Naruto practically stormed through the Academy's halls, barely restraining himself from smashing a wall next to him with his fist. His fury flaming inside of him like a raging forest fire, with his mind and whatever self-control he had left in him restraining him from letting it loose. He was now done, completely and utterly done with that family, his now former family. For half of his life he had to endure with this negligence and arrogance, but he has had enough already. Kushina or Minato may say whatever the hell they wanted, but the moment he had his headband and Genin license, Naruto will be leaving their accursed home, finally getting at least some control over his life.
It would probably be still not enough for a full independence, but this would be a start. Last few years have been an agony for Naruto and it was well due time he had received reprieve from it. Constantly listening to all those propagandized speeches of Minato, or the attention-craving Kushina, preaching about his role in her house and Clan, doing it in a kind that he was still her little boy… Naruto may've not believed in the cycle of reincarnation, but if this were true, he would very much would like to know, what the hell has he done so insidious to have deserved such a cruel punishment?
Anyway, it did little good to him to dwell about such matters at the moment. What was really important is getting his headband, getting his stuff out of the residence, and finding a place to live. The first was in relative easiness of acquiring, while the second could be slightly problematic, but Naruto didn't really require all that much from his home. Only his more or less functional garments, notes, stash of throwing weapons, saved up money and the books with scrolls he had managed to get over his time. Kushina and Minato had completely restricted access to any and all books on Fuinjutsu in their library, even to the simplest ones, probably so that their brats wouldn't learn how to temper with their seals. Naruto did, however, manage to learn a couple of things about Sealing, including how to make storage scrolls to carry things within them.
And as for finding a place to live… He would have to ask for Shingen for help in setting him up with a landlord or two. The man apparently held an extremely high level of both authority and influence over the civilian sector of the Village, so he it would stem to reason that he would know most, if not all, renters in the Village. Of course, Naruto did consider a possibility of asking him and Aika to become their tenant, but Naruto wasn't going to push his luck with that. It would be not very polite and they had no reason to even allow him to stay at their house for a prolonged time. Sure, he did save their daughter from being assaulted and harassed, but the clothes, the claymore, and a few meals with a night's rest at their house were more than enough of a payment of this debt in his eyes. No, he would need to find his own apartment…
"Naruto, over here!" Naruto had stopped in his tracks, turning to his right and seeing Hiryu and Akemi standing near one of the cabinets, with two more persons near them. "The Exam's going be held here. Come on." Naruto headed towards them.
Once Naruto came in closer, he was able to take a look at the two unknown persons. Both were around his physical age, had black hair and red eyes, indications of their mixed Uzumaki and Uchiha heritage. The girl was tall, with very long, reaching to her waist, raven black hair, with a red cloth tied behind, making a small tail at her head level. She wore black and red dress with short sleeves, red gauntlets with gloves on her arms, with black shorts on her legs and high boots, all black in color, all coupled with a katana strapped to her left hip. She looked at him with an untrusting eye and was probably judging him already, as many had done before her. As for the guy, he had short black hair, with looked like feathers of a crow, with his sharp chin. He wore a plain grey and black short coat with rolled up sleeves, black pants and boots, with a red cloak strapped behind him, reaching to his waist. On his hips rested two one-handed scythes, with the rolling blades, judging from the construction. He looked at Naruto with the curious eye, though did not let it appear so. Naruto looked at Hiryu and Akemi, with the former speaking up, having taken a notice of Naruto's state.
"I… I take that your talk with Lady Kushina didn't go well?" It was not much of a question, even if Hiryu had given it the intonation. "Sorry if we've caused you two to…"
"You've got nothing to apologize for. If anything, it was a long overdue talk for me…" Naruto let out a sigh, calming down, before looking at the silent siblings. "Mind doing the introductions, Hiryu?" Naruto bluntly asked of him, with Hiryu coughing out a little.
"Right, sorry. Naruto, this is Rei and Keiji Uchiha, the ones I've told you about." Hiryu turned to the twins. "Rei, Keiji, this is…"
"We know who it is." Rei interrupted Hiryu, narrowing her eyes at Naruto, though it seemed like there wasn't much in terms of hostility coming from her.
"Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze, the disgraced and disinherited heir of Uzumaki and Namikaze Clans, casted aside for his more favorable siblings. An utter disgrace of Hokage and his wife, who doesn't give two fucks about authority and who has been held up for three years from Academy and force to go into class with all the big-shot Heirs. Along with being the most frequent visitor to ANBU jail and a near universal object of mockery and humiliation from the dumb idiots of this pristine village…" Keiji listed everything with an initial look of disgust and even mockery, with Naruto narrowing his eyes on him.
"If you two have a problem with me being here, then you better speak up. I couldn't care less what you think about me, but I do prefer when people speak directly and in my face, even if they have some dumb shit to tell me." Naruto coldly responded to Keiji, with two… suddenly softening their gazes, and with Keiji even offering him a hand.
"No problem with me, pal. Any guy who's capable of beating up those stuck up assholes and tells them who they really are, is a friend of mine." Keiji smiled to him, with Naruto accepting his hand and shaking it. "Pleasure's all ours, or mine at least. You can hardly tell it with her, since she is all anti-social and stuff." Keiji motioned towards his sister, who simply rolled her eyes at that one.
