AUTHOR NOTE

"Blah" talking.

'Blah' thinking.

"Blah" Bijū talking or jutsu move.

'Blah' Bijū thinking.

"Blah" Bijū talking to partner through their mind.

I do not own Naruto nor make a profit from this.


Chapter 20

There is nothing better than a good night's rest, which is what Naruko discovered shortly after getting her apartment. Naruko always enjoyed sleeping but for the life of her she couldn't sleep in no matter how tired or how late she went to bed. Every morning seemed like déjà vu and the bird that sang merrily away right outside her window didn't help one bit.

"Damn bird" Naruko groaned.

"You always sing the same tune at the same time every morning," Naruko said softly before opening her window harshly and frantically waving her arms around to chase the bird away.

"Apparently the damn bird moved with me," Naruko said while closing the window with an annoyed huff.

Half an hour later Naruko found herself in a situation that took a while for her to process. Last thing she remembered was heading to the gates to go on her weekly hunt. Now she is running frantically with two energetic green blurs around the village.

Apparently Lee took after his sensei Gai rather too well has he found this great idea to challenge her to just about anything and everything just like Gai does with her brother in all but blood Kakashi. This is why she currently finds herself in a race with Lee and Gai to find out who is faster.

Originally she was going to decline. That was until she heard that if she won she got a free all you can get ramen at her favourite ramen stand. Naruko is currently cursing her ramen addiction.

The race was simple whoever ran twenty laps around the village in the fastest time won. Originally it was only going to be her and Lee but Gai joined shortly claiming that his flames of youth would diminish if he didn't join.

All three where currently on their eighteenth lap approaching the starting point to begin their nineteenth lap which is marked by the main entrance to Konoha. Naruko is currently in second place closely behind Gai with Lee not too far behind her in third place. As soon as they went past the main entrance Izumo and Kotetsu had just arrived to start their shift only to see a green blur followed by a black and yellow blur followed by a second green blur.

"Looks like Gai challenged Kakashi to another challenge and Lee deicide to join in," Izumo said with small laugh and a shake of his head.

"But I thought Kakashi was out the village training that Uchiha kid?" Kotetsu replied with a confused look.

"Hmm then who was that black and yellow blur?" Izumo wondered along with Kotetsu.

There answered come around ten minutes later in the form of a dust cloud and a rather loud but all too familiar shout.

"Yatta! Free ramen!" the voice exclaimed.

Once the dust cloud quickly disappeared it revealed a bouncing Naruko and a defeated looking Gai and Lee.

"Yosh Naruko that was a most youthful race," Gai exclaimed with a smile and holding his thumb up to Naruko.

"That was a close one. Man you guys are fast," Naruko replied with a smile.

"Yosh we are currently 1-0 to you Naruko. As promised you get a free all you can eat ramen ticket. And now I will do 500 push ups and if I can't do that I will do 1000 sit ups," Lee exclaimed while handing Naruko her prize before bolting off to do his push ups.

"Yosh Naruko we shall see you around sometime," Gai said happily still holding his thumb up before disappearing to follow his student.

Naruko walked past the two guards who had their jaws on the ground while casually waving to them before running off to go and train with Jiraiya and her father.

"What just happened?" Izumo asked after a few minutes of trying to process what happened.

"Well it looks like Naruko beat both Gai and his student in a race," Kotetsu replied with stupefied look on his face.

Both of them stood there for a while both trying to figure out the new generation Konoha has produced.

-Yamanaka Flower shop-

On her way to training ground 15 Naruko saw Ino outside her family shop watering the flowers just outside the shop's window.

"Oh hey Ino," Naruko greeted happily.

"Oh Naruko hey," Ino greeted in return with a bit of surprise in her voice.

"What are you doing here?" Ino asked her surprise still showing in her voice.

"I was heading to go and train when I saw you here," Naruko replied.

"Oh okay. Do you need something Naruko?" Ino asked wondering as Naruko hasn't initiated a conversation with her before.

"Just wanted to tell you to meet me at training ground 15 along with your team just before lunch time if you guys aren't too busy. Still owe you guys two dinners," Naruko replied with a smile.

