Hello everyone. Sorry for the late update but I have been extremely busy with school and a new schedule. If you read my wife's story (Out of the Dark) then you already know this. Yes I know this chapter is out of turn but I needed to get this part done as soon as possible. I have not abandoned Kitsune Clan, it is just taking a back seat at the moment. I would also like to send a special thanks to Kingkakashi for the great review and recommendation for my story and my wife's as well. It really means a lot to me since I find thier stories so well done that they would give mine such praise. If you like my stories I would recommend that you take a trip over to Kingkakashi's page and check out two of his I have been following this entire time.
Shout Outs:
Hektols: That part of canon never sat well with me. It is a change I was more than happy to make. In my opinion it was very anti-climatic. To go through all that trouble just to draw out the cursed seals power. If it was that easy Anko would have removed hers long ago.
Kingkakashi: It may be a long while before we get the bloddy corpse of Sasuke. The battle was a tough one to write and I am happy you liked it.
romancejunky: The concepts of fuinjutsu are nearly limitless. I will get a lot into that later in the story. There will be a great deal of how the access of the chakra will have an effect on Hinata later on as well.
ex-ellent: If you want to see what will happen when Naruto's family is threatened you will want to stay tuned. It happens more than once and one time in a strange way.
renegadeofficer89: Thank you for the review. I think the updates are taking a little longer than I want, but I am happy I get time to work on them at all. It is a big jump in time since I use to post a new chapter twice a week in the begining. But I hope the long chapters are making up for it.
Uzumaki Compound
Laughter filled the evening air from the doors that were left open allowing the ocean breeze to sweep through the main house. The blonde Uzukage was sitting at the head of the table while listening to the current tale that Tenten was sharing with their guests. It was a story of which held a lot of embarrassment for Naruto as he was the object of an unusual prank caused by one of the young shinobi in training. His favorite shinobi in fact, had been given a day off and spent the day perfecting her stealth techniques while invisible to the naked eye. For six hours straight Naruto had been pranked by a plethora of tricks, such as a bucket of water on the head, tacks on his office chair, glue paper in place of his reports, and the current tale. This one even had the very stoic Kazekage chuckling, evidently Naruto had decided to take a nap in his office chair and the said girl had proceeded to wrap him in five rolls of toilet paper, only leaving holes for his eyes and mouth.
Naruto had a blush at the idea that his favorite young kunoichi had gotten the upper hand on him. What was worse is that his wife was in the same room the entire time, and knew what was going on. Deep inside though he was proud of Ai, and let it slide, that was after her punishment when he finally caught her. He had made her collect all the wandering hermit crabs from the beach and relocate them so they would not be a burden to those that would try to enjoy their time at the beach. Little did he know though, he had inadvertently given her more ammunition and she completed her task. Only the relocation was not where he planned, and Naruto had entered his office to the sight of nearly two hundred walking seashells.
Everyone around the table was fully engaged in the conversation; even Shikamaru was paying close attention to the stories, with the exception of Sakura. Naruto took notice of this after a short time and knew something deep was bothering her. He had been her teammate for many years and could easily tell that something was plaguing her. Putting it to the back of his mind, he was quickly interrupted by a shriek from another blonde in the room.
"Shikamaru Nara, you had better explain this to me right this instant," Temari yelled while pointing to Tenten's left hand.
Everyone turned to look at the object that had caused the disturbance while said Nara questioned, "What?"
"That ring on her finger. You said that ours were one of a kind and that there were no other ones like it in the world. She has one, and it looks like it was made the same as ours," she said while growing in anger.
Shikamaru blinked several times, from Tenten's ring to his wife. He rolled his eyes into the back of his head just as he said, "Troublesome".
"Actually, Shikamaru would be correct," Naruto interjected.
It was then that Temari noticed the ring on Naruto's finger as well, this only fueled her fire. "Then how do you have one too? Of course it is a different color, but everything else looks near identical. What are the chances that the three couples in this room have a set of rings from the same maker?"
Naruto scratched the back of his head with a grin on his face, "Very good since the maker is in this room too."
Temari's head spun around looking for said jeweler but didn't see anyone else in the room. It was then that Shikamaru placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and pointed to the person at the head of the table. Pieces started to fall in place as the wheels turned in her head, evident by the widening of her eyes. Naruto just grinned more and nodded, "I made them actually".
"I didn't know you were a jeweler. How did you do it?" Temari said with interest. It wasn't often you got to meet the maker and designer of your wedding bands.
"I used wind chakra," he said plainly. "I use a single piece of rock that holds the crystal inside. Once I cut the crystal out, I shape the rings and harden it with pressure. I doubt I could even crack it with a Rasengan. Then I etch it with the designs and words. The ones you see here, along with Hinata-chan's, are the only ones I have ever made. You will never find another one like the one you have".
Everyone was listening with great interest aside from Shikamaru who already knew how he did it. Temari having the same affinity knew how the manipulation of wind worked but never thought of using it to cut rock on such a precise level. She was truly intrigued. "How did you ever think to do something like that?"
