Tip Of The Spear
Chapter 26
It had been one day since Naruto had informed first Hanabi and later the rest of the delegation he led the events concerning the capture/rescue of his cousin Tayuya and Kiba's injuries he had received in the line of his duties. While everyone was happy that Naruto was one cousin richer the news of Kiba being injured had put a slight dampener on the moment. Later that day he had cut everyone lose to relax and enjoy the sights sound sounds of the town they were waiting in. It had taken longer than expected for the caravan to arrive and later get ready to move on to Suna.
The members of the diplomatic mission took that news in stride. Hiruzen and his new wife Chiyo were visiting friends that had retired from ninja life and were now running a casino and small resort. Jiraiya was catching up with his first wife and granddaughter, his daughter having married into one of the noble clans in the capital city. The girl and her husband were two of his most highly placed agents in that area. Umeko and her brother Eiji spent time together and enjoyed the day, with him in the academy and her working for Naruto and Sakura they had very little time together at home. Right now they had planned to visit the girl Eiji had met and had been spending his lunch times with.
Ino, Shikamaru and Choji decided to stay together and visit one of the amusement arcades they had passed while on their way to interview the Sound nin that had asked for asylum. After two lengthy days of interviews and debriefings the man was cleared to proceed to Konoha. He would be escorted their by a team of jonin with an ANBU in over all command, but the man was not their concern anymore. Along with her boys Ino was in charge of the Uzumaki children and Hanabi. Seeing that she had two of the most dangerous female students accompanying her Ino decided to go shopping before anything else. Laughing in glee the girls lead their male escorts to the shopping district.
As of now they were just strolling the main drag of Tanzuki Town taking in the sights and sounds. As they drew close to an intersection he passed a storefront with the sign that read M&K Outfitters and Trading. The wares on display showed them to be geared towards those crossing the desert. As Ino stood looking into the window she swore she had seen a flash of pink hair in the corner of his eye. Following she turned to corner only to see a girl of about nine or ten calling out to the crowd extolling the virtues of M&K Outfitters.
While running across child barkers that drummed up traffic for businesses was common, this girl was far from that. Getting a closer look she and the others saw that Umeko's brother was right in his description of the girl he had been spending lunch with the past few days while waiting for the caravan that would guide them to Suna.
She was about four foot ten or eleven with emerald green eyes and bubblegum pink hair. Her clothes were that of a civilian shopkeeper but what Ino noticed that she had a large forehead, just like another pink haired girl he knew.
"Sakura?" Konohamaru whispered more to himself than to the girl however she had heard him.
"No, Saki, Haruno Saki. I was named after my sister, or so my parents said," the girl explained in response to his whispered question, "According to them she was taken away from them by an evil boy that wasn't a boy but a de..."
"Daemon, yeah, I'm familiar with the story. It was all the rage in Konoha back in the day. You know that the boy and the daemon are two different entities and the boy had no say in getting the daemon sealed into him right?"
"Well even so," the girl began, "that didn't give him the right to take my sister away."
Konohamaru stopped to think at what this girl had been told all her life. The Haruno's still hated Naruto no doubt, and had poisoned the girl's mind with that hate. Still, there was always a chance for things to be corrected, however slim that would be. Looking at the girl he smiled and bent down to eye level with her,
"Well, since we know both start of the story you must know the end of it right?"
"What end? My sister left, taken by that de..boy," she corrected after feeling a dreadful pressure upon her and a stern look from the teens that were gathered around to her, "besides, mother said that since she was already friends with him they had no choice but to kick her from the clan."
Shaking his head Konohamaru stood up and frowned as Saki, "To think that one of my friends spoke so glowingly about the cute pink haired girl he had met. The way he described you I thought that you didn't or couldn't have a hateful bone in your body."
Saki frowned at that, she liked everybody, just ask her friends, they'd tell these outsiders how nice she was. Still, that boy that ruined her sister's life, that was someone that deserved to be hated, right?
As she was thinking Ino spoke up with a question, "So, I take it that you're an Haruno? I didn't know the clan had a store out her in this place."
"Well, we're Haruno's but no longer in the clan. The elders removed my father and mother from the clan leadership and sent them away. It was punishment for committing some kind of crime in Konoha, I don't know what they did, but my mother cries when I ask. She says it was the biggest mistake she had ever made not trusting her best friend's husband."
The Konoha teens knew what the crimes were and why the couple had been sent packing. Looking at the girl Ino felt her heart go out to her so she had an idea. Her best friend had over the last few years Sakura had commented on how she missed her mother and father, she stated that no matter how bad they treated her and Naruto they deserved a second chance. Smiling to her self Ino looked at the girl in front of her,
"Saki? Your mother's name, would it be Mebuki by any chance?"
"Yes, why?"
"Well, I knew your family before they left the village..."
"Did you know my sister too?" Saki excitedly interrupted the blond.