"Oh sure we'll be there, though hope you have enough money. Chouji doesn't hold back when it comes to free meals," Ino said with a bit of a giggle at Naruko's predicament.

"Nah I have more than enough. Well cheers Ino I got to go, see you at lunch!" Naruko said before running off and shouting out the last part.

Ino waved goodbye before entering her family shop.

For the rest of the morning Naruko continued her training which was fitness and strength training which was followed by her having to walk up and down a waterfall twice. This exercise tired her out quite a bit so she went to have a small rest under a tree to try and cool herself down.

A few minutes late a very dirty looking Sakura walked up to Naruko. Sakura was covered with scratches, dirty, sweat and a few recently forming bruises. Her clothes where heavily damaged. Naruko seeing her quickly got up and ran to Sakura with concern in her eyes.

"Oi Sakura-chan what happened are you alright?" Naruko asked wondering if someone had dared to hurt her best friend.

"I'm alright Naruko and nothing happened," Sakura said waving her hands to trying to get Naruko to calm down.

"That damn crazy snake lady is mad! Damn hentai sadist is worse than Kakashi!" Sakura replied heatedly with a dark blush on her face.

Naruko was rather confused and the strange slightly arousing smell was confusing her even more.

"Wha? You mean Anko? And what's that strange smell its making me feel a bit funny? It's kind of a pleasant smell though," Naruko asked with confusion before thinking the last part out loud

The last part made Sakura's blush deepen to the point you could see smoke coming out of her ears.

"Anko's training is ridiculous. And there is no way I'm going to answer that! You all a damn bunch of perverts!" Sakura answered before shouting out the last part and her blush somehow deepening in colour.

"Huh? I don't understand," Naruko replied with a confused look.

Sakura huffed before walking away towards the river while saying, "I'm going clean myself up a bit down by the water fall.

Naruko watched Sakura walk off still confused as ever but shrugged it off before sitting back down under the tree. About ten minutes later Sakura returned looking much better and in a fresh set of clothes.

"Feeling better?" Naruko asked also noting that the strange smell was no longer present.

"Yea much better," Sakura replied with a smile before sitting down next to Naruko.

"What happened that had you so beaten and frustrated?" Naruko asked with a bit of concern.

"Just the training Anko-sensei put me through. I'll never ever see cat and dinner the same way again," Sakura said before mumbling the last part out with a blush.

Naruko having heard the last part was curious what Sakura meant by that so asked, "What do you mean by that? And what do cats and dinner have to do with each other? Does she eat cats or something?"

"I thought the same thing till to day. Pray Anko doesn't find you alone. Damn hentai-sensei!" Sakura replied with a blush not being able to look Naruko in the eye.

Luckily Sakura was saved from further questions by the appearance of team ten which confused Sakura a bit.

"Hey guys!" Ino greeted happily while waving to Naruko and Sakura with the rest of team ten behind her.

"Hey Ino glad you guys could come," Naruko greeted back after standing up along with Sakura and walked towards them.

"Ino? Why are you and your team here?" Sakura asked with confusion.

"That's what I would like to know," Shikamaru replied making Ino turn towards him with grin.

"Troublesome women," Shikamaru groaned out with a sigh at Ino's behaviour.

"I asked them to meet me here. I still kind of owe them two barbeque outings," Naruko replied while rubbing the back of her head.

"Yatta!" Chouji shouted out happily at the thought of getting free food while Shikamaru sighed with a smile while shaking his head.

"I was wondering when you were going to pay up. Beginning to think you wouldn't make due on your promise," Asuma said with smirk.

"Hey I always keep my promises and I never go back on my words dattebayo," Naruko said point her finger at Asuma with a serious expression on her face.

"Umm Naruko? Am I missing something here?" Sakura asked with confusion.

"Only that tips from Asuma-sensei aren't free," Naruko replied while sticking her tongue out at him to which he sent a 'You got that right' look back at Naruko.

Sakura shrugged while making a mental list of who not to ask for tips. On that though Sakura realised something.

"Naruko? Where is Jiraiya-sama?" Sakura asked noticing that he isn't around and starting to freak out a bit.

"Huh? Oh Ero-Sennin told me what do for the day then said he went off to do research," Naruko replied not sure where Sakura is going with this.