"It was during my manipulation training. Kakashi-sensei had me cut a waterfall in half. As I practiced non-stop and added more chakra to it, I started to notice the rock behind the waterfall was developing gashes in it. At first I thought nothing of it, until some of it started to break away, then I knew it was the wind chakra cutting into it. When I went for training with the toads I needed a greater amount of control for my wind techniques. I started to try cutting words and symbols into the rocks near where I was training, controlling the depth and angles. Think of it like practicing tree or water walking for chakra control". Naruto looked across the table after finishing his short story, everyone had a dumbfounded look on their face, like his skin just turned purple or a bowl of ramen was floating above his head. With that last thought he looked up, hoping it was true.
Sakura was the most surprised by this new introspection of her former teammate. Naruto was never known for his chakra control, and she never thought he would achieve something as great as this. It would place his control near her level, she had even better control than her sannin sensei. Naruto had not only gotten stronger, but was also being smarter about using his techniques, and developing training methods to push him further.
Neji and Tenten were looking at their rings with a new sense of awe. They had always looked at their rings and appreciated their beauty, but never asked who made them or how they were created. Now, they held more meaning for them than they ever thought possible. The fact that so much care and effort went into them, by someone they respect so thoroughly, added depth to the symbol of their marriage.
Temari's face was turning a slight pink. She was angered just a few short minutes ago at the thought that her lazy husband hadn't put any thought into their rings. She could have only assumed, with all the similar crystal rings in the room, that they were mass produced somehow. Now with the realization that these were the only ones in existence, they were not only rare, but they were near priceless. The depth and meaning of having Naruto do this for them astounded her. It wasn't the monetary value of the rings that made them special to her, but the care that went into them.
All the talk about the rings and their symbols of relationships had a depressing effect on Sakura. Realizing that everyone that she knew, the people she trained with, went on missions with, and even had close personal ties to, continued their lives as if nothing had ever stopped for them. Life for her had seemed to stop the night that Sasuke had left the village and left her unconscious on a bench. Up until the attack on Konoha from Pain, her life had been absorbed by the pursuit for their former teammate.
Her inner turmoil did not go unnoticed by Naruto, although others seemed to let her stoic demeanor pass by as her just coming to grips with the fight they just had this afternoon. Sakura was brought out of her thoughts by her desire to talk to the blonde young man at the head of the table. "Naruto, can I talk to you alone please?"
The question was nothing more than a whisper, but Naruto heard it none the less. He nodded, and then returned his attention to Gaara while he was discussing what they would do with their new prisoners. "Excuse me Gaara. I'll be right back". He got up from his chair and started to walk out of the room, followed by Sakura.
They were walking outside along one of the pathways when they came to a sitting area. Just before he could turn around to face the pink haired kunoichi he felt someone wrap their arms around him from behind. He would have thought it was an attack on him except it was accompanied by a slight sob with a series of apologies.
Sakura buried her head into his back and mumbled, "I'm sorry Naruto, I'm so sorry".
Naruto turned around in her vice like grip and returned the hug, allowing Sakura to rest her head on his chest as she wept. "You have nothing to be sorry for Sakura-chan".
She shook her head in retaliation, "I'm sorry for all the times I hurt you. Every time I hit you for showing me how you felt about me and not noticing you. I was stupid and naïve for following the other villager's treatment toward you, for forcing you to make that stupid promise when Sasuke left". There was a slight pause in her confessions before she mumbled the next part under her breath. If it wasn't for his superb hearing he would have missed it entirely, "I'm sorry I never realized and told you I love you".
"Sakura-chan," Naruto softened and with as much warmth as he could muster to help calm her. "You couldn't have known everything at that time. You are not to blame for all those years of my childhood. We were young and stupid at the time, and easily impressionable. We cannot continue to look at the past and let it slow our wants of the future. I have forgiven them and never really held any ill will to the villagers. You are not to blame for the promise 'I' made. I knew what I was promising. After the Valley of the End, I realized what it might entail. I hoped for a better result, but there is no going back, even if it means doing the one thing I never wanted to do".
Naruto stopped talking to give her enough time to gather herself. Backing up slightly but keeping her arms around him like a life line. "There is never anything to apologize about for loving someone". He lifted her by the chin so he could look into her green teary eyes. "I will always love you Sakura-chan, more than just my teammate". He leaned down and kissed her softly on the forehead. "You will always hold a special place in my heart and even though we cannot develop a relationship between us, it does not mean that I don't want you to find your own happiness. You of all people deserve to be happy and should find someone who can show you how special you truly are". He looked down with a wide grin on his face, "Maybe a certain red headed Kazekage".
She looked up at him with a sense of bewilderment, then of shock. Realizing he was implying Gaara, her face softened to a smile before she nodded. She had long ago accepted the fact that her most favorite of people was unpredictable and accepted the fact that he had somehow found out that Gaara held an interest for her, one she was denying.
"Why don't you rejoin the others and enjoy the rest of the evening. I have something I have to do real fast, and I will return in a few minutes," he said with a sense of distance in his voice as if his attention had been drawn somewhere else.