"Yeah, and you like to run your mouth amok." Raven said back to him, before looking back at Naruto. "Hiryu told us how you took care of those Inuzuka horndogs that were trying to assault Akemi yesterday. Glad to know that someone isn't letting them have their way with people out here. Although, I do hope you understand, that unlike my little fool of a brother here, I'm not one to trust people so easily, especially ones with your kind of parentage." Raven unintentional, or not, had let her hand rest on her katana.
"Would've been more surprising if you did, considering what Hokage have done to the two of you." Naruto bluntly said, with Keiji widening his eyes, while Rei had narrowed them and gripped her blade.
"And what, do tell, did you hear about it?" Rei asked in a lower tone, with the tension starting to mount up in the hall. "What would you, son of the said Hokage, have to say about it, huh?" Rei dared Naruto, coming a little bit closer to him, with her fully matured Sharingan out in the open, which didn't scare Naruto at all.
"I heard that he was accused and executed for collaborating with a Kumo infiltrator, and what I think about it is that it was a complete bullshit." Naruto suddenly surprised her and Keiji. "Uchihas have no love for Hyuuga, but even less for Kumo, and only an idiot would cooperate and help to an enemy of the village. And while Uchihas are prideful and arrogant as hell, they aren't stupid, most of them at least, and even one did the deed, then he would not leave a trail, if he was a professional Shinobi."
"The way I see it, Lord Hokage and his cadre of stuck-up Clan Heads needed an excuse and a scape goat for their blunder, and they used your father as one. I may be missing on a detail or not, but that's how I see it." Naruto stated his opinion on the matter to the twins.
Rei and Keiji exchanged glances with one another, until Rei let her guard drop, with Keiji giving Naruto a grin, acknowledging that there were no more animosities between them. Once the tension had finally dropped, Rei spoke up.
"Didn't expect anyone but Shingen say it like not a son of Hokage and his redheaded Queen, or Princess, whatever she likes to see herself." Rei let out a chuckle with a small smile to him. "Keep this up, and I might even start to like you."
"Which in common language means, that you are now considered as a potential boyfriend for her." Keiji said in joking manner, before he placed his hand on Naruto's shoulder. "A piece of advice for the future: she may be letting out an all-out tough lady exterior, but inside, she's all soft and shy. So basically she's a tsundere, only without the dere part." And at that point, Keiji received a well-deserved elbow in the abdomen from Rei, who looked at Naruto with an annoyed expression.
"Before you ask, he did not come with an off switch." Rei simply stated, while Keiji regained his composure. "And no, I'm not looking for any escapades like dating. If you, then try your luck with Akemi here, since she's our role model of cuteness and beauty around." Rei simply pointed at the redhead, who blushed up intensively at that.
"R-Rei, wh-what are you s-saying?! A-and out in the open?! I-I'm not th-that p-pretty or cute…" Akemi denied everything, before Naruto decided to speak up.
"I wasn't interested to begin with, nor do I look for any… potential romances." Naruto simply stated, crossing his arms on his chest. "Although, when compared to most women and girls I've seen in here, you two do look far more appealing to my eye from both appearances and characteristics."
"If this is your way of flirting with us, then it's not really working with me." Rei stated to him, with Akemi blushing even more at this, while Hiryu and Keiji simply chuckled at it.
"Wasn't trying, simply stated the obvious." Naruto said to her. "Let's change the subject, shall we? You two are also here for your headbands as well?"
"How'd you guess? Did something give us away?" Keiji sarcastically asked of Naruto, with him giving him a blank look. "Seriously, dude, looks to me that you need to work on your social skills. I mean, asking about the weather would be more to place."
"Sorry, not much of a social person. I usually do more talking with my fists than by speaking." Naruto simply stated, with Rei chuckling to it. "Outside of that, don't really see much point for chit chat."
"Wish he could take a page out of your book on talking." Rei nodded to Keiji. "But yeah, we are here for it. Got tired of listening to the same old song about how great those Hokage were and what a high and mighty our current one is…" Rei scoffed at the mention of Minato. "What about you? Same thing? Or trying to impress someone?"
"Same, though add to it being placed in a classroom full of all sorts of brats and screaming banshees, not to mention twin brats with foxes in them." Naruto answered to Rei, with her nodding to it. "From the looks of things, we'll probably be made into a 5-men Squad. Wonder who'll be in charge of our training."
"From what Dad said, the Hokage will put a Jonin and a Special Jonin as our instructors and sensei." Hiryu said to everyone. "The Jonin will be in charge of the unit, while Special Jonin acts as his XO and also trains for his or her future position of Jonin. This practice had originated in Kiri, from what he told me, but quickly got adopted by other nations and Hidden Villages. Although, I am curious on whom would Hokage give us as our teachers…Maybe Kurenai Yuuhi and Asuma Sarutobi? Those two seem like capable and responsible Shinobi for this job."
"Hopefully." Naruto agreed somewhat with Hiryu. "I hope Hokage doesn't set us up with his number one fan boy. You may know him as Kakashi Hatake, the Copy Cat with Sharingan, or whatever they call him."
"The guy with the facial mask, reads cheap porn out in the open, and is terrible with time, along with being a general lazy asshole with a boner for Forth Hokage?" Keiji said in one beat, with Hiryu adding up to this one.