"I'm not sure, I only saw your mother when mine took me shopping with her. I might have seen her but it was a long time ago. I was just four or five when they lost face in the village," Ino explained.
"Oh, I was hoping that you..."
"I said I might have seen her but I don't really remember. You stay here with my friends while I talk to your mother. It's been a long time and others that were convicted for the dame crimes have been pardoned by the Hokage Koho so if I see that she and your father are truly sorry I'll talk to the people that can make things right, okay?"
"You'll do that?"
"Sure, I'll be back in a few minutes, Shika, you're coming with me," Ino said as she left with her boyfriend in tow.
Walking into the open doors of the moderate sized shop Ino and Shikamaru noticed that they weren't the only ones that wanted to talk to the shopkeepers. In front of the counter at the back of the establishment a large man was leaning into Kizashi's face,
"Are you sure that you're not in contact with your daughter or her husband? My leader will make it worth your while to tell us where they might be found. After all, you and he have something in common."
"And what would that be," Kizashi, a man with dark pink hair, asked with a tone of slight contempt.
"That daemon brat of course. He ruined your family whilst at the same time he ruined my master's plans to make Konoha great."
Ino and Shikamaru frowned at that statement, the man was obviously referring to the traitor Danzo. As there was a standing order to kill or capture anyone connected to that traitor, Orochimaru or the Sound village both DRACO members drew weapons. Ino had produced a TASER while Shika had pulled a brace of kunai that had been treated with a poison that Sakura had produced using a formula not found in the elemental nations.
Silently moving deeper into the store Ino saw that the man had made their job easier. His garb was of long lose fitting pants and a t-shirt that left his midriff exposed. Bringing the TASER to bear Ino lined up the sighting laser with the man's spine and lumbar region. Not bothering to hear Mebuki's retort Ino pulled the trigger.
A soft popping sound echoed in the building as the propelling charge charge went off. The electrodes sailed through the air with their leads trailing behind them. In the blink of an eye fifty thousand volts of electricity raced through Ino's target dropping him to the ground. Ino kept her finger on the trigger and as the man struggled to get back on his feet she sent another jolt of electricity into him as she began to yell commands,
"STAY ON THE FLOOR! SHIKA GET HIM SECURE AND SILENCED! CHOJI, YOU AND THE OTHERS SECURE THIS BUILDING AND SOMEBODY CALL THE COMMANDER!"
As Ino issued orders Shikamaru rushed the man and began applying special seals on the target. The first one went on his tongue to override Danzo's ROOT tattoo, with this seal the man was just as vulnerable to questioning as anyone else. The second was a chakra restrictor, this would take his chakra to those of a civilian child, just enough to stay alive and mobile but unable to call upon his ninja training. The last was a gravity seal to keep him immobile for the time being. Seeing that the target was down and secure Ino stepped next to her boyfriend and made a one handed sign wordlessly. As she sagged to the floor Shikamaru caught her body and gently set her down smiling as he did so when he saw the confused look on Mebuki Haruno.
Ino spent what seemed like hours in the mind of her friend's mother. Wandering the corridors of the womans memories Ino started at the oldest and worked towards today. Her frown slowly fading as she saw how repentant Mebuki was. Over the years she realized that she and her husband had made a mistake regarding Naruto. On hearing of his and Sakura's return she would latch on to any bit of news concerning the pair. On the outside she still acted as if she wanted nothing to do with the pair, on the inside she wanted nothing else that to hold her eldest child.
She was also doing all she could to protect her daughter and son in law. Since their return she and Kizashi had been visited by people of all types and affiliations asking for information regarding the two. Thankfully she and her husband have never had to lie since it was the truth that they had no contact with either Naruto or Sakura and had not since they had thrown Sakura out into the streets. Considering recent events it was maybe the best way she and her husband had to protect their little girl.
Ino left Mebuki and end entered Kizashi's mind. In his memories and thoughts Ino found that he was more or less powerless to stop his wife and her hatred towards Naruto and Sakura. In her grief over not only losing members of her clan and family but the pain of losing Kushina, her first and very best friend but Minato too. Ino found out while looking into Mebuki's thoughts that she was in love with Minato while in the academy and had dated him a couple of times before he settled down with Kushina, in fact, Minato was Mebuki's first lover and when she was told that Minato had sacrificed himself to seal Kurama away she lost it.
In her mind, Kizashi remembered, she had convinced herself that the son of her best friends was also dead and that the child in front of her and he was the nine tailed fox transformed into a human child to make it vulnerable and easier to kill. Both Minato and Kushina had asked the Haruno's to take care of Naruto should something happen to them, they even had taken an oath to that effect. Sadly Mebuki's hate was more powerful than her and her husband's promises. To Kizashi that was his most shameful day and he died every time he found out that Naruto had been mistreated. The times the child was hospitalized were the worst as it would've never happened if his wife wasn't so blinded by hate.