Sakura smiled and nodded before she leaned back in to give Naruto a hug once more, which he happily returned. She then released him and turned on her heels to rejoin the rest of her friends, feeling as if a heavy burden had been lifted from her shoulders. She still felt a little bad about how her life had transpired with her former teammate.
Naruto watched her walk away, with a little more bounce in her step than she previously had. When she was sufficiently far enough to not see or hear him, he called out, "You can come out, my hime".
Slowly Hinata rounded the corner with a small look of guilt across her face, realizing she had been caught eavesdropping on their conversation. In her hands she was holding little Kushina, who was resting peacefully in her arms. The sight of his wife and daughter like that in the light of the moon always brought a smile to his face. Having a sense of completeness when he was near her, he wrapped them both up in his arms, leaning down and kissing Hinata deeply, needing her closeness.
"You scared me there for a moment," he said in a concerned tone.
Leaning her head into his chest while looking down at her daughters face a scared voice passed her lips, "How, how do you do it?"
"Do what?" he asked in confusion.
"The rage, anger and hatred. I was so scared when the chakra filtered into me," she said with a tremble in her voice.
A frown crossed his face with strain lines that spread across his brow, "I'm sorry my hime. I should have been monitoring it more. I have had Kurama inside me for so long I do not notice it at all anymore. I guess it is the stubborn side of me that keeps those emotions at bay. It was not always like that, there were many times I gave in and came very close to letting Kurama out".
"No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have tried to pull more chakra than we had trained for. It's just what he said to me. The thought that he would hurt Kushi-chan and our friends, it was too much for me. I was afraid, afraid that I wasn't strong enough to stop him and I thought that if I had a little more power that I could stop him". Small tears were escaping her eyes at the thought of losing their child, of failing Naruto.
It pained him that Hinata would seek power like that, just as the man who he once thought of as his brother did in the past. Her intentions were in the right place, but her methods could have cost them more if he had not sensed her plight.
"Wanting to protect everyone is fine Hinata-hime, but do not push yourself to the limit where you become more of a liability than the good you would be doing. Protecting those we love and are precious to us is our nindo, and if you want to become stronger then I will help you with that. Just never try to push yourself that far without me there to help you, please".
Naruto leaned her back to kiss her, to let her know that he was not mad. He was concerned that she was able to tap into the demonic chakra, and she would need a lot of training, possibly with Kurama personally, before she could use it without the side effects. "The most important part of controlling the fox's chakra is love. I will let you think on that for a while before we start training with it ok. Now, why don't we join our friends to finish dinner before we rest for tomorrow".
Looking up at him questioningly, "What's happening tomorrow Naruto-kun?"
"We are going to Konoha," he said with a grin.
Shock spread across her face, "We are going home!"
Shaking his head he had a small frown, "No, we are going to Konoha. This is our home. This is where our family is, and where we have built our lives and have people here that have become our friends, people that need us. To be honest with ourselves, we need them too."
She smiled at him warmly. She knew that Konoha would always be a special place to both of them, it was where they were from and a place that was filled with people they cared about, but he was right. This was home now. She loved it in Uzu, and she loved the island. In the little time they had been there, she has made this place feel more like home than she ever had felt as such back in her childhood compound. She leaned into her husband and kissed him once on the cheek before she allowed him to guide her to the dining room to spend time with their friends.
Next Day
A group was formed just outside of the main house of the Uzumaki compound waiting for a certain blonde to make an appearance. Temari was complaining to her husband who was trying to balance a small bag on top of two others. Evidently she didn't want to carry a bag herself and was trying her best to coax Shikamaru to perform a balancing act with their belongings. If one was to look closely at Shikamaru you would see his only desire at that point in time was to crawl into one of the larger pieces of luggage and return to his happy dreamland.
Gaara was standing, just admiring the look of the compound grounds, while Neji was doting upon Tenten trying to sound authoritative in keeping his wife from doing anything strenuous. This was failing miserably as Tenten was ready to remove a scroll from her pouch and bash him on the head with the largest weapon she had in her arsenal.
Hinata and Sakura were tending to Kushina who was trying with all her might to get ahold of the pink hair dangling dangerously close to her hands. Hinata had been giving a great deal of attention toward Sakura, in part due to the fact she felt a little bad about Sakura tending to the birth of her daughter and then having those memories sealed. The topic did come up over dinner the previous night and Sakura was livid in the beginning about not being trusted with the knowledge of their survival. After Naruto confided in her what was happening in the shinobi world and the threat of another approaching Great Shinobi War after Pain's invasion, she understood but was still highly upset.
Sakura entirely defused when Hinata placed Kushina in her arms and explained the final conversation she had with her father, and the trouble it would have caused if the Hyuga's had discovered that a child with a Byakugan was born outside the clan. When the little girl cooed in her arms, Sakura melted at the sight, forgetting her anger and allowing it to be replaced by the bundle she held.