"Hangs out around the memorial of fallen Shinobi all the time, never takes of his mask, prime buyer of the Toad Sage's… colorful literature, and a former Anbu Captain?" Naruto was surprised at hearing more details from Hiryu, but still responded.
"Same one. You've met?" Hiryu merely nodded to this one, with a face that told he was not really a fan of the man either, with Akemi doing the same.
"Yeah, Hokage had put him as our guardian in the first couple, after he..." Rei didn't finish up, as it was still too sore for her and Keiji to talk about it. "Needless to say, we didn't really get along, and with how we were viewed by the Shinobi populace after that stunt with our father, we weren't the most wanted for adoption, even by our dad's Clan. Fortunately, Hiryu's and Akemi's dad has connections with Royal Court, so he got us out of the bind with that silver-haired arse, setting it all up so that we could take care of ourselves, with him checking up on us and, occasionally, giving us money for living."
"And he did all of that just because he and our Mom are from the same clan, and he used to be great friends with her, before the Kyuubi's Attack." Keiji added to this. "In all seriousness though, that blond bastard may be the one with the hat, but it's Shingen that does all the right stuff to keep this place running, even though most of the Shinobi a-holes would like nothing more than to kick him out here."
"A blunt statement, but, unfortunately, not all that inaccurate." Hiryu agreed with Keiji, before he turned to Naruto. "Say, Naruto? I know that it's not our place to pry, but… We had heard a little bit of your talk with Lady Kushina, and I would like to ask, do you need any help, considering…" Hiryu trailed off.
"Considering that I just denounced that woman as a mother of mine?" Naruto bluntly stated, not even blinking. "I think I will need some, but I'd rather talk about it with your father. No offence to either of you."
"Um, Naruto, are you sure that it was… necessary?" Akemi asked of Naruto, getting him to look at her. "I know you've said that you weren't in the best of relations, but still, she is your mother and I think she would feel bad for what had happened between you."
"Your optimism is appreciated, Akemi, but is utterly misplaced with her." Naruto let out a frustrated sigh. "If there is one thing that I've learned about Minato and Kushina, then it would that neither will ever admit that they had made a mistake. Especially Kushina, since she always prided herself as "better than most", and every decision she makes is the right one. She may put up a front of people, but in reality, all she cares about is that she was right about everything, even when she is wrong. Because that way, she is the better one from the most…" Naruto scoffed at this one.
"Pal, if you are really trying to get into my sis's panties, then you are hitting all the right buttons." Keiji laughed, before he received the next elbow in the stomach. "Ugh... You do know that it hurts, right?" Keiji looked at his sister, who simply grinned at him.
"That's the idea, dumbass. Afterall, that's the only way that at least shuts you up for some time." Rei sighed at her brother. "And unlike you, I don't go around chasing after ever shirt skirt and tight dress I see in the town..."
"Wouldn't that be a sight... And for the record, I don't go after every girl." Keiji retorted, motioning to Akemi. "Akemi is far too pure for the smooth dashign rogue like me. I do have principals, I'll have you know..."
"Something tells me that it has more to do with Hiryu's blade, and Shingen, rather then some principals." Naruto bluntly stated, with Keiji shooting him a glance.
"Well, one does not contradict the other in this matter." Hiryu added up, with Naruto and Rei chuckling up. "Although, Keiji does have some principals... Though I doubt that they are as consistant as your interest in fairer sex."
"Hiryu, when it comes down to choosing between the woman of your life and some principals, I would still choose principals." Keiji said with pride of himself. "After all, that will still leave me avaliable for all the other beauties out there, right?" Keiji said them with a grin.
"If I ever find the girl that can tolerate you for more than ten minutes, then I'll be really surprised." Rei stated, shaking her head, before turning to Naruto. "But I'm actually surprise and gald to find someone who can't stand that pompous red-assed sow... No offence, I hope."
"If it's towards Kushina, be my guest. And as for myself... Try not to mention the twin brats, and I think you will be in the safe." Naruto remarked to her, with Rei nodding to it, before Iruka Umino came out of the cabinet and spoke up.
"Alright, I see that all the applicants are here, so come in and let's get this started." He smiled to his students, allowing them enter and finally begin their Examination.
Sometime 's General Hospital. Aika's cabinet.
Having finished up with household chores and leaving the home in Shingen's care, Aika headed towards her workplace in hospital. While the entire hospital was being run by Tsunade Senju, it was generally considered that Tsunade ran the section that serviced the Shinobi population, while Aika worked with civilian population, leading this sector of hospital. This statement wasn't exactly too off though, as the majority of Aika's patients were from the civilian side of Konoha, most of the Shinobi not really trusting her enough with their health or thinking her as an insufficient medic, due to her being married to someone who was considered a traitor.
Such superstitions only caused Aika to scoff and even laugh at it, as it was utterly ridiculous and most certainly was said either out of general dislike towards her husband, or simply out of arrogance. Aika Azuma had proven hundreds of times that she was not just a good medic, but one of the best on the face of this world, being able to go toe to toe with Tsunade Senju on this field. And in the field of psychological and mental health, Aika was Tsunade's superior. She had saved at least over a several thousand lives on her own, and helped recover from the PTSD hundreds of Shinobi and civilians, during the Third Shinobi World War, while all that Tsunade did was punch things and forgetting about her medical expertise.