Ino also found that Kizashi's biggest shame was going along with his wife and abandoning Sakura in the streets and assuring that she was completely cut off from ther clan's protection. He had found out after they had left Konoha why he had gone along with his wife so easily, Mebuki had paid an apothecary a handsome fee to provide her potions that she slipped into his food and drink that forced him to agree to any request she made. It was this way that she ensured that there wouldn't ever be a fight when she came up with another way to harm Naruto and Sakura.
Looking at more recent thoughts Ino saw that Kizashi was also regretting his actions or in his case, lack of action and was now doing his best to protect his family. He had heard that Sakura was in town but kept that news from his wife and anyone else that mentioned seeing a teen girl that shared the same hair color as he and Saki. Satisfied that their first meeting would be not as dramatic as everyone feared Ino returned to her own body.
Standing up Ino smoothed her hair and dress before walking up to two people that she thought she'd never see again, "Kizashi-san, Mebuki-san, it's been a long time, hasn't it? We need to talk and we need to talk now. Konohamaru, bring their girl inside and lock the doors open them only for your parents or team members, got that?"
"Hai Yamanaka-san!" came the reply as the boy rushed to complete his task.
Ino nodded in approval of the boy's reaction, turning to the woman she'd not seen in years she spoke up, "Mebuki-san, do you remember me? I used to visit with me parents before you threw your eldest daughter away."
Mebuki flinched at that statement making Ino smirk a bit, "I..Ino Yamanaka, right? Yes, I remember you and your folks, how are they?"
"Oh, they're fine, mom still runs the flower shop and dad has a small psych practice helping shinobi that are having problems coping with our line of work."
"And you? A shinobi? I thought that you'd be taking over the flower shop and settling down. And is that Shikamaru and Choji with you too?" Ino nodded yes to her questions with a frown about settling down, "So, these guys are your team then."
"Not really for now they're my team but once we return home we go back into the Genin Pool. There's...been lots of changes in the village lately and..."
Just then the doors were shoved open and a males voice called out, "What's the emergency Ino? We came as..."
"YOU!" Mebuki's voice called out, "I thought we told you to never show your face you daemon brat!" At her voice Naruto halted. The pain from her beatings flashing through his mind, his face a grimace of a tortured soul.
Before anyone could act Sakura flashed forward in a blur of pink placing a kunai at her former mother's throat, "Insult my husband one more time and I'll end your life Haruno-san."
Mebuki flinched at the cold tone of her daughter's voice. As she looked at Sakura she realized that this was not the scared little girl that she and her husband threw away but a person that's killed and seen death and battle.
Placing her hand on the girl's cheek Mebuki called out in a whisper, "Sakura? Is that really you?"
Slapping her mother's hand away as if it had burned her Sakura turned to Ino, "What's going on? We were told that it was an emergency."
Ino pointed to the bound sound nin, "He was threatening your family."
"So?"
"Threat was against not only them but your sister as well," Ino began to explain, "He was fishing for information about you and Naruto. I mind walked your mom and dad, Sakura, your dad was going to take a kunai before he gave you two up. They're still trying to protect you."
Looking at her mother Sakura just snorted, "They never cared or protected me, remember? So, Mebuki, what are you up to? You disowned me or did you forget?"
"Why you ungrateful little br..."
"Mebuki! We talked about this, remember!" Kizashi snapped at his wife, "Sakura-cha..."
"No, I'm not your Sakura-chan anymore, the only one that I allow to call me that is Naruto-kun. You and that woman tossed me out on the streets when I was only four, or did you forget?"
"I..I...didn't forget, it's something that I regret everyday," Kizashi replied with a bowed head, "Please listen to me, I'm so very sorry for all the wrongs I did to you. You deserved better and I was a fool listening to your mother."
Sakura looked at the man with wide eyes for a moment before her mother spoke up as well, "Same here Sakura, I'm so, so sorry for what I did to you, can you forgive us?"
Still holding a hard face at her former parents Sakura just looked at them with contempt, "What of Naruto-kun? He's my husband and the father of any children I bear, your grandchildren. How do you see him at this very moment? Mother made her feelings clear, what about you father?"
"I made a promise to Minato-san that we would take care of his son should he and Kushina be taken away from their son. I was willing to honor that commitment but your mother suffered a major blow to her psyche. She began to blame Naruto for his parent's deaths, Sakura, they were our closest friends. Close enough for Kushina and your mother to write a marriage contract for you two. However, she couldn't get over their deaths, especially Mianto's, I'm not saying that I was an innocent in all this but it was easier to go along with her than to fight every waking moment."
"That's all well and fine Kizashi-san but that doesn't answer my question, how do you feel about my husband?"
Kizashi looked to the ground before looking into his daughter's eyes, "Every morning I wake up I regret my actions against my godson and my daughter. Nothing I do will ever make up for the harm I caused or allowed to happen to you two. I humbly ask that you forgive this old fool and to let me call you daughter again."