"That's a relief," Sakura deflated looking a bit relieved.

"Sakura?" Naruko asked a bit confused.

"N-no it's nothing don't mind me, hehehe," Sakura relied sheepishly really confusing Naruko.

"W-well come on you have an outing to get to," Sakura quickly changed topics and started pushing Naruko along.

Naruko just shrugged off Sakura's strange behaviour and allowed herself to be pushed out of the training ground. Shortly after leaving the training grounds Naruko could fell someone poking her tails. She turned to find Ino completely focused on her tails while poking them a few times.

"Um Ino?" Naruko asked finding the poking slighting annoying.

"What's it like having these, and why do you have more than one? I mean they only animal or creature to have more than one is a Bijū and have fiv…. Wait you have six tails? I thought you had five?" Ino babbled out before noticing Naruko's extra tail.

This obviously got Chouji's and Shikamaru's attention who also quickly wondered if they had miscounted.

"Slow down. You asking to many things at once," Naruko replied after using one of her tails to swat Ino's hand away from her tail earning a soft yelp from Ino.

"To answer your question not sure what it's like to have tails," Naruko replied.

"One doesn't really think about their individual limbs and what it's like to have them. I can do things with them, my control over them is quite advanced compare to others that have tails," Naruko continued while moving each tail separately and demonstrating her control over them.

"As to why I have more than one? Not sure a trait of being a hanyou I guess, though the number of tails does represent the strength and power of the person, the more tails the stronger a hanyou is. So as I get stronger more will grow until I have nine in total," Naruko explain while seeming in thought wondering if all hanyou will have multiply tails.

"Where you born as a hanyou?" Shikamaru asked after processing what Naruko has said.

"Ummm not really… I'll explain all of what I know after the finals when we are all together," Naruko said apprehensively and hesitating a bit.

Sakura knowing how hard this subject is for Naruko squeezed her shoulders reassuringly while smiling softly. Naruko turned her head to look at Sakura who was still pushing her slightly and sent her a small thank you smile while wrapping a tail round Sakura. Though what Naruko had said put a spanner into Shikamaru's thoughts.

"I see," Shikamaru replied while thinking how more troublesome this has become.


-Near a restaurant-

Ino was currently sporting a rather mischievous grin while Shikamaru was mumbling and grumbling with an annoyed expression. This was because Asuma had just recently ditched the group using a rather lame excuse. Both Naruko and Sakura were quite confused and sent a questioning look Ino's way.

"Oh it's nothing much, just a certain someone found themselves wrapped around a darling flower," Ino replied with dreamy smug look on her face.

Sakura blushed slightly quickly understanding what she meant whereas Naruko became even more confused.

"Huh? Must be a rather big flower if he can wrap himself around it, though why would he do that?" Naruko asked with slightly serious and confused expression to which all her friends just deadpanned at her while each where sporting a large sweat drop.

"Wow says the one that is almost in the same situation, doesn't have a clue," Ino replied with a flat tone.

"How am I wrapped around a flower?" Naruko replied after realising that Ino was talking to her.

"Sakura, how does someone as dense as her get someone like him or anyone at all?" Ino replied with a small tick mark on her forehead.

"Wish I knew, really wish I knew," Sakura replied with a slight twitch in her eye.

"Huh now I'm really confused," Naruko said still trying to figure out what's going on.

"Don't worry Naruko you might understand someday," Sakura said while shaking her head.

"Well as interesting as this is, here is the place Asuma takes us often for barbeques," Chouji said stopping in front of the restaurant drooling slightly.

Sakura and Naruko stopped and turned to walk towards the entrance.

"A table for five please," Naruko asked the man standing outside the restaurant.

The man looked at Naruko for short while before replying in a venomous voice, "No".

Naruko stumbled slightly while her friends shot questioning glares to man.

"W-what, why?" Naruko asked while easily recognising the look in his eyes.

"Your kind isn't welcome, now scram before we start losing business," the man answered in the same venomous voice.

"Now excuse me mister what the hell do you mean 'your kind'," Ino asked highly irritated raising her voice slightly.