And yet, despite all the lives saved and helped, Konoha Council with Hiruzen Sarutobi saw fit to put Tsunade in charge of the Konoha Hospital right after she had returned. Although, Aika's work was noted and had granted her the post of the head doctor in the Hospital, right under Tsunade's position, which had led to Aika effectively taking the running day to day administrations and work of the hospital, while Tsunade worked directly, rarely involving herself in logistics of the hospital. It took a monumental and colossal effort for Aika to set up a functional and effective hospital system, with capable and professional doctors and nurses. Of course, most of the Shinobi had believed that it was Tsunade responsible for such an efficient system, with her being only glad to take the credit and have less paperwork on her. Needless to say, that while Aika wasn't a prideful person and actually highly respected Tsunade as a leading medical specialist, she wasn't particularly friendly with her. Professional was a more accurate term to characterize their relations.
Aika had finished up another routine checkup, and wrote down on the papers what was needed, as she spoke up with her patient.
"Well, Councilor Homura, all I can say is that your age is starting to catch up with you. The increase in blood pressure, temperatures, occasional aches and pains in your muscles, as well as arteries' problems, not to mention your heart's condition… All of these are very common among the older generations of Shinobi, especially among the once with your age." Aika handed to the sitting next to her councilor a paper with her recommendations and medications' list. "My prescriptions are less highly intense physical activity and less worrying. Spending the written amount of time in hot springs for aches and pains each week, as well as taking the vitamins will deal with the blood pressure and strengthen your immune system. Aside from that, try not to overexert yourself and not worry too much. I would suggest taking a long vacation in one of the hot spring towns with your family."
"Hm, I wish I could follow your advice, Aika, but with how tense and degrading things are in the Village with Uchihas and rampant acts of Shinobi violating laws, I'm afraid I'll have to forget about it for a while." Councilor Homura sighed, as he put the paper in his pocket. "I assume you've heard about such acts taking place here in Konoha? Not a week goes by without several reports coming in about assaults made by Shinobi towards women or civilians in general. The Inuzuka Clan is especially barbaric in this way."
"You don't have to tell me about it, Councilor. My daughter, Akemi, was assaulted just yesterday after Academy by four Inuzuka Genins." Aika sighed, with Homura widening his eyes at hearing about it. "I shudder at what they could've done with my sweet daughter, had it not been for Naruto dealing with those bullies…"
"Naruto? As in Naruto Uzumaki, Hokage's and Kushina's eldest son and their disinherited child?" Homura asked surprised, with Aika nodding. "Poor kid… I saw how the general population views him, especially the Shinobi Clans, and I am not all that surprised that he grew into such a delinquent. Although, I am surprised that he had helped out your daughter."
"I would not call him a delinquent, Councilor. It is true that he does end up in many fights and arguments, but from where I see it and understand, all Naruto does is retaliate in case he is directly provoked." Aika stated to the old man. "He is not a delinquent, not at all. He is just a poor child that was forced to endure the negligence of his parents and the general mockery… When your closest people turn their backs on you, and everyone is laughing at, whispering about and mocking you, you grow to resent them, and resentment can easily lead to anger and after a while, you can't take being mocked by everyone…"
"Yes, I can see your point." Homura said, as he stood up and made his way to the door. "I'll see to it that civilians and those Clans that I have connections with either show respect to his persona, or at the very least do not provoke him. After all, he has never assaulted a civilian populace, and has been known to stand up for it, even if needlessly at times. And in these times, that does deserve a level of respect, especially with how Shinobi act towards citizens. Have a good day, Aika." Homura nodded to her and left the cabinet, closing the door behind him, while Aika returned to filing up some of the medical documents.
Unfortunately for her, Aika's relative peace and quiet was shattered, when through her door barged in someone she had not expected to see at all. Taking her eyes off the medical files and documents, Aika saw that in front of her Kushina Uzumaki, fuming and looking as furious as she could be, with her long red hair forming up the infamous tails of a fox behind her. While such sight could've intimidated most people, Aika was by far not the most, and she was used to seeing angered and aggravated Uzumaki, having spent a very long time in their company. And even though Kushina had stood out from among them as being one with possibly the shortest fuse, that didn't mean that Aika was terrified or scared of her. Calmly closing up and putting away the files, Aika looked up at Kushina and spoke up.
"Kushina, I hope you have a very good reason to barge in here unannounced and prior notification." Aika calmly stated to her, as Kushina made her way to her desk and, with a single punch, broke it in half. "You do realize that this is a destruction of hospital's property? I don't know what had gotten you so riled up, Kushina, but if you are simply looking for someone to take out your anger on, I suggest you find Might Gai and challenge him. Knowing him, he'll be only glad to accommodate you."
"Joke all you want, Aika, but I know what you and your husband are up to." Kushina said with a heated hatred in her voice, making Aika raise her eyebrow at her in confusion. "You think that you can just steal my son away from me?! Don't get your hopes up, because I'll never allow it!" Kushina shouted at Aika, who had started to piece everything together.