Looking at Ino Sakura's eyes asked an unspoken question. Ino simply leaned into Shikamaru and cast her family justu, "Forehead? Can you hear me?"
"Yeah, I hear you, what is it? Why are you in my mind, you know how dangerous it can be with Kurama being able to enter as he wishes."
"It's a necessary risk, I took a good look at your parent's minds. Before you yell at me hear me out. I went all the way back to when Naruto was born and worked my way to the present. Your mom suffered a tremendous psychotic break after Kurama's rampage. She was closer to your father in law that you knew, in fact he could have been your dad at one point."
"So, they had a fling, so what? How does that excuse what they did?" Sakura asked.
"So, she was hurting and your father just went along with whatever she decided, he's just as sorry and as I said, since your parents had found out that you two had returned they've been doing all the could to protect you, the both of you. Your mother is very sorry and wants to make amends. The reason they've stuck to their act of hating you two is just that, an act. That way no one could get any information from them and later harm you or Naruto-kun."
"Okay, so what do I do now?" Sakura asked her friend and dreading the answer.
"Accept their apologies and take it slowly. You also have a little sister that you should get to know as well. So, will you at least give them a chance?"
"Yes, I suppose I can. And Ino? Thank you."
"You're welcome Sakura, now off you go."
With that Ino returned to her body as Sakura blinked her eyes. Stepping towards her father she uttered words she hadn't said in years, "Daddy? I...I...missed you, I..." with a sob she rushed into the man's arms as he held her tight.
"Shhh, it's okay baby, it's okay, daddy's got you. I have you and I won't let go again. I promise I won't let go of you or Naruto, it's way late I know but I want us to be a family again."
As she hugged her father Sakura felt another set of arms circle around her as her mother just clung on a cried silent tears. Naruto just stood and watched silently. He knew that this was something his wife needed and he knew that while it would be hard at first he'd give his in laws a second chance. After all, he'd given others that deserved less a chance to make things right so he could do the same for his wife's parents.
As the family hug broke up Sakura stared at her father, the man was dripping sweat and had grown pale. Ino had noticed as well and was already heading to their inn. As she entered the common room she grabbed the trauma pack and rushed back to Sakura's side. As she entered the store she noticed that Kizashi's lips and finger tips were turning blue.
Just then Naruto spoke up, "Haruno-san? Are you okay?"
"I..I'm fine just a little weak and my arm hurts," was the reply as if the man didn't want to bring down the joyous reunion.
By then Sakura and Ino were in full medic mode, "Dad, what arm hurts?"
"My left and I feel like a bear is standing on my che..."
"DAD! Ino, get a six lead on him, Moegi, start an IV line and with sodium bicarb. Mom...MOM!" Sakura yelled to get the woman's attention, "Has this happened before?"
Mebuki was silent as she was in shock at the turn of events in front of her so Saki spoke up, "Dad's been having problems with his chest lately, mom didn't know, he didn't want to worry her."
"What else is wrong with him?"
"His blood is somehow too high or I think that's what he said," the girl answered.
Just then the ECG monitor came to life with a very unsteady tone to match the sine wave on the screen. Just as Sakura wrapped the sphygmomanometer cuff around the man's upper arm and began to take readings the wave on the ECG monitor fell to a flat line with the tone a steady single note whine. Not wasting time Naruto dove in and began compressions on his father in laws chest as Ino placed the breathing mask over his face and began to pump the bulb forcing air into the man's lungs.
With tears in her eyes Sakura began charging the portable defibrillator while giving out orders to the other girls, "Moegi, I need you push a cardiac needle with adrenaline into dad's chest. Ino, what's his BP?"
"90 over 50 and falling Sakura, he's still flat line."
"I got the needle mom, I need dad to stop for a second," the younger girl called out. In keeping with their plan for the academy students all the girls and some males that had the control were already being trained as medics. Moegi and Hanabi, due to their closeness with Sakura had been given advanced training already and were proving to be excellent assistants.
Once the long needle had been inserted Moegi administered the drug to hopefully jump start the man's heart. If that didn't work then it would be up to Sakura to shock her father's system. As soon as Moegi had pulled the syringe out of Kizashi's chest Naruto was back doing compressions, five to every two breaths Ino was delivering.
Waiting another moment Sakura call a halt to the CPR and watched the oscilloscope on the monitor. As she bit her lower lip Ino called out, "Pulse is thready but weak, we have a heart beat. Hopefully that will get him stabilized."
Sakura nodded and looked out at her father, "How's his breathing and oxygen levels?"
At that Moegi began pulling out a portable pulse oximeter module and placing it on the man's left left middle finger, "Oxygen saturation is at 70% and his breathing is slow, about seven per minute. Mom, he's going to need an ICU. We need to get him into a hospital."
Sakura looked at Ino who nodded her head, "I agree, we need to get him into an ER at the very least but Konoha would be the best place for him."
