chapter 4
"Let us get the injured nins back to Konoha for now." said Kakashi reasonably. "We'll decide where to go from there."
The other two nodded and returned to the others. They got on with the trip to Konoha , stopping occasionally to rest.
With Naruto...
They got to the natural hot spring and Itachi turned to Naruto.
"I'll leave you alone now." he told him and left.
Naruto watched him go and then turned back to the spring. He quickly undressed and climbed in to the water. As he soaked , he thought of all the changed going on in his life.
"How did it all turn out like this?" he wondered.
"It wasn't your fault kit, they are the ones in the wrong here." said Kyu.
"I tried so hard Kyu."said Naruto. "In a way I still cant believe it."
"It will be okay kit. We have each other." said Kyu.
"It hurts." said Naruto sadly. Then he began to cry.
His entire body shook with the force of his sobs and he put his head in his hands and wept brokenly.
"Please don't cry kit...it hurts." said Kyu.
Naruto tried but couldn't. It was as if a dam had just been released in his soul and he was finally letting it all out. All the years of pain and humiliation and the scars of his recent betrayal. The Kyuubi was frightened. He had seen Naruto cry before but never like this. It made his inner world quake and it felt like dying. He quickly manipulated their Chakra and used it to call any fox that was nearby for aid.
A fox arrived almost immediately and looked at its crying brother.
"Why are you crying brother?" asked the little kitsune.
Naruto looked up at the kit and tried to smile but couldn't.
"I've been betrayed and abandoned again by my mate." he told it.
The little fox became distressed when he heard that.
"Oh, I see." it said. "I understand. I can smell the fact that your carrying kits as well. You have to be strong for them. It hurts but as time goes by the pain will become more bearable."
Naruto nodded, he understood pain and knew that what the little kitsune had said was true. He rinsed his face with water and then he nodded.
"You're right, I have to be strong for my kits." Naruto agreed finally managing a weak smile. "I am Naruto Uzumaki and the fox inside me is Kyuubi. What's your name kit?" he asked.
"I am Taki." said the kit.
"Thank you for coming to my aid Taki-nii." Naruto said.
"No problem Naru-nii and Kyuubi-nii." Taki yipped.
Naruto used one of his tails to caress the kit affectionately. The little foxed purred in pleasure.
"Where's your family kit?' asked Naruto.
Taki whimpered. "They were all hunted down and killed except for me and my little brother." he told him.
Just then another little kitsune hurried up to them from under the shrub.
"This is my little brother Tori." said Taki.
Naruto greeted Tori and began to pet him as well. They yipped on together until finally Naruto asked them if they would like to stay with him as companions. They happily agreed and sat there playing tricks on each other while Naruto soaked.
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with Itachi...
Itachi was sitting in a tree nearby keeping an eye on things. He saw naruto begin to cry and felt an odd feeling inside him.
"What is this?" he thought. "Why does it hurt when he cries? Why do I feel the need to comfort him? Why do I even care?"
He sat there watching and feeling conflicted with the need to go comfort him or to just let him be. The decision was taken out of his hands when he saw a little fox walk up to the crying boy. He felt a bit upset by being bested by a little fox but continued to observe them. He could see and hear the two of them yipping away but of course he couldn't understand a word of what they were saying. Then he saw another little fox join them and felt curious about what they were saying.
Then his mind left their conversation and he began checking out the blonde. He could only see from his shoulders up but his imagination and memory was filling in a the delectable blanks. The boy really was hot and his ears and tails...mmm. He definitely wouldn't mind being stroked by one of those tails. He kept on thinking his perverted little thoughts, completely ignoring the icha icha in his hands until naruto stood up.
"Uuuuooo!" itachi groaned as he took in the erotic image that Naruto created, instantly becoming rock hard..
His noes was also flowing freely by now.
The water left a silky and shiny sheen on Naruto's naked body and revealed everything thing from mid thigh up. His tails swished and his ripped torso rippled with moisture, smooth skin against muscles. His pregnancy was already started to show since it would only take four months for his kits to be at full term, but none of this detracted from his sexiness.