"I'm going to take a wild guess and assume that it has something to do with Naruto staying over for the night." Aika could see that she was correct in her assumptions, as Kushina glared at her. "Kushina, despite what you may think, me and my husband are not exactly fixated on hurting you. And as for allowing Naruto to stay for the night and giving him the new cloths, he did save Akemi from your friend's clansmen assaulting her, and with the storm raging on yesterday, I thought it was best if he had spent the night in our guest room. As for the new clothing and claymore, they were a material reward for what he did."
"Is that what you call it, huh? Material reward?!" Kushina had nearly shouted at Aika again. "And what about the fact that Naruto had just outright insulted me in public when I tried to stop him from making a big mistake? What about the fact that he had refused to comply with my demand, his mother's demand, to apologize to her friend for his actions? What about the fact, that he had announced that he was going to leave my house?! What about the fact that he had openly DENOUNCED ME AS HIS MOTHER?!" Kushina shouted at Aika, with possibly all of hospital having heard it, with Aika widening her eyes in surprise.
"Naruto had denounced you as his mother?" Aika was genuinely surprised at hearing it.
"Oh, don't make it look like you are surprised. I'm confident that you had specifically set this all up with your sow of a daughter to..." In a single moment, Kushina was forced to shut up, as her head moved away because of a strong slap on her face.
Aika Azuma-Uzumaki was a patient woman, a very collected and calm person that could handle more than her fair share of badmouthing and insults thrown in her address or towards her husband. However, she was not without pride or dignity, along with her own line that should not be crossed, a subject not to be touched upon. And this line, that subject, were her children, especially her younger daughter Akemi, who despite being born a year after Hiryu, had managed to make her way into his class with her academic successes. A soft spoken, humble and shy girl, she was Aika's and Shingen's dear and sweet daughter, one that they would do anything to protect.
They didn't want her to go through Shinobi program and training, but they did respect it and Aika had personally trained Akemi as an Iryo Shinobi and overall medical expert. Akemi had achieved great successes in those fields, and Aika would never, ever allow someone, even wife of Hokage and a recognized head of Clan Uzumaki, to insult her little girl. And she most certainly had the strength and capacity to make sure to put even Kushina Uzumaki in her place. Aika stepped through the rubble made by Kushina and grabbed her by the collar, before speaking up in a threatening and cold manner.
"Listen up, Kushina. I don't give a damn if you and your poor excuse of a heroic messiah insult me or my husband, we both can take it." Aika pulled Kushina closer to herself. "But I will never allow anyone, especially the likes of you, to insult and belittle my children. Unlike you, I've never belittled and insulted people just because of their status or talents, or just to get attention and respect. And neither my daughter have done so. So if you are looking for someone to blame for what had happened to you and Naruto, then why don't you take a good look at yourself in the mirror." Aika pushed Kushina away from herself with ease, with the latter glaring daggers at her.
"Oh, so now it's my fault, is that it?!" Kushina shouted at me, with Aika not flinching even slightly. "And what, in your professional and profound opinion, I have done to earn this attitude towards me from my own son, hm? Enlighten me!"
"If you want to know so badly, then it will be my pleasure." Aika allowed herself a little bit of gloating to get out. "You and your husband, Kushina, have not just neglected Naruto, oh no. That would've been at least somewhat forgivable, given your preoccupation with your twins. No, what you did was far worse than that. You didn't just neglect Naruto: you've outright abandoned him. You've tossed him away, discarded like a used kunai, in favor of raising your "heroic" twins."
"That's just pure nonsense! Do you even hear yourself, Aika?! Me, an Uzumaki and Head of the Uzumaki Clan, abandoning my son?!" Kushina looked completely revolted by the notion. "Minato and I have never abandoned Naruto! All we ever did was for the betterment of our children!"
"Yes, you sure have done so, at least for Menma and Narumi." Aika pointed out that little fact, with Kushina not being allowed to speak up in her defense. "Personal training from two of the best Shinobi in the village, absolute reverence and adoration of the entire Konoha, most lavish parties and the best presents on their birthdays, not to mention the statuses of Heirs of your respective clans. Yes, you and Minato have most certainly done everything for the sake of your children… Even tossed aside the inconvenience that was Naruto, having left him with nothing but misery, loneliness, bitterness and absolutely justified fury at you, your twins and your husband."
"Just who or what has give you the right to judge how Minato and I raise our children and just who do you think you are to spew these lies about me and Minato about Naruto?!" Kushina was on the verge of killing Aika for these words. "Any and all actions towards Naruto have always been to his benefit and betterment! He simply never held the same amount of talent and capacity for being Heir of Uzumaki, nor Namikaze, like Narumi and Menma have in them, and Naruto understood it, until you've poisoned his mind! I bet you and Shingen have been plotting behind our backs for years now. You two are the reason he had humiliated me and our family in such a manner three years ago!"
"Is this what you tell yourself now, Kushina? That it had never been your fault, but some clandestine and evil plot to break your family apart? That you two had nothing to do with how Naruto from a kind and sweet child changed into a lonely, angered and humiliated boy?!" Aika couldn't simply believe what Kushina was telling her right now. "Kushina, you've literally told him that he was not good enough for those title, nor was he good enough for your and Minato's attention when you started training the twins five years ago! What is even worse, is that you've made him believe that if he were train and better himself, then you two imbeciles would be proud of him! And as the result, you've made Naruto throw away two years of his life, training on a near brink of his body collapsing under the stress and pain, all that he could make you two fucking proud of him!" Aika literally went to shouting at Kushina at this point, who had flinched at the fact that usually composed and calm Aika had lost her nerve with her.