"Exactly that. The rest of you are more than welcome but she is not. You should heed my advice, stay away as far as possible from her as you can. Nothing good will come staying around this filth," the man replied.

Naruko's ears and tails dropped in sadness after hearing what this man said. Sakura's heart broke hearing the man's words. Naruko had partly told her and Sasuke what her life is like but to see if for herself is completely different from being told about it. Though Ino not having known about this was furious at how someone can just casually say such things.

"What a way to lose your appetite," Chouji remarked dryly while Shikamaru frowned deeply.

"Now you listen here, you asshole, what gives you the right to say that. Whatever did she do to you. If she did do something, then you must have deserved it. She is the nicest and kindest person I know; I haven't seen anyone care for others as much as she has," Ino replied hastily in anger.

"You, girl have no idea what she has done. All you see and hear now are just lies and by the looks of it she already as her clutches on you lot. Leave her before you end up dead," The man snarled.

"Why you! I'm going to…" Ino said with rage while taking off to attack the man.

Naruko quickly grabbed a hold of her stopping her from causing any more harm.

"Ino please, he is not worth it. We'll just find another place," Naruko pleaded while still holding Ino and trying to calm her down.

Shikamaru seeing that Ino wasn't calming down walked up to her before putting his hand on her shoulder then said in a stern voice that Ino as rarely heard, "Ino stop, you have done enough."

"Shikamaru?" Ino said after turning her head to face him to which Shikamaru just shook his head.

Naruko released Ino from her grasp seeing that she has calmed down. Ino just huffed in anger before storming off with no place in mind.


-Back at the training ground-

After flowing a rampaging Ino the group found themselves back at the training ground they found Naruko at. They all found a tree to sit under expect Ino who was pacing back and forth with a deep frown.

"Please just let it be Ino it's not a big deal…" Naruko asked before being cut off by a still angry Ino.

"Let it be? It's not a big deal? How can you say that?!" Ino hastily replied back.

"I'm used to it and it's not the first time its happen nor will it be the last," Naruko replied grimly.

"How can you be used to that? How can you let them continue doing this to you? How can you still smile after all of that? H-how, w-what gives you the strength…" Ino hastily asked before slowing down partly faulting near the end while tears started running down her face.

Naruko slowly approached Ino before bringing her into a hug to which Ino fiercely returned the hug.

With a soft smile Naruko answered Ino, "You'd be surprised how quickly one gets used to it and trying to stop them only made things worse. The only thing you can do in a situation like that is either give up or put on a smile and giving up is not an option. Knowing that at least one person out who saw me for me was enough to continue."

Both Shikamaru and Chouji placed a reassuring hand on Naruko while Sakura placed her hands on Ino's shoulders.

'A lot of what dad and Asuma-sensei makes sense now,' Shikamaru thought quietly to himself.

"You going to have to excuse us, Chouji and I have something that needs to be done. Can't speak for Ino though," Shikamaru said after a few minutes of silence. Both Chouji and Shikamaru left the girls to themselves.

Ino had a pretty could hunch on what her teammates where going to do but she decided to stick around until Sakura and Naruko would resume their training. The three of them talked and gossiped, though Ino and Sakura did most of it all. Naruko mostly left Ino and Sakura to catch up as this had been her idea, using the lunch outing to help patch up there long lost friendship. She was happy that it still seemed to be working despite the scene at that restaurant.

It made Naruko even happier to see Sakura and Ino with genuine smiles and to hear the occasional laughter from both of them. Sadly, all things must come to an end especially when a poof of smoke randomly appears right in front of them completely scaring all of them. All three quickly jumped up not knowing what to expect.

Out of all the things to expect from the puff of smoke Anko was not one of them.

"You're not trying to ditch trying training now are you Pinkie-chan?" Anko asked with a tone that promised a great amount of fun and laughter if you were Anko.

Both Ino and Naruko couldn't hold in a snort after hearing Sakura's new nickname. This caused Sakura to blush in embarrassment and slight annoyance.

"Sensei~ do you have to call me that~?" Sakura sang out with a pout.

"I told you before, until you complete my training that name will be stuck with you. So suck it up Pinkie-chan you still have a long way until you've completed my training," Anko replied with a rather evil, mischievous grin.

