A/N:Check my profile for story update, and vote on how the story should progress. I need your inputs, please help me. My profile has all the details.
Here is the new chapter. I enjoy writing this so much that I might update it faster than I thought.
'something': this is the character inner thought
I will not write down who is talking or thinking but will make sure that you could still all understand. If not, please let me know in the review or pm me.
Also I will use suffix like bachan, ojichan, chan, kun...Please let me know if you don't understand what it means. I will explain it at the end of the chapter.
Hope you enjoy it
Disclaim: Not own Naruto
"Are you feeling better Naruto?" Shizune lets him sit on the chair as she hands him over a glass of water
"Cheez. A shinobi should not be fainted so easily"
"BACHAN. LIKE YOU ARE THE ONE TO TALK. WHO COULD KNOW THAT YOU ARE CAPABLE TO WRITE SUCH A THING. I FEEL SO EMBARRASSED JUST BY HEARING IT. YOU ARE INSANE. LAND ME THE LETTER NOW AND LET ME PUT AN END TO IT"
'Oh, so Tsunade-sama is the one who writes it. So why does she seems to surprise and embarrass when she hear it? And for godsake, Naruto, if you are gonna sign it at least read it first'
"I don't know what you are talking about. You are the one who write it and begging me to sign it"
"This is the last time I will ever say this again. I NEVER NEVER BEG YOU FOR THIS DAMN CONTRACT"
"Oh yes, you do".
Tsunade version of the flashback:
Naruto is kneeling in front of her, tears in his eyes, knocking his head loudly on the floor
"Tsunade-sama, please please please let me be your slave, please sign this contract"
"Oh, Naruto, I would never do such thing. I have the whole village as my slaves, *cough*, I mean my assistants, why should I need a slave now, let a lone is you, the troublemaker"
"But Tsunade-sama, this is the only way I can show my gratitude for your kindness. If is not for your voices, Sasuke's life could not be saved, and he could not return to the village. You are the greatest shinobi in this whole world, the only shinobi that I have ever admired and worshiped. Please do me another favor and let me serve you for the rest of my life"
"Um. if you say so, but..."
"Oh, thank you very much Hokage-sama, please sign this, and be my master for life"
End of flashback
"That is ridiculous, bachan. Is the Naruto in your version anything like me? I don't think you could even dream such a ridiculous one let alone but it in your flashback. The truth is you tricked me to sign this stupid thing."
Naruto version of the flashback:
Today is a happy day for me. I have successfully persuaded the Shinobi Alliance to get a pardon on Sasuke and let the village of Konoha keep an eye on him from now on, of course with the help of Tsunade-obachan guarantee in front of other Kages to never let Sasuke run loose and cause any harm to the shinobi world again. So I decide to go to the Hokage office and say my gratitude for her. I am humming my favorite song while opening the door.
"Ohayo, Obachan. How are you doing today? I want to say..."
"Hum, Naruto, huh. What are you doing here?"
"Like I was about to say it. I am here to say..."
"Oh, never mind that Naruto, let have a drink to congrat on our victory in the Fourth Shinobi War. I never like war, you know, and it happened that I was in most of the shinobi wars. I just want a normal life, being able to gamble days after days, years after years..."
'This is bad. Obachan is drunk. I doubt she could ever hear what I am about to say'
"Naruto. What are you waiting for? Grab a sake. Go for it"
"Oh bachan, I am not 20 yet. I am not allowed to drink"
"I never know you are the one who is so stick with rule. Rule, rule, rule. If I follow rule, Sasuke could not even be alive, not alone return to the village. Why don't you show some gratitude and drink for our victory huh? Everyone is happy. Aren't you happy?"
"I am happy. But drinking is not good. I have promised my mother..."
'Cheez. I should as well drink just to show my gratitude a bit. A little bit could not be harm right?'
I don't remember much but I drink quite more than just a little bit. In my unconscious mind, I remember bachan writes down something with great happiness and ask me to sign it. Something makes bachan happy must make me happy too, right?
End of flashback
'Hum. So who is the one actually writes it. As I remember...'
