reason behind my oldest son's actions. It might not have been the best reason but I want you to remember that he was only slightly younger than you, Naru-chan. When I explain the reason to you, I want you to take that into consideration."
Todoroki flickered his eyes between them and the blonde looked away when the heterochromatic eyes locked his gaze on Mikoto's smile. His eyes darted down to her hands. It isn't wrong of me to hold someone's hand! I should be allowed to drop my guard around the one adult who has been kind to me. She shook her head.
"I miss you, Mikoto-obaachan," Naruto declared.
The woman smiled. "I miss you too, Naru-chan and your father is going to have his hands full with you for the next couple of books."
"Why?" Naruto blinked and tilted her head as Mikoto smiled even wider at her. The black-haired woman snuck a glance at Sasuke before flickering her eyes at the males sitting in the room. Black eyes gleamed with amusement and Naruto looked to her parents. Her father seemed to have narrowed his eyes at Mineta before looking back at her. "What do you mean?"
Mikoto giggled. "Don't you know, Naru-chan? You have grown even prettier as the years went by. I wouldn't be surprised if there are a couple of boys who have crushes on you."
"Now you are being silly, Mikoto-obaachan," Naruto grumbled as her cheeks pinkened to a very dark shade of pink. "No one is going to have a crush on me. If someone was going to have a crush on me then I would know by now!"
The black-haired woman chuckled and shook her head before rubbing the back of her neck. Her black eyes softened and she stole a glance at Minato and Kushina before darting her eyes to Fugaku. The man grimaced and awkwardly patted his pale-faced son. What the hell did that Fugaku tell Sasuke? Because I have never seen Sasuke so upset. She rubbed the back of her neck.
"He didn't break the news gently," Mikoto muttered, shaking her head. "Naru-chan, let me console my silly son and to answer you question about you knowing whether someone likes you or not…you are your mother's child."
From across the room, Kushina yelled. "Mikoto-chan, I'm not that dense!"
"It took you a long time to realize that Minato-kun had feelings for you!" Mikoto sang. Her mother blushed while Narumi exchanged glances with Mitsuki before glancing at her father. The blond-haired man coughed and rubbed the back of his neck as everyone looked at the Fourth Hokage and Kushina with curiosity.
Yaoyorozu furiously shook her head and looked down at the book. Right, I think that it is time for us to read the book. The blonde nodded and folded her arms against her chest. She took a deep breath and looked at her hands. Should she read the next chapter? It would be a good idea for her to get her turn over and done with.
"I think that it might be everyone," Yaoyorozu commented. "Who wants to read the next chapter?"
Kushina smiled widely. "I will read the next chapter!"
A/N: So that was the interlude. The next chapter will come out by Monday at the latest. Do tell me of your thoughts on this tiny break and I do hope that you enjoy the chapter because the reactions will assume soon.