Sakura just grumbled in slight annoyance knowing that she'll be stuck with the name a lot longer than her training regime with Anko.

"Cheers Naruko, Pinkie-chan, have fun" Ino greeted with a giggle before heading off, Sakura grumbled back a goodbye before sending an irritated look Anko's way.

Anko just sent a grin in reply before grabbing Sakura's shoulder and disappearing in a swirl of leaves.


-Later that evening-

Naruko sighed feeling quite tired from today's training. Jiraiya had increased the gravity and resistance seal levels due to her increase in strength and stamina from getting a new tail. Though the afternoon is what had drain her as she spent the entire afternoon trying to master the first step in her Rasengan training.

Naruko figured out how to pop the balloon using two hands but she wanted to be able to do it with one hand as that's how Jiraiya had done it. This proven to be fairly difficult has she doesn't quite know how to randomise her chakra flow with one hand. When she asked Jiraiya all she got was a grin and a figure it out for yourself.

She had set aside a few clones to read over the book her dad had given her on seals but wasn't there to supervise. Jiraiya told her that her dad won't be around for about four to five days as he had something he had to do. When Naruko asked what it was Jiraiya just said she would have to wait and find out when he returns. His grin only increased her curiosity as to what her dad was doing.

Naruko was both happy and sad, happy that her dad was doing something but said that she didn't get to go with or at least have spent a day with him. No more so as he wouldn't be able to remain in this world for much longer. Has much as she wanted to be selfish and keep her dad with her she just couldn't keep her mother, who ever she may be, waiting and lone wherever she is in the afterlife.

The one thing Naruko truly wished was to be able to see her mother. She had always wonder what she was like. What was she like her? What colour was her hair and eyes? Did they share the same addiction for ramen? What was that made her fall in love with her father? What were her parents like? Naruko had many questions and she really wanted to ask her father them now that she had a chance, a chance she knew no other orphan will get.

Naruko quietly crawled into bed with her thoughts still focused on her mother, the one person she really really wanted to see. Her dreams where filled with how her mother was like. Dreams that only filled her with the reality that she will never be able to physically meet her mother until the day she died.


-5 days later, training ground 15-

The last five days become a routine; run or hunt just after sunrise, training with Jiraiya in the mornings, lunch break with Sakura (to which Team Asuma sometimes joined), Rasengan and sealing training during the afternoon followed by Naruko crawling into bed. Rinse and repeat.

By Naruko's estimate it's currently about 3 in the afternoon. She was currently taking a short break still trying to figure out how to randomise her chakra flow. Her chakra always instinctively rotated anti-clockwise especially after having mastered her kaze no yoroi. On that thought Naruko quickly realised she might have to practise it again to include her sixth tail into it. Getting back on track Naruko continued her deep train of thought on how to randomise her chakra flow.

Her thoughts were interrupted by being picked up off the ground and finding herself sitting on someone's shoulders. Her annoyance at the sudden interruption quickly changed into one of happiness after she realised who's shoulders she was sitting on.

"Tou-san!" Naruko exclaimed with excitement.

"Yo Naru-chan!" her father replied back with a smile just as big as Naruko's.

Minato really loved seeing his daughter beautiful smile that seemed to light up everything around her. He would do anything to make sure that Naruko's smiled remained.

"Tou-san you're back! Where did you go? What were you doing? Why did you leave for so long?" Naruko said happily before quickly shooting her father a bunch of questions.

"Whoa there. Can't a father just say hello to his little girl and spend some time with her before we get into all that?" Minato replied with a slight exhausted expression while wondering where is got all her energy from.

"Hey! I'm not little!" Naruko remarked back even though she was the smallest of rookie nine.

"You'll always be my little girl," Minato replied with a gentle tone filled it with as much warmth as he could put into it.

Naruko puffed and pouted in response but still blushed deeply filling the warmth and love coming from her father. On the inside Naruko was bouncing around with happiness. Minato smiled softly at Naruko. Despite her expression being that of childish annoyance her eyes show gratitude in way that made Minato regret leaving her with out parents. Minato wondered if there was a way to return to Naruko that which she as lost.