Shizune correct version of the flashback:
Today is a happy day. Everything is going to return normal to the village of Konoha. The war is over with the victory on our side. The shinobi wourld is going to remain as it is. But Tsunade-sama seems to be trouble by something. She has drunk too much sake this morning, and is sleeping on the desk. I go to the desk and help her to reorganize it. Then I see it, no, to be more presisely, them, ten piles of debt papers right in front of the sleeping Tsunade-sama. Being the Hokage has the biggest disadvantage that she cannot run anywhere, and everyone knows who she is. We have worked hard over the last four years to pay off some of her debts, but it is just like a small drop of water out of the whole ocean. And Tsunade-sama's habit has not help at all. She continues to gamble even as she has become the Hokage, and added significantly more debts in to her already huge one. With the destroy of the village and the shinobi world, the trouble debts just grow larger and larger. We are in a big pinch right now. I don't know if we have to sell the whole village to pay off our debt, not that we allow to.
"Shizune huh? When did you get there? I just have the greatest dream ever. In my dream, Naruto has been begging me over and over again to be my slave and promise to pay off all of my debt"
"What is a weird dream, Tsunade-sama. I am sure Naruto would never do such thing. Beside, he is not billionaire, how can he help you pay off your debt?"
"On the contrary, he is a gold mine, Shizune, a big gold mine. Some of the debtors told me to erase all of my debts just by getting them some of his pictures and autographs. Bigger ones ask me to pay off my debts by having Naruto working on their missions. Not only the debtors but almost everyone want him on their mission requests or even just have a chance to talk or have his pictures. If I have Naruto to help me on some of my personal businesses, I am sure we can pay off our debts in no time. I can even bet on his performance and earn some extra money for my little poker games. Hehe"
Tsunade-sama is so much on her little world that I doubt anything I say would make sense to her now.
"Shizune, get me more sake, will you."
Well, maybe she deserves a little break from all of what happen. A little more sake as a reward to help her relax could not be so bad. As I return to the room with more sake , Naruto has already been in the room, he seems wanted to say something. Tsunade-sama grabs one bottle of sake in my hand and gives it to Naruto.
"Here, the newest juice from one of my friend. You may never heard of it. The chesnut juice. Go ahead and have the whole bottle. It tastes best when you drink the whole bottle all at once"
"Uh, thank you obachan"
'Hold on, what. Chenust juice?'
I am too stun to even do anything, and before I realize it, Naruto already drinks the whole bottle.
"Obachan, that tastes weird, and doesn't the juice smell like sake?"
"Sake, who are you kidding? I am not gonna let an under age drink such thing. Go ahead and get another one"
"You are right obachan. Thanks"
I immediately run out of the room and get Naruto and Tsunade-sama some water, more for Naruto than for Tsunade-sama, but she does drink a lot today that I doubt she even knows what she is doing now. By the time I return to the room, I see both of them singing something on a piece of paper quite happily.
End of flash back.
"I never know that Uzumzki Naruto is the one who will go back to his word"
"What?"
"What is your answer, Naruto? Are you keeping your word or not? As your master, I order you to marry Hyuuga Hinata by tommorow. Are you going to deny my rightful order and go against your promises? Will you or will you not marry her?
"Bachan, this is serious. Marriage is not something that we should joke about"
"Naruto, I'm serious."
"No you are not. No one in their right mind could ask such a thing"
"*Sigh* Do you like her Naruto?"
"Yes, of course. Hey, don't change the topic. I like her, but we don't love each others. Aren't marriage something nourish from love?"
"Who said such a stupid thing? People don't need love in order to be married."
"Oh, really? I see." (Writing down something in his notebook)
"And beside, whether you like it or not, you had signed this paper, you have to keep your promise. You are the man who keeps his promises, right? Is this what makes you the man you are today?"
"That's right, bachan. But this is serious, you cannot bound my promise to force me do something that could change my life and especially the life of other. And beside, there are two reasons why you can't bound me by this stupid contract. Number 1: YOU TRICKED ME TO SIGN THIS STUPID THING, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IS IN THE LETTER. Therefore, it is not valid. Number 2: I have kept my promise long enough, working like a horse for you for two years, accepting all of your ridiculous and humiliated requests to pay off your debts. It is time for me to get out of this stupid contract anyway. Even if you bring it out to the council, I don't think you could even have a chance against me. And no one could accuse me for not keeping my word"
This is bad, Tsunade knows that Naruto has matured a lot, but to this level. Is this the real Naruto? When did he become so calm and collected, making such intelligent and sound argument? Hum, but she is not about to lose yet. She knows Naruto and his weaknesses. Beside, he is still too naive, no way an experienced shinobi such as herself could lose to such a navie child. The contract indeed is worthless in this case, it serves its purpose long enough, it is time to move on the next plan. Don't be so full of yourself, Naruto,the war is just begun. Tsunade feels a wave of energy thrusting through her body as she processes to plan B.