Nodding her head Sakura looked at her mother, "Mom, we need to get dad to a hospital, where is the nearest one? And does the family have a doctor?"
Mebuki stared first at her husband and then to her daughter and son in law is shock, even though they had treated these two so horribly they had done all they could to save the love of her life from a certain death. Already Naruto had pulled a stretcher out of a seal and had cloned himself into a pair of litter bearers as the original, Shikamaru and Choji were placing Kizashi onto the tight canvas.
Blinking once she answered her eldest daughter, "Three blocks to the west is the main hospital for the town. I'll send your sister to get our doctor but Sakura, medical care here is very expensive for people like us. Our access to the clan and guilds medical system was taken away from us when we were convicted and then disowned by the clan."
"Don't worry about that," Naruto said, "the bill for both the doctor and hospital will be taken care of by the Uzumaki clan. As Godaime Koho I lift the banishment and and extend a full pardon to you and Kizashi-san. The paperwork will be on Tsunade's desk in an hour or two."
Sakura looked at her mother, "We'll talk later, we need to get dad to the ER but as the Haruno matriarch I rescind the expulsion of you and daddy, now let's go."
In ten minutes Kizashi was resting in a hospital bed while his daughter and her friend fussed over him. His doctor had arrived shortly after he had been admitted and was now consulting with Sakura about his condition and treatment plan. Kizashi was astounded that his little girl was a doctor in her own right studying under Senju Tsunade, the best doctor in Fire Country if not all the continent.
After sending messages via both radio and summon, the latter to carry the actual hand written scrolls of forgiveness, Naruto returned to the hospital and made straight to his, now, father in laws room. Waking in he saw something that he'd never thought to see in his life. His hot tempered wife sitting on her father's bed being held like a cherished treasure. Looking close he saw no animosity between the two and understood that no matter what, family would overcome all obstacles if given enough time. Clearing his throat the blond teen walked into the room and for the first time since he ran into the ones that had hurt him and Sakura the most, smiled. Not his masked smile that he used to hide behind but his real, softer, smile that Sakura had fell in love with.
As he crossed the threshold of the doorway he spoke up in a soft voice, "I've contacted Konoha, Baa-chan is sending a medical team to evacuate your father to Konoha Medical Center before night fall, they should be here before dusk tomorrow."
Mebuki looked up in surprise, "How can you be in contact with the village that fast as well as have a medical team here in a day? It's a three day travel at genin speeds on foot."
"Mom," Sakura began, "We, Naruto and I, we've brought in technology that makes it possible. It's things we learned to use in our travels while in exile."
At the word exile both elder Haruno's looked down in shame as Naruto spoke up, "Hey, look, no need to beat yourselves up. What's done is done, now comes the healing but I want you both to know, trusting you both will be hard. You both spat on my mother and father's wishes concerning me and you abandoned your daughter because of your hatred.
"Nothing will make us happier than to have you back into our heart's and home, but, that all depends on your actions and attitude towards us from today, understand?" Naruto asked with a bit of anger.
"Yes, we do and I'm so very sorry at how I treated you both. Kushina would have a fit if she were to know how you were treated by the village and especially by us," Mebuki answered in a soft tone.
"Yes she would," Naruto agreed, "And I can't be sure that when she comes back we can keep her under control. Dad told us about her temper. Now the first thing you need to do is tell your youngest girl the whole truth about Sakura and I. That would be a good first step to your redemption."
"We will, she'll know everything, including our breaking of the contract. Now, I'm still curious at how fast you could contact the village and be sure a medical team will arrive. What did you two learn and use during your travels?" Kizashi asked.
"You're familiar with chakra transceivers, what shinobi use for short range communications?" seeing the nods from his in laws Naruto continued, "Well where we were the use the same kind of things but instead of using chakra they use electricity and depending on the size can reach out from a few thousand feet to a few thousand miles."
"Once you've recovered and vetted you'll be maintaining a stock of these radios as well as other items as a supply point for the Konoha Armed Forces. Now, as for how the medical team will be here so soon and how you'll be in Konoha General in three days is quite simple, you'll be taking a ride."
"A ride? A carriage is too expensive and rough riding for human transport Naruto, only the rich and powerful have access to even a moderately smooth riding coach. The price to feed the oxen alone..."Kizashi began to say before Naruto butted in.
"This is different, Konoha has several cargo wagons that have been modified to carry medical personal and up to two patients on litters or one litter and several ambulatory cases. They're pulled by specially bred horses for speed and endurance. They're also provided free of charge as they're funded by a special tax levied on all citizens, no exceptions."
"Also in a case like this KMC will be sending a cardiologist, nurse and physician's aide," Sakura said as she released herself from her father's hug, "We've had time to work out the transfer protocols and have done several between Konoha and the capital city. They also have orders to take you and Saki with dad okay mom?"