Deciding to do what he can with the time he has left both father and daughter disappeared in a yellow flash.


-Hokage monument-

Both Minato and Naruko appeared on top of the Sandaime's head facing the village.

"I used to come here a lot when I had to think, get away from people or just for the sake of coming here," Minato started off quietly while having a few memories of his past.

"Like you I never knew my parents and only when I joined my genin team did I find a father in Jiraiya-sensei. Being a prodigy and with my abnormally yellow hair, even though I wasn't far off from the Yamanaka's hair colour, I felt like an outsider so I mostly kept to myself. My quiet and calm demeanour along with my OCD for being tidy and neat lead people to believe that I was unreliable and girly," Minato continued softly while Naruko continued to watch over the village but still intently listening to a once in a life time story.

"Hell that's the first thing your mother said to me when I first met her. She completely and utterly discarded saying I didn't have what it takes to be a ninja," Minato said with a small laugh.

Naruko laughed at the thought of her father being 'girly' as he put it. Naruko ran her fingers though her dad's unnaturally wild hair and really noticed how neat and tidy her father his. His clothes are clean with no crinkle marks anywhere. His hair despite its wilder nature was still clean and as neat as it could be. Not a single random loose or split ends can be found which kind of annoyed Naruko. Though she didn't spend hours on end on her hair she still tried to keep it neat and clean where and when she can.

"Quite quickly during my academy years I found this place. It's surprisingly perfect place if you want to be left alone and don't want anyone to find you. It's also a good place to keep an eye on the village for anything that can and may happen," Minato continued after a short moment of silence.

"I found myself at peace her more so on Sandaime-sama's head. Properly because I saw him a hero and gratefully that he helped raised Jiraiya-sensei to be the man that he is today," Minato suddenly found himself saying the last bit.

He honestly never considered why he found it more peaceful here as opposed to sitting on the first two Hokage's heads.

"I found it the most peaceful sitting on top of your head when I came. Before I graduated I used to come here every day after my day at the academy, though I've only been here once since I've became a kunoichi. I always had a sense of familiarity and safety when I was here and now I know why," Naruko said pleasantly surprised that her father would also come here when he need to.

Minato set Naruko down before sitting down with his legs crossed. Naruko wanting to keep contact with her father sat down on his lap before curling her tails around him.

"Tou-san? What was Kaa-san like?" Naruko asked a little hesitantly.

"Her name was Uzumaki Kushina. She was born in Uzushiogakure no Sato but when she was about eight she moved here. She was quite lucky to have moved when she did because a few months later her home village was destroyed," Minato said evenly.

"Who destroyed the village and why?" Naruko asked quite shocked about her ancestral home village being destroyed.

"Kirigakure, Iwagakure and Kumogakure formed an alliance just before the start of the second war in order to destroy Uzushiogakure. The Uzumaki's were renown seal masters with no equal. It was out of fear that they were destroyed," Minato explained sadly.

Naruko was astonished that it took three villages to take down Uzushiogakure. She truly wondered how powerful her ancestors must have been.

"So back to your mother. You both are extremely similar to each other. You're almost an exact clone of her. The only thing that's mostly different is her temper was a lot shorter than yours and a lot more violent. Though both of you can be equally scary when you want to be," Minato said continuing on with the revealing of Kushina before having a small nervous laughter at the end.

"Me scary?" Naruko asked not believing that she is that scary.

"Yea and just as oblivious and dense as she was," Minato replied with a nervous chuckle with scratching the back of his head.

Naruko huffed a bit at being called oblivious and dense. She's not that dense is she? Sakura and Ino tend to think so along with her dad. Though she was slightly proud knowing that she can put people in their place so to speak.

"As to who as the worst addiction when it comes to Ramen not entirely sure who takes the cake between you two," Minato added while remembering all the times he took Kushina out for ramen along with all the crying at how quickly his wallet had emptied.

Minato silently apologises to Sasuke for being the next one responsible for keeping the ramen monster tame. Minato sincerely hopes that Konoha doesn't experience another ramen monster's rampage.

"Here keep this," Minato said while taking out a picture of both him and Kushina while she was a few months pregnant.