"Naruto, I think you are a better person that this. You know deep down in your heart that a promise is not for some others to judge but yourselves. Are you really care what are others say about you and your promises? Are the value of your promises just that, stopping right where people say you are doing enough ?"
' That's good. I can see a wave of guilt just swept through his eyes. This will work.'
"Bachan, don't you realize that this whole contract cannot buy you anymore? I will not fall to your trap again. It is not like I make my promise volunteerily, you trick me to it. And I didn't even promise, I was tricked to sign this stupid thing. I don't care anymore, do whatever you want to do, let everone know about the contract. I am rather not eating ramen, not meeting my friend, and not being Uzumaki Naruto for the rest of my life than to interfere with Hinata's happiness, forcing her into something she doesn't want to."
"Oh, Naruto, that's good to hear, but are you sure that you're ok with everyone in the village hearing every single words come from this contract?"
'It's so fun to see Naruto face paling, but his resolve is strong, he is not gonna give in yet. Let see if he could survive another blow.'
"And beside Naruto. How do you know that Hinata will not happy with the marriage, that it is something she doesn't want to do?"
' That's good. He's speechless now'
"Don't lie to yourselves. You know Hinata's feeling toward you right?"
"Bachan, how do you..."
"I heard from Katsuyu that Hinata confessed her love to you in the middle of the battle with Pain. It has been two years ago. Poor the little girl, she might still be waiting for your answer. I heard through out this two year she has refused countless suitors who are much better gentlemen than you are. You are not even a gentleman, or a man. How can a man make a good girl like her suffer like that? Do you want her to live alone until she dies, waiting in desperation for you. You are such a heartless bastard. And now you want to break her heart by refuse to take her hand in marriage and give her away to an old man in a faraway land right?"
"WHAT? What do you mean?"
"And here I think at least you are a good friend. You seem to know nothing about what is going on in the Hyuuga household, aren't you? Don't you even care to check on her once in a while? Since she has rejected countless worthy suitors who are much handsome and talented than you are, her father has been so dissappointed in her that he decided to give her away to an unknown old man in the Land of Storm"
"The Land of Storm? I have never heard of it"
"Of course you never heard of it. It is an far far away land at the end of this world. Rumor is that the land is surrounded all year with storm, and the most that people could survive in there is one year"
'My god, Tsunade-sama imagination sure run wild. The Land of Storm? The only person who could ever believe in such a story is Naruto. I don't even know what he is doing in his Academy day. I'm sure they did teach geography though.'
"O Kami. We have to do something. Her father sure does not have the right to do some thing like this, right? Bachan, hurry up and cancel the wedding, dattebayo."
"There will be no wedding. She just simply goes with that old man to the Land of Storm by tomorrow. Don't worry Naruto, she just has to live with him until he dies. She is a shinobi, sure she will survive in that land for three or four months, right? And by the look of that man, he might not be able to live long. But who know? He might live for another three or four years. Actually he is the only one able to live in that land for forty years and is the only resident now. Oh by tomorrow it could be two, including Hinata. And if she dies after three or four months, he can always find another one. Hey, Naruto, where are you going?"
"To kick Hinata's father ass and free her."
"And?"
"And what?"
"What are you going to do after that"
"Huh"
"If you are not gonna marry her, it could be best to let her die in that land than to give her hope and then crush her heart. I am sure she will prefer to die as a married women than as a lonely old women"
"Don't be ridiculous. It is not the time to joke. I am going."
"For the last time. I am not joking. Think about Hinata's feeling a bit will you. And her future too. If you are not marry her, her future is doom. Even if she could run away from that marriage, she could never be a Hyuuga and a Konoha shinobi again. The Hyuuga has certain rules over their members that no way the village could interfere. You know how much Hinata tries to become a strong shinobi right? She will be rather be with that old man and die in a far away land as a shinobi than to live as a rouge ninja or as a normal person and never to come back to Konoha again"
"BUMP"
"Careful Naruto. We are in a tight budget now. You have to work hard to pay for this desk later. Shizune, write this down as another one of Naruto debts to me."
"YOU MUST ******* KIDDING ME? DON'T TELL ME THAT WE CANNOT DO SOMETHING FOR HER?