"That boy only ever wanted to make his parents proud of him, so that they may look at him with admiration and pride for his achievements. That's all that Naruto had ever wanted out of you: that you two were fucking proud of the fact that he is your son! And instead, all he received was you forgetting about his birthdays, leaving him alone and not even once even wondering where the hell he was all this time! Would you like me to tell you, Kushina?!" Aika was panting slightly as she let it all out of herself.
"Naruto probably got involved with some shady company, the same ones that had probably corrupted my clever and understanding boy into what he is now. It was one of the main reasons why Minato and I've decided to pass over the responsibilities and honors of Clan Heirs to Menma and Narumi." Kushina simply stated, completely convinced in her reasoning, Aika barely restraining herself from harming Kushina.
"And have either of you ever, even once ever checked if this damn thought of yours was true?" Aika was almost shaking with maternal fury burning inside of her. "Have either of you arrogant idiots ever had talked with Naruto about what he was doing?!"
"We were too busy with Menma and Narumi, training them to control their chakra and Kyuubi within them. We knew that Naruto would be able to take care of himself, and if he had something bothering him, he would come to us and talk about it, but he never did." Kushina stated it as if it was nothing out of the ordinary, with Aika now seeing red at what she just heard from this… this bitch! "And soon after he started to simply disappear and we realized that he got involved with bad company, so we had to do what we did."
At this moment, Aika literally had snapped, as she clenched her fists and sent her right ne right in Kushina's face. Kushina in her prime was one of the few Shinobi in the village that could match the prowess and skill of Shingen, Minato and several other Uzumaki Shinobi. Had she not herself get soft and stopped her career as a Shinobi, she would've probably been able to deflect that punch from Aika. But, Kushina had lost some of her combat aptitude, and Aika had no problem smashing her fist in Kushina's face and sending her crushing through the door behind her, reducing it to the pile of rubble and splinters, along with cracking and damaging the wall next to it.
Aika stepped out of her cabinet, completely livid and ready to kill Kushina for what she had done to Naruto. She may've been a doctor, but she was also a mother, and her motherly heart could not have stayed idle and silent to what she heard from Naruto. She was not just someone who had mended his wounds and relieved him of pain in body, but also had listened to what he had to tell about his life. He probably never even fully realized it, but Aika was the only single person he had told everything that he had gone through and what had happed to him: rejection in training, forgetting to spend time with him, ignoring him on dinners, complete obliviousness towards his birthdays, and then…
Aika had helped Naruto heal his wounds and traumas for five years, and all of this time she had watch with pain and fury in her heart what had been happening to the boy. She watched how a quiet, cheerful and kind boy grow into a lonely, bitter and abandoned young man, being with Aika serving as the only one who could relief him of the pain inside his heart by simply listening to him. She was one of the few making sure he knew that there were some people who cared about his existence, all by simply letting him speak and her listening to him. All because no matter how you like it, people need to let out their thoughts and feelings, share them with others, or otherwise they would drown in it all alone.
She had wanted to believe that his parents weren't that ignorant, and that they would at least try to understand what Naruto was going through, so that they may realize their mistakes and fix it before it was too long. Aika had prayed that Minato and Kushina had realized what a horrible mistake they made and made their best to reconnect with Naruto. Aika had hoped that at least deep down Kushina and Minato realized and fathomed what their actions have made Naruto into…
But Aika was wrong, completely wrong in this regard, with Kushina just confirming it all. Not only they were ignorant enough as to not see their mistakes, but they were arrogant enough as to think that had happened to Naruto was not their fault at all. They've already made their judgments and stuck with them, not even bothering to check if they were right. Minato and Kushina hadn't even cared enough to simply sit and talk with their son!
They've thought he could take care of himself, and that he could come and talk to them about something that had bothered him! These two self-assured arrogant bastards have completely ignored the fact that Naruto was just a child, their own fucking child that needed his parents to teach and explain things to him. Every child needs to know that his parents love and care for them, not through just knowing that they are allowed to make their own decision, but through them reminding the child that they are at his side. Children need their parents to correct and help them when they fail, and praise and indorse them when they achieve success. This is the main principal of being a parent: raising your child with attention and care, being there with them and for them.
Kushina and Minato had forgotten this core principal with Naruto, and now Aika was going to make sure that Kushina regretted ever doing this.
Aika walked to Kushina, who had spit blood out of her mouth and looked at the whitenette, showing to Aika her broken and bleeding nose, with swelling around her right eye and bloodied mouth. Without any warning, Aika picked Kushina up by her red long hair with her left hand and spoke up to her.
"You fucking bitch, you don't even deserve to be called a woman, much less a mother! Not only did you toss Naruto aside because of your own dumb arrogance, but you have the gall to act like you had done nothing wrong?!" Aika raised her right fist and prepared to send it in Kushina's face. "I watched how you and Minato had killed that little sweet boy with your arrogance, leaving in his stead a bitter, resented and lonely shell of that boy. And now, I'll make you fucking pay for this!" Aika was about to send her fist into Kushina, until she was stopped by someone she didn't want to see right now.