Itachi saw Naruto's seal for the Kyuubi on his stomach and groaned, wanting to lick the beads of water resting there and lower. The seal remained out in the open now, ever since they had merged.
Naruto reached for his bottle of shampoo and began to wash his golden mane. Ut was almost as long as sasuke's now and was extremely curly, giving him the perfect bishonen look. He had only allowed it to grow so long because Sasuke loved it and he made a mental note to get it trimmed. He finished up and got out of the hot spring and walked over to where he knew Itachi was waiting, carrying the two little kitsunes on his shoulders as he did so.
"Do you think Pain will mind if I keep these two with me?' Naruto asked him cutely.
"Hn." said Itachi. "It's fine."
Naruto nodded , "good." he said.
They walked the rest of the way back to their base in silence and then Naruto turned in for the night.
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in Konoha...
The retrieval team got back to Konoha and were immediately taken to the hospital. Kiba's sister came to check on the dogs and informed the others that they were alright and would make a full recovery in a week or so. She also gave them sedatives and painkillers for them until the effects wore off.
The council had deliberated while Tsunade was away and had decided to make Naruto a s-rank
missing nin in all the bingo books in the villages. There was thirty-four million ryo bounty on him to be brought back alive and unharmed.
When Tsunade found out she stormed into the council meeting room with Gaara and Jiraiya, uncaring about just barging in.
"What the hell is this?" she screeched angrily. "First you give the Hokage title that he earned to that asshole and then you make him a criminal. Are you trying to get us all killed?"
"The council has spoken Tsunade and we will not change our minds." said the chairman.
"I have a feeling you'll be losing your head soon enough so you wont have a mind to change." Tsunade yelled pissed.
" We have made our decision." yelled the chairman, equally angry at the threat to his safety. " we have done what is right for this village! How dare you insinuate otherwise!"
"What's right about cheating someone out of something they actually earned?" asked Jiraiya annoyed. "Haven't you realized yet that by doing this you have all declared war on him?"
"We did what we thought was right!" yelled the chairman. "This is our right as elders to make this decision!"
"I cannot comprehend this." said Gaara in his usual stoic manner, effectively silencing everyone. "For years I hated and killed friends or foe without remorse And yet I managed to change and have become the leader of my people. Naruto was the one who taught me how to change and I'm sure that there are lost of people who feel the same way. He has never really hurt anyone and had dedicated his life to protecting this village even when he was being treated unfairly by all of you. Your prejudice have colored the judgement of the people of this village and they have all wronged him in the worst way. Tell me, what is the crime that we jinchiruuki are being punished for? Is it for saving your lives? Is it for holding your worst fears inside us, which you all placed there without even giving us a choice ? Or is it that we are strong enough to do what you all couldn't? None of you understand the pain and torment that we live with every day of our lives. We are hated and crucified by you all , the people we are protecting and we are being punished on the inside by the powerful beasts we keep inside for holding them in. Is this how you reward him for his hard work? Cheating him and labeling him a criminal? Naruto carries the most powerful demon inside him and you have all finally taught him how to hate. May Kami-sama have mercy on you all because Naruto certainly wont." he said annoyed and disgusted by them all.
"We have done this in order to make sure that he is brought back." yelled the chairman. "He carries the heirs to the Uchiha clan and holds the Kyuubi inside him. He needs to be brought back at all costs and as soon as possible!"
Gaara crossed his hands over his chest. "Brought back to what?" he asked. "You've already given the Hokage position to someone who was unworthy of it and he knows that he cannot count on you all to watch his back. He is also aware that you will take his kids away and confine him in some way. He will fight to the death before he allows that to happen and even if he did decide to return, all he would find here is more pain and suffering."
"The Kyuubi brat belongs to us!" screeched the chairman enraged.
"The Kyuubi brat?"said Gaara. "All this has happened and you've still learned nothing. We jinchiruukis have feeling too. That brat as you refer to him has been watching over you all and you owe your lives to him. If you cant even comprehend such a simple thing, then you deserve whatever fate Naruto decided for you." he said then he walked out.
Jiraiya and Tsunade followed him out, thinking that the Kazekage had said it all. The elders watched them go angrily but refused to yield on their decision. They couldn't understand the idiocy of the council in declaring to the world that they no longer had the Kyuubi in their grasp.