"Yeah, what Sakura-chan said and as of right now you're under the Uzumaki clan's protection until you''re accepted back into your old clan. Until then you three are guests of the Uzumaki clan. That said Mebuki? You and Saki will be staying at our townhouse, Ren-chan will be expecting you.
"I see, thank you Uzumaki-san, we..."
At this Naruto waved his hand, "Save it for later, please, you've had a heart attack and are recovering. Sakura-chan will kill me if I keep you from resting so get some sleep. Sakura-chan and I will see you in a little over a month but for now I have to go and see that my mission team is ready to leave at dawn."
With that Naruto walked out of the room and towards the entrance to the hospital. He walked through the town's streets with purpose and in a manner of minutes was walking into the door to his suite. Looking at the assembled ninja sitting with their captive he uttered just one word, "Report."
"He's got the seal that all ROOT operatives bear," Shikamaru replied, "It's useless to question him with it active."
Naruto nodded his head, "I see, Udon, get my sealing tools," was all the blond said.
The subdued Sound nin looked at Naruto in shock, he was a dead man if the teen carried out what he thought he was planning. According to Danzo the seal was fool and tamper proof. Should someone try to alter it the seal would send a burst of corrosive chakra into his system causing a painful and slow death. As the prisoner began to resist Naruto had his mouth forced open with wooden wedges. As the jaw was depressed Naruto grabbed his tongue and called Hanabi over.
"See that?" he asked pointing out the seal, "That is the reason your grandfather and the other elders were arrested and executed. This was a prisoner control seal that was stolen by the Uzumaki and corrupted by the Hyuga into a slavery seal with an element to destroy a person's eyes should they be captured. At some point it was give to Danzo who corrupted it further.
With this applied the bearer has no free will and cannot talk to outsiders about ROOT, Danzo or his activities without severe pain or should he push...death. This is why your clan has been looked down on by the shinobi forces and other clans, because your elders insisted on keeping their family members as virtual slaves under the myth of protecting the bloodline."
Hearing that Hanabi felt ill, she had been told by Neji and Hinata that had her father been forced to choose either she or her sister would have been branded with the caged bird seal making them a slave of the family. Tear ran down her face at the realization that her sister had purposely made herself appear weak to protect her. She also knew that Naruto meant no harm with his lecture, he was just ensuring that she knew the real story of her clan's cruelty.
As soon as he was finished talking Udon had returned and handed him his sealing kit. As soon as he moved to make the first modification the prisoner began to resist by moving his head in all directions. Sakura sighed and nodded to Moegi who moved in with senbon and quickly hit several nerve clusters paralyzing the man. During this time Jiraiya had returned and stood quietly in the doorway watching a fellow seal master at work.
It amazed him that Naruto was more or less self taught yet was as good or better than his parents. Naruto worked fast but kept up a running cometary on what he was doing. This was more for the benefit of the man he was working on, he could see the fear in his eyes as he knew that should the seal detect tampering he was as good as dead. Naruto had taken care to examine each part of the seal and then begin to make the proper changes to disarm it.
After several minutes he was finished and the senbon removed. Giving the man a gentle smile, not that he meant it but he needed to man to trust him, Naruto began to speak, "Okay, all done. Now, I don't care about your name for the moment, I just want you to know that the seal is inactive. After we talk to you you'll be taken to Konoha and it'll be removed on my return. Cooperate with us and tell us what we want to know and you'll be set free and allowed to either stay in Konoha or go elsewhere with our blessings."
"What do you want to know?" was the reply.
"Let's start with something simple, who else is in your cell?"
"There's number...3 and...number," at this the man tensed in anticipation of pain that didn't come, "there's number...7. Wow, you did it, you actually did it. Look, you have no idea how long I've wanted to be free from that thing. I was a loyal Konoha shinobi before I listened to Danzo and joined him and ROOT."
"Well then, I'm sure that you've many things to tell me," Jiraiya said as he entered the room, "Come, let's go elsewhere and continue this. You'll still be considered an enemy prisoner until T&I clears you. You'll be in Konoha by the end of the week when the team to pick up another prisoner arrives. This way, this way, I have some excellent Sake to help calm the nerves."
With that taken care of Naruto noted that it was time for dinner so everyone drifted to the dining room. Once there he noted a new group of guests. As he looked over towards Sakura he saw that she noticed too, the newcomers were dressed in the robes of Suna citizens with a headdress similar to the ones he and his wife had packed to wear once they hit the desert sands. Their head coverings were souvenirs from exile, purchased during a Bright Star exercise in Egypt.
Mako saw the young couple and called them over, "Naruto, Sakura, meet Taiko Koizume and Kanta Mizuno, these two will be your instructors as you head towards Suna."
"A pleasure," Sakura replied, "Shall we find a table and get to know one another?"
With that the four found a corner table away from the others and began to talk, "So, you're really the Hokage Koho huh?" the teen introduced as Kanta asked.
"Yeah, Uzumaki-Namikaze Naruto not that I knew that when I was younger, before our exile. This is my wife Uzumaki-Haruno Sakura. So you're our teachers for this trip?"