It was at this time that Naruto walked through the gate of the compound to see the antics that were taking place just outside his home. He had returned from the meeting with the council, after giving instructions on what to do in his absence. Several messenger frogs were left behind that would be reverse summoned in the event that something was to happen in his absence.
The council was originally concerned with their Uzukage leaving the village, especially after the attack, but was excited at the additional treaty and trade agreements that would follow with his meetings in Konoha. The trade agreements with Suna would give the village greater resources in high quality glass and building stone that could only be found in the desert region. They could get it now, but it was often through a middleman and the prices were high for such quality materials. With agreements with the Kazekage they would have direct access without the markups.
"Is everyone ready to go?" the blonde asked while looking around.
Gaara turned green at the idea of the long boat ride back to Hi no Kuni but nodded none the less. Everyone else just eyed him and started to gather their things to carry down to the dock. Naruto saw this and a wide toothy grin displayed across his face. "I sent a hawk yesterday saying we would be arriving today. If we take the slow way then it would take us two weeks to get there".
"How else are we supposed get there? Getting there by today would be impossible," Gaara said hoping he could avoid the boat ride.
Hinata noticed his grin and the wheels in his mind turning at an alarming rate. If anything her husband was a bit of a showoff and often thought on the fly. He once told her of his first meeting with Team Seven and how they discussed their dislikes and he truly hated waiting three minutes for instant ramen to be done. A light bulb clicked in Hinata's mind on what he was attempting to do, "You can't do that Naruto-kun. Just to get Sakura-chan back to her apartment and return nearly depleted you, and that was just carrying one person".
Naruto closed his eyes in thought and everyone looked at him trying to figure out what he was up to. Kurama, are you ready?
Yes Kit. Just remember when you revert back we will have to do it slowly. More than likely I will be drained for a few hours as well.
Ok, let's do it then. In a burst of crushing power the air around Naruto exploded as he was wrapped in what looked like yellow flames. Strange markings covered his body and as his eyes opened everyone could see that the blue was gone, replaced by red irises and black pupils with a vertical slit. Even for Neji and Sakura who had seen this form yesterday, it was still awe inspiring. For the rest there was a mixture of shock and fear at the power that Naruto was putting off.
Naruto started to approach Hinata while Sakura backed away. She was not sure if the flickering energy he was putting off would burn her if she was to get close. As Naruto stood in front of his wife and child he wrapped them in his arms and placed a soft kiss on her forehead while smiling at her.
The energy enveloped Hinata and she could feel the chakra caress her skin. It warmed every part of her body that it was exposed to and she had difficulty thinking clearly as the sensation was sexually intoxicating with him standing so close to her. Kushina seemed to giggle slightly as the energy had tickled her skin as well.
"Ok everyone, gather around closely," Naruto instructed.
Everyone did as he asked as quickly as he said it, being sure to keep a little distance from him as they were not sure what the energy would do if it was to touch them. Gaara was excited at the prospect of not having to endure the boat ride, while Shikamaru was more than happy to not have to carry the bags for two weeks. How his wife was returning with more stuff than she brought was beyond him and too troublesome to contemplate at this time.
When everyone was close enough Naruto nodded and sped through hand signs faster than physics should have allowed. Before his last maneuver they could hear his last words, "When we arrive, don't throw-up. There is a bathroom on the left in the hall, and a trashcan next to the counter in the kitchen". He then slammed his hand on the ground and a seal matrix spread out from him to encompass everyone. In a flash of light they disappeared from Uzushiogakure.
Konoha
In An Apartment on One Side of the Village
A flash of light engulfed the interior of the apartment, and as the light subsided, eight figures could be seen. If you were looking closely enough you could see there were nine, but one was holding the small child in her arms. As quickly as they appeared two of the figures darted off in opposite directions. One that was sporting a pair of buns in her hair took off down a short hallway quickly followed by the slam of a door. The other raced for what looked to be a very humble cooking area looking for a large container. The sounds of retching and emptying of stomachs could be heard, even from behind the closed door.
Shikamaru quickly went to his wife's side to help her calm her stomach, the absolute reason she loved the man was because he would only stop being lazy to ensure that she was taken care of. A glowing figure stood in the center of the others, holding his wife and daughter close, trying to allow the flickering energy around him to comfort both of them so they would not feel the nausea from the technique. The rest of the group swayed slightly from side to side, waiting for their equilibriums to return before making another move.
The energy around Naruto slowly started to flicker away and dissipate as he took on his normal appearance once more. Shaking his head slightly as if to clear some cobwebs, he looked around. Seeing that the destination was correct he smiled, happy that no one was lost in transport, or imbedded into a wall or piece of furniture.
"Where are we?" Gaara asked.
"My old apartment," Naruto responded.
Gaara looked around at the well decorated living area. The living space was carved out for optimal use but in a comforting way. The supplied furnishings were of great quality. Gaara looked over at his blonde brother with a look of what it would have been like for Naruto to grow up in a place like this. "This must have been comfortable to live in by yourself when you were younger".