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with Kakashi...
Kakashi went home and found a sobbing iruka holding a newly updated version of the bingo book in his hands. He hurried over to the crying chuunin and held him.
"How could they do this?" Iruka sobbed. "How could we let this happen to him Kashi?"
"I don't know Ruka." Kakashi replied. "But Kami help us all when Naruto returns. He definitely wont forgive us now."
Iruka continued to sob and Kakashi held him close, resting his chin on the crying chuunin's head and allowing his own tears to fall.
"Forgive me Naruto." Kakashi thought. "Forgive us all."
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with Hinata...
The minute Hinata and Hanabi were informed of this, they flew into a rage.
"What do you mean he's a criminal?" Hinata screeched, all traces of shyness gone.
"What are we going to do Neechan?" asked Hanabi angrily.
Hinata got a determined look in her eyes and she looked at her little sister who nodded. They hurried to see there father, uncaring at the shock looks they got on the way. They marched in and hurried over to their father.
"Father is it true that the Have made Naruto-kun a criminal?" Hinata demanded angrily.
Her father blinked in surprise at her unusual assertiveness , then he pulled himself together.
"Yes hinata , the council have made their decision." he told her calmly, his voice tinged with regret.
"But that is outrageous!"said Hanabi angrily. "Have they lost their minds?"
"Calm yourselves." said Hiashi, then he turned to look at HInata. "You have tried to get him back but failed. It is no longer our concern."
"Naruto is my friend and I will keep trying."said Hinata boldly. "He will always be my concern."
"He almost made you blind and yet you still insist on going after him?' asked Hiashi surprised.
"He could have made me completely blind father but he didn't." said Hinata. "That alone shows that he still cares for us. Everyone he cares about has betrayed and abandoned him, I wont do the same."
"You are the heir to this family, I expressly forbid it!" roared Hiashi.
Hinata and her father engaged in a glaring match for a while, each willing the other to back down first.
"Lets obey father neechan." said Hanabi calmly.
Hinata turned to look at her sister angrily , then she caught on. She turned back to her father and the two sisters bowed low before him.
"Forgive us for our insolence father."said Hinata, resuming her shy and docile manner. "I don't know what came over me. It has all been such a shock and almost losing my sight made me a bit upset."
Hiashi nodded and dismissed them. The two girls bowed again, then they got up and walked to the door. Hinata paused for one last look at her father before walking out. They hurried to Hinata's room and after butting seals on the room, sat down on the bed. Then they talked about the recent events and their plans for the future. They would act when the time was right.
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with Shikamaru...
Temari sat at Shikamaru's bedside and clenched her fists angrily showing him Naruto's profile in the bingo book.:
Name: Uzumaki Naruto
age: 23
registration I.d.: 0954375
hidden village: Konohagakure no sato
rank: S-rank, jounin, anbu captain.
Kekkai genkai: n/a
trademark technique:rasengan
trademark weapons :Kage bunshin no justu
others: can be seen wearing orange with the Uzumaki swirl in red . Is to be brought in alive and unharmed.
Reward:34 million ryo
"Its troublesome." said Shikamaru. "It will be the death of me."
"Naruto helped my brother and taught him a new way to life." temari said. "Because of this , he is our family and we cannot abandon him."
Shikamaru nodded tiredly. "I guess I'll have to put some extra effort into this after all." he said , resolved but annoyed.
Temari nodded firmly. "We all do."
The others were all feeling the same way, resolved to bring him back. For his sake and for theirs.
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with Sasuke...
Sasuke sat in his office and ran his hands through his hair in frustration. He couldn't believe that the council had done this to Naruto. Where they trying to make sure he never got his dobe and his kids back?
Sakura stormed in and marched over to Sasuke with a copy of the bingo book in her grasp.
"Sasuke what the hell is this ?" she asked. "They made him a freakin criminal!"
"I don't know Sakura." said Sasuke. "But I'm about to find out."
He got up and went to see the council, Sakura following him. The council held their positions and also ridiculed them for pretending to care now when they had helped to cause this mess. Sasuke walked out feeling ashamed of himself and remorseful for what he had done to his lover. Sakura was still wishing she could turn back time. Needless, to say, they were really regretting their betrayal.