"Yeah, by the way gramps is way too formal with us, I'm better known as Sunabozu and Taiko prefers to be call Kosuna. Kosuna is my mate and partner, the elders will allow us to marry next year so we envy you two. How long have you been together?"
"All our lives," Sakura replied before adding, "It was a marriage contract. And you two? How long?"
"Master and I have been together for about three years," Kosuna said quickly.
"Err, master?"
At Sakura's question Kanta laughed, "The little brat tricked my into taking her on as my apprentice a few years back, showed me a swimsuit picture of someone she said was her mother. She still has yet to fill out like that but she's had my back from the first day. Over time we just got close, she's my right hand and most trusted person."
Hearing Kanta caused Kosuna's cheek to turn pink, "Bozu,(Punk), I still have a ways to go and I keep telling you that's really my mother."
Looking at the girl very closely Naruto spoke up, "Kosuna-chan, I'm curious, what does your mother look like?"
As if to answer the question the girl held up a picture of an older woman. No older than twenty-four or so the woman had red hair and green eyes. Naruto took a close look at the girl and noticed the roundness of her face, immediately he recognized the second of the Uzumaki clan's traits. The first being red hair.
Smiling softly he spoke up, "I see, from the looks of her I'd say that you and your mother may be members of the Uzumaki clan. We can check once we get to Suna, it's a simple blood test and Sakura-chan can perform it with her eyes closed."
"Really? It would answer so many questions about my family. I never knew my father, mom said that he was a pathfinder for the Namikaze who went missing after I was born. Mom died before I was eight so I don't remember a whole lot of what she told me..." as she remembered her mother Kosuna trailed off into thought.
Looking at her Kanta sighed, "It's hard growing up an orphan not knowing your history, it was the other way around for me, mom died before I was three and the old man was killed by bandits when I was about ten. The clan took me in and trained me as a scout and pathfinder, never had time to go to school or academy. I learned the hard way, OJT, On the Job Training.
"You can keep your school, learning with your hands, thats the way to do it, don't you agree?"
"In a way, I do but, there's no excuse to not take advantage of formal training it you have the chance to get it," Naruto replied as he finished his braised venison, something that he and Sakura had developed a taste for on Earth. It was something they hunted every season, now here at home they could hunt deer all year long, "For instance, Sakura-chan is our best medic and doctor. It took her nearly six months of classroom training for her foundation, the rest was like you, OJT. Our kids will be doing the same thing, only once this trip is through they'll be the ones teaching their peers."
"Aren't they a little young to teach?" Kosuna asked a little surprised at the blond's confident statement.
"No, I expect all my shinobi and kunoichi to not only be warriors and and intelligence operators but teachers as well. Their first hand knowledge is more valuable than a book and black board. That's why we asked for you. Not you specifically, but you as the best the clan has to offer. Now, on to other topics.
Two days after Naruto's mission departed for Suna Sasuke and Neji's vessel docked in the boat basin outside of Konoha. The first off the ship was Kiba who was loaded into another of Naruto's gifts to the village. Not only did Konoha have a cadre of horse drawn medical vans but several electrically powered ambulances and fire trucks. All were built on a chassis of off road Baja racers. The frame was lengthened to ten feet and then built from the ground up as either type. All were powered by an electric motor that ran off of a special scroll containing a series of seals that drew electrical chakra from the surroundings and stored it for later use.
When asked why Naruto told his grandmother that with the firetrucks water users were freed up for other duties and there were never enough of them to begin with. As for the medical trucks, they not only brought aid to a person needing it faster but also was able to rush them to the hospital or urgent care center more comfortably than in a cart or by litter bearers. So it was in one of the ambulances was Kiba and Hinata placed for a trip to KMC and then after an evaluation to the Inuzuka compound, Hiashi already having been informed of his eldest daughter's plans. While he was upset he knew he had no say, Hinata and Kiba were for all intents and purposes already married in the eyes of not only their clans but the village as well.
As they left the rest of the teams escorted Karin and Tayuya to T&I. Asuma, being the Jonin in Charge left to report to Tsunade of all they had found during the last raid. The teams were making good progress until they passed the Uzumaki district, at that point things slowed to a crawl as the clan turned out to welcome their lost members. Their current status as POWs mattered little to a clan that had had to remain fragmented and in the shadows for more than two generations.
Karin and her sister looked around in awe. The village was nothing that they had been told, far from being weak they could see the strength of character in even the civilians. It was a little unnerving to be crowded was the were by their fellow clansmen but it was also giving them a warm feeling. They never intended to work for Orochimaru and Danzo but when you've just lost your mother and you're young and helpless you take the first offer of help and security you get. Now however, they had to tell all to Konoha's infamous T&I section and have the curse seal on Tayuya removed. So far one of the Uzumaki seal masters had put a suppression seal on it with the warning that the seal was as good as the bearer's will power. After some time to study it closer would they have a chance to remove the thing completely.