Naruto frowned a little and it was overtaken by the one that now crossed Sakura's face as she filled in the blanks of the past for the red haired Kazekage. "It was nothing like this when Naruto lived here. After Pain attacked and the village started to rebuild it was decided on by the owners that they would refurbish everything and redesign the complex where Naruto grew up. The other apartments come unfurnished as no one is willing to rent this one because the 'Hero' of the village once lived here. There are even plaques outside on the building walls dedicating this complex to Naruto and the time that he lived here. Before the attack this apartment complex was run down and should have been on the list for decommissioning. No one lived in the building besides him anyways. Hurtful obscenities were often seen painted on the walls outside". Sakura looked over at Naruto before she continued. The pain in her voice more than evident by the low octave that she was speaking in, "On some occasions the more rowdy and hateful villagers would break into his apartment and smash or steal everything he had".
A look of disgust spread across most faces present, even of the two kunoichi that had recently emptied their stomachs. Naruto not wanting to dwell on the past, more than happy to live in his now ever pleasant present tried to get their minds off of the story. "Enough of that, we have some work to do. I haven't been in the village in a long time, and if anyone thinks I'm going to just go out and say 'hi, we're back' they have another thing coming. More than likely Baa-chan is at the main gate waiting for the Uzukage to arrive. She probably has a small group with her as well. So here is what we're going to do". Naruto then laid out his plans for his surprise return with the others. Most wouldn't have to do anything but enjoy the after effects.
Konoha
Village Gates
The Hokage with a small entourage was waiting patiently by the gate. It was nearing noon and the missive she had received that morning stated that the Uzukage would arrive at the designated time to discuss important matters that concerned the safety of both villages. The visit from the foreign Kage was a long time coming and would likely bolster stronger ties between the two villages. A deeper treaty would do wonders for the security of Hi no Kuni and may even give the village a larger supply of missions from the new hidden village.
The council members were frothing at the mouth of the possible trade deals that could be procured through a visit like this. They had a small taste of what Uzu no Kuni had to offer in the way of goods. Most evident was the increased wealth of the Hyuga clan and the weapon shop owners that sent their daughter to assist in trade delegations for an extended time. Most of the civilian council members owned businesses and would love to get exclusivity trade agreements with the new village to bolster their coffers as well.
In the greeting party was of course the Hokage's assistant, Shizune. Kakashi was also present, as he was selected to take Tsunade's place when she formally retired, along with his fiancé and their daughter Hinata. Hiashi Hyuga was also there to greet his nephew in congratulations for the prestige that he brought to the clan through his work in the island village. Hanabi was in tow, for training reasons, as she would eventually become clan head with the loss of her older sister. Konohamaru, who was standing close to Hanabi, trying not to blush every time the two youths looked at each other, said he wanted to meet the travelers at the gate as training for when he took over as Hokage after Kakashi failed. Currently if one was to look at the two, they were struggling with the thought of whether they should hold hands or not, revealing their relationship to her father. Every once in a while their fingers would brush each other's, causing a blush to appear on their cheeks. Rounding out the remainder of the group who Tsunade had allowed there was the two elder advisors and Tenten's father. He was there not so much for the prosperity that his daughter had brought to his business, but for his emotional state, as he missed his daughter deeply. If one was to see him in private the first few weeks after she left, they would have seen a large crying man, distraught with the idea that his daughter would be away from her home for so long.
The welcoming party was so intent on looking down the pathway that led to the village where they were hoping they would see the travelers soon round the bend that they failed to notice the silencing of the village behind them. A small group started to approach those that waited. The villagers that had seen the group walking through the streets stopped what they were doing in shock of what was passing in front of them. To most of them what they saw was the stature of a young man in Kage robes followed closely behind by several others. The images of the Kazekage, Sakura, or even the young strategy couple didn't surprise them. Some were surprised at the sight of the two that had returned from their diplomatic mission. What caused the speechless state of everyone they passed was the image of the deceased Hyuga princess walking elegantly through their village. Not only was she travelling with the group but was carrying a small child nestled in her arms with a smile across her face, like nothing in the world could ever go wrong.
Normally the ANBU that were assigned to watch over the Hokage from the shadows would have warned her of the coming of the travel party. This was not going to be the case as they were called away unexpectedly as a series of disturbances were called in from around the village. For those that were watching the welcoming party, confusion took place. From the description of the events they would have expected the resident prankster to be at the center of it. Before their eyes though was the young shinobi standing there, as far from causing mischief as possible.
Without anyone noticing Naruto snuck up and placed his head between the young couple and whispered so only the two would hear him, "There is just something about a Hyuga woman isn't there?"
Both young teens snapped their arms to their side in an attempt to hide the fact that they were attempting to hold hands. Dark red blushes crossed their faces before they spun around looking for the source of the voice. As they did so a hand clamped over their mouths. Their eyes met the blue ones with whiskered cheeks of a ghost from the past. Shock, awe, horror, and surprise crossed the exposed part of their faces. As Naruto lowered his hands to allow them to breath, he shushed them, hoping they remained quiet. He pulled them back from the others quietly so he could get closer to his target without alerting the others.