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with The Akatsuki...
Zetsu appeared before pain and gave him his report.
"So they have made him an s-rank criminal have they," said Pain thoughtfully. "This is becoming even more interesting."
"They aren't aware that he is with us yet." said Zetsu.
Pain nodded and they talked a bit more about the situations , then they went in for breakfast.
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Naruto woke up and ran over to the toilet, emptying his stomach into it gracelessly. When it was all out, he stood up shakily and moved over to the sink to rinse and brush his teeth.
"Ugh! No doubt about it, I'm definitely pregnant." he thought sarcastically, wishing that the little fishes in there would stop swimming around so much already.
"Well yeah kit, that is why they call it morning sickness." said Kyuubi snickering. "Aint it grand."
"Ha ha very funny Kyu." said Naruto. "If I had puked anymore, you probably would have come up next. Anyway how is our kits?"
"There fine kit." said Kyu. "They are growing quite nicely."
"Good and thanks Kyu." said Naruto. "I couldn't have done this without you."
The fox preened , his ego inflating. "Well of course not kit." it said proudly. "I am the Kyuubi no kitsune after all."
Naruto smiled, knowing the fox was pleased. "We are a team Kyu." he told it.
"Of course we are kit." Kyu said happily.
Naruto could almost see him shaking his tails with pride. Before it would have annoyed him but strangely, he now found it kinda adorable. Wait, adorable? Yep, no doubt about it, he was pregnant.
He went through what was now becoming his morning routine and walked into the kitchen after bringing the little kitsunes back to his room for a while. He walked in and paused, all the members including Zetsu was sitting there waiting. He arched a brow questioningly.
"Breakfast un," Deidara said as it that answered everything.
"Kisame has decided that he wont cook for us anymore, so you'll have to do it." said Pain.
"What?"screeched Naruto. "Are you all trying to kill me? I'm pregnant and I cant cook all by myself for everyone, every single time, it's a lot of work you know. I don't even have enough food at the moment."
"Then pick someone to help you." said Pain unconcerned , just wanting his breakfast.
Naruto looked around the table at the others and paled. Then he looked at Kisame and smirked.
"Kisame could you please go catch at least fifty large fishes in five minutes so that I'll have enough time to clean and cook them?" he asked.
"What ! No way, I'm not you're damn maid!" Kisame screeched.
Naruto mock pouted. "But Pain -sama said I should get someone to help me and since I need fish I naturally thought of you sharkboy." he said , then he hit his palm with his fist as if a thought had just occurred to him. "Oh I get it now, even though you're a shark, you cant actually catch fish can you? How pathetic."
Kisame got up angrily. "What did you just say? I 'll show you , you Kyuubi brat!" he yelled and stormed off purposefully
the others snickered as they watched him go.
"That was just wrong Naruto." said Tobi. "I'll have to try that sometime."
"Uh huh." said Naruto,then. "Now that I've gotten that part out of the way, whose gonna help me cook?" he said, wondering aloud.
"I'll help." said Itachi, surprising them all. "I cant cook but I'll hand you stuff."
Naruto turned to him and nodded, his tails swishing from side to side. "Okay, thanks Itachi." he said.
"Hn." Itachi replied.
The others snickered at Itachi's odd behavior since they knew that he was only doing it because he liked Naruto.
Naruto turned and was about to walk over to the kitchen section to begin cooking when Pain stopped him.
"Naruto there is something I want to show you." said Pain, handing him the bingo book with the page with his profile already opened.
Naruto took it and read through it, his tails drooping until he saw the price on him and they stood up straight as he frowned.
"So they have completely turned there back on me this time." Thought Naruto, unsurprised.
"What! Who cares about that kit!" screeched the Kyuubi angrily. "They only place thirty four million ryo on us. Who the hell do they think they are dealing with, some pathetic ninja?"
"I know calm down Kyu." said Naruto.
"Those cheap bastards!" ranted Kyu, completely ignoring Naruto's entreaty. "They gave us the same price as Asuma too. "
He fussed a bit more and then he went into the corner of his cage to sulk. "We'll kill them all!"