"Aika, what the hell do you think you are doing?!" Tsunade Senju shouted at her college, holding her hand away from smashing Kushina's face. "Let Kushina go! Whatever the problem you have with her, you can take it up with her and Lord Hokage away from here, not free her before I fire you!"
"Oh, I intend to take it up with Minato as well, but not before I enlighten this worthless piece of shit on what she has done to her son!" Aika struggled to get out of the grip of Tsunade, while Kushina was starting to regain her strength, but not until she was smashed into a wall by Aika, instead of punching.
"So all of this is about that talentless and angsty little boy? Aika, that boy is nothing but waste of time, effort and he doesn't even deserve to be a Shinobi, especially with that attitude of his. And you are beating his mother because of him?" Tsunade honestly sounded shocked at the realization of Aika's reasoning. "Unhand Kushina and apologize to her, before I do something we both will regret."
"And how about you let go of my arm, Tsunade, before I do something we both regret, because at this moment, I wouldn't mind teaching you some of the parental lessons myself!" Aika snarled at Tsunade, who seemed to take it as challenge.
"Oh, and what makes you think you can go toe to toe with me, girly?" Tsunade arrogantly said to Aika, who decided to toss Kushina onto a floor and has shifted her attention on Tsunade. "Think just because you've learned a thing or two about medical Ninjutsu, you can challenge the woman that invented it? And all because of the one pitiful boy that barely even seems to be an Uzumaki everyone's eyes?"
"Did you know, that it's because of that mouth and big head of yours Mito never had taught you what she and Hashirama knew about Iryo Ninjutsu? You never invented it, only popularized it, while I had studied for most of my young life in this field under one of two real inventors of the modern medicine." Aika wasn't fazed by the boast of Tsunade. "And Mito had taught me not just how to reattach broken limbs, but also how to best hurt people, making them experience so much pain, that they go mad and die from shock. Want me to show you a couple of lessons in it, old hag?" Aika could clearly see how Tsunade's face morphed into one of utter rage and fury, as she was ready to kill Aika right here and now.
"That's it, I'll fucking murder you right here!" Tsunade was about to throw the first punch, before she and everyone in the hallway had found themselves unable to move. "What in the fucking…"
"You know, I've always believed that while doctors all preach about peace and quiet in their hospitals, deep down, they simply want to let loose and cause the most damage possible. Turns out, I'm not all that far away from truth." Shingen Uzumaki came into the view of the trio, with a small barrier field appearing above them. "Now, Aika, while I always find this fiery and feisty side of yours quite seducing, care to share, what had happened to anger you so much, before you go and destroy this facility?"
"Shingen, release this damn Paralyzing Barrier of yours, or I'll have Minato…" Kushina had tried to speak up, but was interrupted by Shingen.
"All in due time, Kushina, and I wasn't asking you, so why don't you practice foreplay for your dear husband while I'm talking with my wife, because from this position, that is the only thing you can do." Shingen didn't miss a beat or even shifted his tone while saying it all, before turning to Aika, and releasing her alone with a hand sign. "Now, Aika, what has happened here? I'll take a wild guess and assume that it has something to do with our last night's guest?"
"You it sure as hell does, as this… this piece of shit has barged in, proceeded to insult and accuse us with Akemi in "corrupting" Naruto, while completely denying her own fault in everything! She went as far as to call Akemi a sow, and said that we are the reason Naruto is like he is!" Aika looked at her husband, who narrowed his eyes on Kushina for a moment, a flash of past rage visible in his eyes for a second. "Shingen, she and Minato didn't even attempt to reconnect with Naruto. Worst, they've assumed that he could take care of himself and would come to them if he was bothered by something. And in the end, they thought and believed that he is the way he is because he got into a bad company! They've used it even as an excuse to disinherit him!"
"I can't take this anymore, Shin. I had hoped, prayed, believed even that these two can change and fix everything, but after what she said… Please, Shin, we need to get Naruto away from those two ASAP, or else…" Aika had been practically breaking apart at the possible prospect of being forced to watch Naruto suffer any more because of his parents. "You've got the connections and friendship of the Royal Court, can't you arrange to…"
"I've already made the call this morning after you've left." Shingen suddenly stated to Aika and everyone, shocking them. "After today, Naruto will be a Genin and while he can't be an adult until he is 15, thanks to your husband's new laws. But in a few days, I'll have the official order, removing the parenting rights from Minato and you, Kushina, on Naruto, and placing him under my patronage and fostering." Kushina looked at Shingen with clear shock, as did Tsunade and Aika.
"B-But it would take tons of material for such an order to even be considered, much less compiled! You have no such influence on the court of Daimyo! You must be bluffing!" Tsunade shouted at him in disbelief.
"But the court has, by now, literal tons of material to give this case the green light. I've been compiling it for the last four years, ever since I've smelled that our illustrious Hokage and… foreplaying Princess have become complacent in their duties towards Naruto." Shingen informed them both. "Forth Hokage or not, but not even he can't overrule the Daimyo's direct decree. And I most certainly assure you, that the order has his personal seal on it already. Now, Aika, let's get going, because these two aren't worthy of ruining your beautiful hands with all this brawling. I'll be sure to compensate the repair fee, so you just send me the check." Aika allowed Shingen to lead her out of here.