Tenten was next as her father was further back from the rest. Tenten slid her fingers into her father's hand and waited for a reaction. Feeling his hand being held, he concluded that his wife had opted to close the shop while they wait for their daughter to arrive. His wife always pretended to be all business, but her emotions had evidently gotten the better of her and she missed her daughter deeply. When he looked down where he expected to see his wife his eyes widened. Tenten placed a finger on her father's lips as she led him away from the rest, begging him to remain silent.
Happy that Hiashi retained his stoic stance and continued to face forward with narrowed vision down the path, things were going better than expected. Gaara quickly made his move as he wrapped up the elders in his sand and applied pressure to force then unconscious as he muffled their cries for help. Normally he would feel bad about doing such a thing, but a small sense of justified revenge crossed his face as he did so. He had learned what the elders had done to his younger 'brother' while he was growing up, and although Naruto would not let him kill them, he was satisfied in scaring them witless.
Shikamaru stepped up and prepared his jutsu. Slowly a shadow stretched out and mixed with the shadows of the Hokage's assistant and the Hokage to be. Both of their bodies stiffened as they slowly stepped back at the movements of the Nara heir. He finally forced them to turn around to see those that were standing in the background. Getting them both to blink in understanding that their silence was needed, not that they could speak due to the shock of their former favorite knucklehead standing there in front of them, they were released from the technique. Kurenai seeing Kakashi move turned to see what was going on and was unable to speak at the sight. Sakura was standing there right behind her waiting to muffle a sound if one came, but over her head Kurenai quickly noticed her daughter's namesake. After a small silencing motion and with assistance from the pink haired kunoichi she joined the others.
Naruto approached the blonde Hokage from behind trying to stifle his giggles. "You figure that the Hokage would have something better to do with her time than stand at the gates and stare out at nothingness".
"What I do is none of your business," the woman said without turning around.
"Well if I was Hokage, I would be busy making sure that ramen was officially declared the village dish," he said.
Tsunade spun on her heels in irritation, "You are not Hokage, and I don't know who you…" Tsunade stopped mid-sentence. Before her stood a young man dressed in the robes described to her as the Uzukage attire. He wore his Kage hat low, obscuring his face from view. She bowed to the man, "I'm sorry for my outburst Uzukage-dono. I did not know you had already arrived".
"It is ok Baa-chan, I didn't really give you a chance to see us coming," Naruto said tilting his head up a little, exposing his grin.
The woman's mind began to whirl at the less than honoring term the Uzukage used for her. The term coupled with the voice caused a reel of memories to flash through her thoughts. Her lips quivered and her eyes moistened as her trembling hand slowly rose against her minds own will. She was scared and terrified of what might be under that hat. Hope at the sound of his voice unwillingly entered her heart as she reached for the covering.
Naruto stood there, as still as he could be, knowing that this would be difficult for her to take in. He allowed her to take her time in revealing his face, leaving the toothy smile plastered on his face, not that he felt he could remove it of his own freewill anyways.
Tsunade's fingers finally reached the brim and slowly started to raise it. Her tear filled eyes were taking every detail she could about the man's face that was standing in front of her. The cheerful grin and whisker marks on the cheeks. Tears were now falling without control, further still the hat revealed more. Bright blue eyes that held a sense of joy, joy for life, then the hat fell from his head showing the spiky blonde hair a top his head. Before she knew what she was doing she had her arms wrapped around him, pulling him close to her as if she believed he would simply disappear if she let go.
She sobbed into his shoulder; words were not even imaginable at this point in time. Naruto returned the embrace, relaxing a little with the thought of being near his Baa-chan. A motherly figure that who had been there to encourage him, who protected him, and who told him what he needed to hear even when he didn't want to hear it.
Hiashi lost his gaze to the front to observe the commotion where the Hokage was standing. To his shock he saw that the normally grumpy woman was hugging what appeared to be a young man wearing Kage robes as if her very life depended on the embrace. What alarmed him more though was that he was now standing there by himself, when only moments ago his daughter was next to him. Looking further behind him we saw where everyone had disappeared to. There was a gathering of people, not only the ones that were with him while waiting but also the group that were to arrive any moment. Somehow they had gotten behind him without his observation. He saw the young Tenten with her father hugging with smiles and tears. Standing just a few feet from her was his nephew Neji. He almost missed the small detail but if one was able to read the face of the trained stoic expressions Hiashi was known for, they would see confusion and surprise. In the place where Neji normally wore his forehead protector there was none. The slight hint of surprise in his eyes though was from what was normally under the village identifier, the Caged Bird Seal was missing. Hiashi took a step forward toward Neji and everyone aside from the Kages noticed.
Neji, Tenten, Sakura, Gaara, Shikamaru, Temari, and Hinata stiffened at the movement while the others present didn't really know what was going on. The closer he got to the young man the more the crowd parted from Hinata to get a better view of what would happen and to react on Neji's behalf.