"Yes Kyu we will, now calm down your giving me a headache." said naruto.
"Naruto!" called Pain.
Naruto looked up surprised, then he realized by the look on their faces that Pain must have been calling him for quite some time.
"Sorry Pain-sam, Kyu was throwing a bit of a fit." Naruto said embarrassed.
"Really? What did he say?" asked Pain curiously.
"Well he said that he couldn't believe that the elders were so cheap and that he should have at least been worth more than Asuma Sarutobi when he ran off. He's currently annoyed and is off plotting various ways to torture and kill them all." said Naruto flushing a bit more.
Pain nodded. "I see , that is interesting. Is he always this vocal?" he asked.
Naruto nodded. "Yes, lately he is. At the moment though , he's grumbling off by himself." he told him, then he looked at Itachi. "How much is on your head?" he asked curiously.
"10 million ryo last time I checked." said Itachi.
Inside Naruto the Kyuubi perked up. "I'm worth more than Itachi?" it said happily. "Well of course I am, I am the Kyuubi no kitsune after all." it preened proudly.
Naruto smirked.
"What is it saying now?" asked Pain, noticing the change in Naruto.
"He's saying that of course he is worth more than Itachi and is currently enjoying a major boost to his ego." Naruto said. "He's going on and on about how amazing he is at the moment."
Just then Kisame walked in carrying to large bags loaded with fish. "One hundred fishes in five minutes hah!" he said proudly.
Naruto nodded. "Good job Kisame, but I'm sure you were too much of a wuss to actually clean and scale them huh? Some fish you are." he said derisively.
"I'm not a wuss!" he screamed enraged. "I'll show you you brat! I'll clean them all in five minutes just watch!" then he stormed back out the door with the bags of fish and a sharp knife.
"Man he is way too easy to manipulate." snickered Naruto. "Now I better get started on the other things for breakfast." he said and walked off, followed by Itachi.
Kisame did indeed return in five minutes and Naruto made breakfast and deligated a grumbling Deidara and Tobi to clean up before going to his room for a quick shower. Then he went outside with the two kitsunes and sat on a rock nearby. Itachi walked over to him.
"Are you okay ?" He asked.
"I guess. It's just that seeing my name in that book brought it all home for me you know." said Naruto sadly.
Itachi nodded. "It was the same way fro all of us at first when we saw ours as well." He told him.
"Itachi will you think I'm weak if I cry?" Naruto asked sadly.
"No." Itachi replied.
Naruto nodded and let the tears he had been holding back fall freely. He felt an awkward hand rubbing his back and trying to comfort him and looked up at Itachi with swimming blue eyes. Then he hugged Itachi and sobbed into his chest. Itachi made the necessary hand signs and then teleported them to Naruto's room. Then he sat on the bed and took the sobbing blond into his arms and held him as he cried.
"Kyu," thought Naruto. "We have to make sure this works. Our babies need to be grown enough to protect themselves just in case something happens to us."
"I know kit, don't worry."said Kyu. "We'll find a way to protect our kits. It's not like we weren't expecting this anyway. That's the real reason you want them to grow up so fast isn't it? " it asked.
"Yes Kyu." Naruto answered. "I do want them to help me destroy Konoha but mostly of all I want them to be able to defend themselves just in case."
"I understand." said Kyu. "I'll do my best."
"Thanks Kyu." said Naruto. "Id be lost without you."
Naruto snuggled up into Itachi's chest and felt warmed in a way that he had never really felt with Sasuke since he hadn't trusted him . He wasn't sure if he trusted Itachi either, but it didn't matter right now. Right now he would enjoy this warm feeling.
Tbc
author's note: hello again. I hope you all like this chapter. Someone said that they didn't think Naruto would be so cold hearted and rip away his kids childhoods, but I think that now this chapter answers that. Anyway thank you for reading and please review. I love to here your opinions, its my motivator. Until the end of the next chapter ja ne.
for what Naruto looks like in his akatsuki outfit, I found a wonderful fan art of it . Just add some ears and nine tails of course.http//vinrylgrave.deviantart/com/art/Akatsuki-team-7-Naruto-58916727