As the group began to move on an AMBU wearing a baboon mask appeared, "Uchiha Sasuke, your presence is needed at your home, I'm to take you there."
Before the dark haired teen could ask why he and Baboon were on their way. As he entered his home he heard his lover Ami screaming in pain. As he made to rush in he was held back by the ANBU agent, "I wouldn't rush in like that, it could be very painful for you at the moment."
Before he could question that remark the partial silence of the house was shattered by a loud scream of pain followed by cursing that Sasuke never knew Ami could use so masterfully, "WHERE IS THAT BASTARD? HIS BOAT DOCKED AN HOUR AGO AND THAT IDIOT BABOON WENT TO FETCH HI...NO I WON'T CALM DOWN SHIZUNE, HE FUCKING PUT THIS IN ME AND HE CAN BE HERE TO HELP GET THE LITTLE SON OF A BITCH OUT OF ME! I MEAN IT! I WANT THAT FUCKING BOYFRIEND IN FRONT OF ME RIGHT THIS MOTHERFUCKING MINUTE OR SO HEL..."
"Uh, I'm home! Are you okay dear?" the mighty Sasuke Uchiha said in a timid voice as he entered one of the bedrooms that was serving as a delivery room.
"YOU! You did this too me so don't you 'Are you okay dear me' you rotten bast...AHHHHHH!" Ami began to pant as the labor pain hit her.
Sasuke rushed up and gently took her hand and remembering what Hinata taught him about child birth began to try to coach her, "Okay baby, breathe. Come on, deep breath and hol...OWWW! What the fuck was that for?"
"You moron, I know how to breathe. I just...I just...I...oh Sasuke I missed you," Ami said as she began to now cry as she crushed his hand.
Silently thanking the Kami in heaven that Ami lacked Sakura's strength Sasuke stroked her brown and held her hand. For the next two hours that was all he did was sit next to her and reassure his lover and future wife. Ami was getting more and more fatigued as the day faded into night but as the last of the sun's light gave out a loud cry split the air.
At that moment Hatsuko Uchiha made her presence know to the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Following Shizune's directions Sasuke cut the cord and then watched as his child was washed and swaddled in warm blankets after her vital statistics were taken. For the record she was eight and one half pounds and 21 inches long. Sasuke noticed the girl had a patch of blue black hair on her head and for the time being her eyes were closed. After taking her from one of the nurses Sasuke held his daughter for a moment as he reflected on what Naruto told him about holding Haruhi the first time.
Silently agreeing with the idiot that it was the greatest feeling in the world Sasuke walked to where Ami was laying. Handing Hatsuko to her mother the normally taciturn and brooding Uchiha was smiling his widest as he kissed first mother then daughter, "I think this little one would like to meet her mother after the long wait. I'm sorry that I was away for so long but, if it makes you feel better it wasn't for nothing. Sound is so damaged right now that Naruto and the village has the breathing room we need to properly get ready for real war to begin.
Ami just nodded and held her little girl tightly, they had thought of her name carefully, they had both decided that the name have meaning, a real meaning so they chose Hatsuko, the first born child. She would be the symbol of the new Uchiha clan as well as the first of the next generation of shinobi to serve the village. She was to be seen as the future of Konoha along with the children of their friends. With these thoughts in mind the small family drifted off to sleep.
A/N:
So, I finally got this out and to my readers I'm so sorry that it took so long to do so. Real life issues and mild writer's block had a lot to do with the delay. The other is that we bought a 55' smart TV and I've been watching new anime on Hulu. I found a few new ones that are interesting but GATE has to be the top of my list. So... yeah I got a little distracted.
Not going to comment or explain this one but to say this, since this story has lots of plot lines one of which is Naruto going through the healing process and forgiving those that hurt him I felt from the beginning that at some point Sakura would need to face her family and either try to work things out or tell them to fuck off. I hope that everyone agrees with my choice, and yes Kizashi needed to have a heart attack if nothing else for her parents to see how strong a girl she now is.
Next update is going to focus o+n getting Tayuya and Karin cleared and settled into the village, Kiba's recovery and Naruto's party learning to live in the desert. They'll be a little more of the newest Uchiha and how Sasuke handles being a new father. On that subject Hatsuko's weight and length were based on my two daughters. I felt bad that I'm able to make big babies considering their mothers were petite girls.
I also hope you liked the gifts that Naruto has given the village. There will be other items introduced over time but there will also be things that will be found that Naruto will order destroyed completely. A lot of the things I plan on introducing throughout the story were things that were found post chapter 700. Konoha won't be like the Konoha at the end and into the continuation mangas but there will be some managed growth and tech.
Till next time and thank you for the support, reviews, follows and favorites. While I don't place so much importance on them that I would hold my story for ransom like some here on the site would, it dose make me happy to actually see that folks like what I'm doing. Take care