Naruko grasped slight when she saw the picture. Naruko saw her green slightly big eyes along with a very bright and big smile on her mother's face. She also saw both her mother and father holding her mother's stomach that had a slight bump to it. Though what got her attention the most was her mother's deep long straight red hair that flowed on forever.

"Wow her hair it so beautiful," Naruko said in awe and slight enviousness.

"That it is. Her hair is what drew me to her. While others teased and bullied her lot because of her hair I found it the most beautiful thing I had ever seen," Minato said softly in agreement with a hint of sadness behind his voice.

Naruko picked up on the sadness in his voice and turned around in his lap and gave he a fierce hug, holding on for dear life afraid that if she would to let go she would lose him forever. Minato returned the hug just as fiercely while finding it hard to hold in his tears.

"For a long time I only had one beautiful thing to truly appreciate. When I saw you for the first time, you become the most beautiful treasure I've ever had the pleasure of seeing," Minato said softly while tighten the hug.

"I'm so sorry for what I've done. Sorry for taking your mother away from you. Sorry for causing such hardship on your life. Sorry for denying you the chance to know the love of a mother and a father. Sorry for not being the father that I should have been," Minato apologised deeply regretting for not being able to find a way to keep them all alive and in Naruko's life.

"T-thank you tou-san," Naruko whispered, her voice wavering with emotion. She didn't say anymore for fear of losing her voice and herself.

They both stay like that for some time cherishing this rare moment that they may never get to experience again. Naruko is truly grateful for this moment. Whether or not her father knew or realised, this talk between them put a lot of Naruko's fears and nightmares to rest.

After a long time of silence Naruko broke it with a gentle voice, "I forgive you tou-san. So please find it in your heart to accept my forgiveness and to also find it in your heart to forgive yourself."

"Thank you Naruko, thank you," her father whispered softly.

They remained in comfortable silence for about ten minutes before Minato realised that Naruko had fallen asleep, no doubt emotionally drained. Minato slowly and gently stood up while holding Naruko before looking up into the sky. He suddenly realised that they had both been there the entire afternoon and evening as the sun had set hours ago leaving the surrounding land in darkness.

If anyone had to look up at the Hokage monument they would have seen a flash of yellow that hasn't been seen for fourteen years.


-Kakashi's/Naruko's apartment-

Quickly as the flash appeared it vanished revealing Minato with Naruko in his arms tightly hugging him despite her being asleep. Minato quietly carried Naruko to her room before gently tucking her into bed. He smiled gently seeing her daughter peacefully sleeping in front of him. He leaned down and gave her a kiss on her forehead.

Naruko softly mumbled something before warmly snuggling herself deeper into her bed with a small smile on her face. Minato refusing to leave her for the night deicide to stay so headed to Kakashi's bed to sleep in for the night. He didn't quite make it to the bed feeling quite drained himself from his own emotional rollercoaster ride. Though attracted to the warmth and comfiness of the bed he managed to get himself fully on to the bed.

Neither Naruko nor her father got more than a few hours of rest due to the sudden knocking on the door to the apartment. They both quickly got up and meet each other as they exited their respective rooms. With a nod Naruko moved towards the door ready for anything not knowing what to expect.

Naruko wondered who the hell would be knocking on her door at this hour of the night. Whoever it was behind the door knocked again just before Naruko got to the door herself. When she got to the door she took a peak through the hole that was in the door to try and see who it was. Though all she saw was the unmistakable pink her that her teammate has.

'Sakura?' Naruko wondered very confused.

Her confused only increased when she opened the door. In front of her door is a red puffy eyed Sakura with tear stains down her cheek. The big bag almost as tall as Naruko standing next to Sakura did wonders for Naruko's ever growing confusion.

"Sakura?"


Chapter 20

Hi all I'm back. It's been way too long. I deeply apologise for this ridiculously long waiting period. So much shit happened this year, holy fuck, and just when things seemed to calm down everything just decided to say fuck you bro. Pretty sure the last time I looked at the calendar it was the end of January. Anyway's life happens and then you move on. For those who thought I had abandoned this know that I have no intention of doing so as I have this OCD, if you can call it that, of having to see things through or else I tend to go mad. Do hope the chapter is to your liking.

Till next time