Closing the distance about half way Hiashi froze in his tracks as if time had stopped. Near the corner of his eye he could see his wife standing there, looking just as she did when they were a newly wedded couple. Turning his head further to get a better view of the young woman, recollections assaulted him. Even in her arms she was holding a baby and looked how his memories recalled when Hinata was first born. Impossible, she died. She died after Hanabi was born. I was there, she was so sick and frail, he thought. It was then that he noticed that the hair of the infant was not that of his lost daughter Hinata but blonde instead. Realizing this was no illusion he looked closer at the face of the woman and he could only make out the small detailed differences. This was not his dead wife, but his recently departed daughter.
A rainbow of emotions crossed his mind and his heart. His body turned on its own accord making a direct path while his mouth spoke without knowing what it was saying, "Hinata?"
Several things happened in that exact moment. Naruto's body went ramrod stiff as he released his grandmother figure and spun around waiting for a reaction from his unknowing father-in-law. Neji turned his head to follow and analyze the movements of his uncle, looking for any hostility. Hinata who was staring at her father with a trace of moisture in her eyes, hoping for the best of this impromptu reunion, nodded in response.
Hurt, fear, love, confusion, pain, and anger caused a whirlwind within the normally statuesque man. He did the only thing he could to save his currently fragile mind from shattering, he allowed the Hyuga training to take over. He stopped in front of his daughter and looked down onto her form with what one may consider a scowl for a Hyuga. "What is the meaning of this Hinata?"
Hinata was taken aback by the cold tone of her father, flooded by the memories of growing up in the head household of the Hyuga clan. She almost wanted to revert back to her former self and retreat within her own mind. Quickly steadying herself, she responded like it was any other day, "We are here for a visit Father".
"Nonsense, you will return to the house immediately and wait for me to arrive. When I do, we will discuss where you have been all this time and the shame you have brought upon the clan for your actions," he said not noticing the leers that everyone was aiming toward him. "Now give that child back to whomever it belongs to and do as I say".
That was a breaking straw for Hinata. Her own father had referred to her daughter as an 'it'. Anger welled deep in her bowels and steeled her resolve. "No!" she all but shouted at the man in front of her. "My daughter, Kushina, and I will do no such thing".
Tsunade gasped at the name of the infant that Hinata was holding. She was named after his mother. The pieces quickly started to fall into place. Naruto had rebuilt the village of his ancestors, became the new Uzukage, faked his and Hinata's death, married, and had a child. She had all the facts, but she still lacked a reason as to why he did such a thing. She was about to ask when she saw a flash of light from where he was standing.
"You will do as I say. I am your father and your clan head," he said through clenched teeth while drawing his hand back.
In slow motion everyone saw what was about to happen. Hiashi's arm started to cross his body in an attempt to backhand his daughter for defying him. Hinata was turning slightly to protect her daughter from the impending strike. What they did not see was Naruto move, but a flash of light as he appeared between his family and Hiashi.
Naruto caught the offending appendage as if it was nothing more than a stick in a game of fetch. "That will be the last time that you try to touch anyone in my family. If you make another attempt the Hyuga clan will be looking for a new clan head before they find your body," the blonde spoke through clenched teeth.
"This is none of your concern boy. This is a clan matter," Hiashi spoke, a little surprised that his strike had been halted so easily.
"You are right about one thing. This is a clan matter, my clan," Naruto responded with a smirk.
"What are you talking about? You have no clan," replied the older man with a smug.
Throwing Hiashi's arm away from him Naruto stood his ground. "Not that you would know. Besides the fact that you do not know of my clan is irrelevant. Hinata-hime is my wife, and Kushi-chan is our daughter. They are no longer under the control of the Hyuga family".
"Impossible. Even if you were to be married it is not recorded in the village. In the tradition of the old laws to protect women within the village from kidnapping and returning with their forced husbands there must be a record of it within this village. Since there is none you have no claim over my daughter and she is still under the law of the Hyugas. This makes the child you forced upon my daughter nothing more than the bastard of a bastard," venom with a hint of victory dripped from his lips.
"That is untrue Hiashi-sama," Shikamaru stepped forward. "In my report I filed with the Hokage of my initial visit to Uzushiogakure it is written that I attended the wedding of the Uzukage and his wife. May I present to you the Uzukage, Naruto Uzumaki, and his wife, Hinata Uzumaki. The couple I witnessed getting married above the shore of their village. In a most romantic setting if I do say so myself".
"So if you would like to avoid any inter-village hostilities I would suggest you put a cork in that mouth of yours and tamper down your temper. If for some reason you cannot find the capacity to do so, I have every right as the Kage of an allied village to ask for your head for the disrespect you have shown us here. This is of course in the laws as well. You should be familiar with it since it was used during the kidnapping incident with your daughter when she was three". Every word that Naruto spoke was as a matter of fact. He let no emotion into his words, not allowing anyone to know if he would carry through on the threat or not.
The memory flashed across Hiashi's mind when he nearly lost his eldest daughter the first time.
"Hiashi," Tsunade said. "I suggest you return to your home until you can get yourself under control. Give yourself some time to calm down".