"Shingen! Minato and I will not let you and your bitch here get away with this! Naruto is our son, and we will have him, no matter what! When Minato and Council hears of this, they…" Kushina continued to threaten him, until he turned to her.
"Oh, but I do want them to hear of this, Kushina, so do me a favor and inform them of this. And while you are at it, remind Minato, that if decides to make any move against my family or Naruto, and then I'll stop turning the blind eye on the little scheme he has been orchestrating for the last 9 years or so." Shingen could clearly see that Kushina understood him and what he meant.
"He may be the shadow of leafs that baths in the light of sun, but I'm the light that shines through the roots of this great tree, quietly and patiently making sure that the base of tree does not forget the light. And in case the shadow becomes blinded by the high sun, then it may need be time for it to look down and see, that he still baths only thanks to the light below him, one that warms the roots and the trunk the tree." Shingen cryptically stated to Kushina and Tsunade. "The Third Hokage may've been more of a light itself, with Danzo as his shadow in roots of Konoha, but to Minato's shadow, I'm the light that is seen through roots. Remind him of it, Kushina, and of the fact that he himself once wanted me to be one for Konoha."
And with this message being left behind, as well as the main next news, Shingen and Aika had left the hall, with his Fuinjutsu barrier dispelling soon afterwards. Tsunade decided to heal up Kushina, who by now had stopped caring about the damage that Aika had managed to do to her. All of her thoughts were completely preoccupied with the fact that she and Minato now were to completely lose Naruto to Shingen and Aika. Now there was no doubt in her mind that Shingen has been behind what had happened to Naruto, with his shift in attitude and everything else. It was clear to Kushina that if she were to allow Shingen have his way with Naruto, she and Minato will completely lose their son.
And she was not going to allow her old rival to have him, not while Naruto was of her blood, as no one steals from Kushina what is rightfully her.
Training field 7. In the meantime.
Naruto, along with his companions, was currently threading towards the training field 7, as they had been directed there by Iruka, after he had handed down them their headbands. The exam was nothing short of a joke, with all five of them out performing it with ease and receiving their headbands, as well as their designation into Squad 5, or Team 5, a 5-men cell, overseen and trained by a Jonin and Special Jonin. None were surprised with this turn of events, but what did surprise them was the fact of their trainers already being chosen for them, who awaited them at the training field 7.
Naruto, along with Rei and Keiji, had really hoped that they would receive a decent Jonin sensei, with experience in teaching and without any kinks and quarks about him. Hopefully the Special Jonin would also be the same kind. Unfortunately, their hopes, along with the small hopes of Hiryu and Akemi, for an expert Jonin trainer and a professional Special Jonin assistant, were ruined, when they saw that in the clearing stood a very distinctive silver-haired masked Jonin Shinobi, and at his left stood a purple-haired girl, wearing an open trench coat with a mesh underneath, leaving nothing to the imagination.
It was at this moment, when they saw Kakashi Hatake and Anko Mitarashi waiting for them, newly-formed Team 5 knew, they were fucked up.
"Oh fuck me running!" Exclaimed all of males in the team, with Rei adding up, while Akemi kept her mouth closed.
Yup, Minato decided to figuratively, and quite possibly literally, fuck them up… I am not a fan of Kakashi, but I don't really dislike him, just like with Kushina and Minato. I just very much like make likable characters unlikable, and the same with unlikable. Kinda my little shtick since my very first fanfic back in the day…
Anyway, as some of you may've guessed, I've based the Uchiha twins from another pair of twins I rather like, Raven and Qrow Branwen, although Keiji doesn't have Qrow's scythe-sword harbinger, operating twin smaller scythes, like Death from Darksiders II. They are not fans of Hokage, or Kakashi Hatake for that matter. And much to everyone's misfortune, it's the latter who's their current Jonin sensei, with Anko Mitarashi as his assistant.
Also, just to clear a little air, Naruto is 12 years old, his twins are 9, so by the time they graduate, he and his Team 5 will be 15 years of old, legal adults in this story. And yeah, I did change the laws a little bit, a minor, but important detail. Oh, due to their Uzumaki genes, Team 5 looks not like 12 year olds, but close to 16 years old, thanks to enhanced physical capabilities of Uzumaki, training with Chakra and physical exercise.
Aika may be a civilian doctor, but you don't go around angering the adopted daughter of Mito Uzumaki and a happily married wife of the strongest Uzumaki on this side of the known world. She is currently in the league nearest to Tsunade and Kushina, and while she may lose in combative experience to them, but in terms of sheer power and absolutely extensive knowledge of physical capabilities of bodies, she can give both of them a run for their money. And she also has a very strongly developed maternal instinct, hence her reaction to Kushina.
As for what Shingen has told to Kushina… Well, I believe you can guess what he meant.
Also, I am also debating about the romantic part of this story, the part about monogamy. Now, I know that there is a literal tone of fanfics with harems, but here… I still feel conflicted and I need to think things through with this story for now, but I would very much like to ask for your opinion on this matter. Also, the harem part is not just about Naruto, but is also about Hiryu and Keiji, so do leave your opinion.
Oh, and Naruto Path of Shinobi is the one getting the update on this week, so stay tuned up.
See ya!
PS! Had added up a little bit of extra dialogue between the now fresh Genin, sorry for the short take out.