He regained his composure and nodded toward the Hokage before he walked away without another word. As he walked away he could feel the anger well up within him. At what he was angry about, he was unsure. It would be nearly twenty minutes before he realized that the target of his anger was none other than himself.
Everyone was quiet until Hiashi was out of sight before they continued. Naruto approached Tsunade once more before he spoke again. "I'm sorry Baa-chan, but I think we will retire for the rest of the day. This has been a little eventful and I think we should continue this tomorrow in the council meeting".
"Hold on a minute gaki. I have questions that need to be answered now," she responded.
"I know you do and I will be happy to answer more about that later. As far as giving Shikamaru, Tenten, and Neji the third degree, please refrain from it until I speak tomorrow to the council with the information concerning the matter". Naruto then looked toward Tenten and Neji, "Besides I think there is a more pressing matter that those two need to handle right now".
Looking to her two diplomats she couldn't see what was so urgent for them to do other than fill her in on the current events since they have been gone. "You better have a good reason for this Naruto".
"I do, and if you want to get together tonight that is fine. Just give us a couple hours so we can get settled". Naruto then walked over to Hinata before he faced the blonde Hokage, "If you need to see us we will be in my old apartment. Neji?" Naruto called over. He waited until Neji looked at him before he continued. "We will be heading back to the apartment. When you finish with what you have to do, there is another one there for you to use if you need it. I don't think I would go back to the Hyuga compound for at least tonight".
"Thank you Uzukage-sama," Neji said to embarrass Naruto with the formality. Normally when they were alone it was 'Naruto' or 'Naruto-san' at the very least.
Naruto then stuck his tongue out at his good friend before he grasped Hinata's hand and disappeared in a flash of light.
A few moments after the couple disappeared two ANBU appeared in a kneeling position in front of their Hokage. Everyone gasped in astonishment before giggles were heard from several people, presumably in the know. "What happened to your uniforms Boar and Eagle," she asked.
The two elite operatives kneeling down were dressed in bright pink spandex with their ANBU jackets decorated in a purple and pink floral print. To top the uniform the masks were painted with a clown face complete with a red rubber nose. Finally Boar spoke, "Lady Hokage, the village is being plagued by a spirit".
Tsunade almost faltered at the statement. Hearing the quiver in the ANBU's voice she questioned further, "What do you mean by spirit?"
"The ghost of the village hero has come back to seek out his revenge against the village for all the neglect he was shown," Eagle spoke.
"What makes you think that the spirit of Naruto would haunt this village?" Tsunade was trying to contain her smile. She knew Naruto had done something. It took her a few moments to come to the conclusion that Naruto had lured away the ANBU that would normally watch over her so that he could get the drop on her.
"Hokage-sama, we thought it was a trick, but some of the ANBU that were assigned to him to watch over him when he was younger confirmed it. It is the ghost of Naruto Uzumaki at the time he was around ten years of age. We tried capturing him but anytime we neared him he would vanish from sight, only to be spotted in another location. We must get you to safety Lady Tsunade, nowhere in the village is safe until we retrieve a priest to banish the spirit from the village", Boar stated with fear more than evident.
Funny gaki, real funny. Making my ANBU look like a bunch of fools, I hope you're real proud of yourself. "What could the 'sprit' do that would make it so dangerous? If the worst of it could be to change your uniforms, I think I may make the change permanent for your carelessness in getting caught off guard".
There was a visible shudder from both of the people that were kneeling. "This is not the worst of it Lady Hokage," Boar spoke, hoping that the uniform would not become part of his permanent wardrobe. "The T&I building is sealed completely shut, and it is snowing inside. No one can get in or out. Anyone that has approached it is still stuck to the ground as if they are glued in place. In the ANBU headquarters, the spirit has also replaced Anko-san's normal lunch of dango with pickled herring. She is currently trying to interrogate everyone within that building until someone confesses to stealing her lunch. Tora has been let loose into the Inuzuka compound and is currently fighting with all the dogs, the nin-dogs there are actually losing to one cat. A rare anteater was last seen in the Aburame compound, looking a little fatter than a normal animal such as that. The grills at the Bar-B-Q restaurant were filled with a pudding like substance".
"I think it is ectoplasm," Eagle added.
"It can't be all that bad," Tsunade laughed out. It just sounds like some harmless pranks.
Boar shook his head, not wanting to meet the Hokage's eyes when he told her the worst news. Clearing his throat he quickly retorted, "Then you have not yet noticed the Hokage monument, Lady Tsunade?"
The blonde Hokage then whipped her head around along with everyone else that had gathered there. For all to see in the cliff face was her head, painted in a kabuki fashion. A stark contrast of red swirls over a white foundation, it was a rather artistic prank for those that would witness it. But what had given the woman a tick mark that beat furiously along with her heart was the word balloon painted next to her painted face. It read, 'My real age is _," and displayed her actual age. It was not a guess but her true age. The ANBU braced themselves for what they knew was coming by placing their hand to their ears in an attempt to save their hearing.
"NARUTO!" could be heard throughout the village, often causing people to stumble to the ground or seek shelter.