"Of course we can. That is why I tell you to marry her. As ugly and stupid and talentless as you are, I can still twist some ways and persuade Hiashi to accept you as his son-in-law. And remember, you owe me big time for this. If not for your little service for me, I would never never help you and mingle into the Hyuuga business"
"But, as I say we are not in love. And I don't know about anything about marriage or having a family, I might need some time. And doesn't it seem unfair to Hinata to marry me while I am not in love with her? I don't want to hurt her feeling, dattebayo."
"Huh, so love is important than your friend's life huh. If you don't want to hurt her feeling make it a mission to love her"
"You cannot make it a mission to love someone. Love is nature..."
"Enough with your rambling. Since you are so insist to let your friend die in the Land of Storm, I will not push this any further. Shizune, hand me the moving out letter so I can get Hinata the permission to leave the village by tomorrow"
"Hold on"
"Naruto, you have no more business here. You can leave. And about your vacation, three days is enough right. Make sure to see Hinata when she leaves tomorrow. You are dismissed."
"Don't...don't sign it yet, Tsunade-sama. I have to think it again"
Tsunade begins to sign.
"I agree.. I agree to marry Hyuuga Hinata. So please don't sign it Tsunade-bachan"
"What? I didn't hear you clearly. Are you saying something, Naruto?"
"I, UZUMAKI NARUTO WILL MARRY HYUUGA HINATA"
"Are you sure Naruto? Are you doing this voluntarily? I don't want to hear others say that I force you or something?"
"Yes, Tsunade-obachan. I marry Hinata is because I want to. No one have influenced me in my decision."
"Um, good to hear. Shizune, get Hinata and her father in, so that they can sign on the marriage agreement"
"Huh, what?"
Hiashi and his daughter come in. Triumph in his eyes as he approaches the broken Hokage desk.
"So I see the marriage is in order. My humble thank you for your effort"
'Hm, Hiashi, you are gonna pay for this latter. I'll make sure you will remember the consequence of messing with the Hokage. But for now I have to play my part properly'
"Of course Hiashi, the duty of the Hokage is to make sure everyone of this village is happy. I'm sure Naruto and Hinata will be a very happy couple? Right, Naruto?"
"Huh. Bachan. What's going on? Why does this seem like..."
"Sign here Naruto. Good. Here Hinata. I now announce you two husband and wife."
"Excellent job, Hokage-sama. You two have my blessing. I have prepared everything for tomorrow wedding. Hinata, come home with me this instant and try another kimono. I believe that the last one is too plain. You should not shame our family. And Naruto, you look tired. You must be exhausted from your missions, I heard that you just come home this morning. Get some rest. Tomorrow will be a long day. Your wedding kimono will be presented to you tomorrow. Good bye Hokage-sama, and I wish you the best."
And with that the two leave the room as fast as when they enter it leaving Naruto standing dumbfound and speechless.
"Is this just me or really this whole marriage is a set up?"
"Of course it is just you. And yes it is a set up so that you could save Hinata's life from her crude fate"
"No. I mean like everyone already expected me to get married. Like you are the one who set this whole thing up. Isn't it weird that Hinata and her father appear right after I declare my will to marry her? And he seems to have the whole wedding ready. Didn't you just say that there will be no wedding, and even if it does, why does he have the kimono ready for me?"
"Because I am one of the most the elite shinobi of this world. Of course my effectiveness has to be superior compared to the like of you. And the Hyuuga is the most noble and wealthy of this land, of course there is no problem for them to prepare a wedding in just one day let alone having a kimono for some poor little kid. Be graceful to be able to get into such a family"
"Oh, I see. But something still feel off. Don't you think so Shizune?"
"I'm so tired with just talking to you right now. Dismiss. And remember don't mention the story about her marriage off to The Land of Storm to anyone. You don't want her to feel sad and others to feel bad for her, do you?"
"Of course I will not, I would not like her to feel sad at all. Bye, Obachan"
"Shizune."
"..."
"Shizune"
"Yes, Tsunade-sama. I can't believe you are able to pull this off. Naruto sure is dense"
"Not for long. Sooner or later he will know. So we have to make sure by the time he knows it, there is nothing he can do. Have two ANBU to watch him closely, and call Iruka now. I will make sure there will not be anything wrong with tomorrow wedding. By the end of tomorrow, our jobs are done and we don't have to worry about this mess anymore. It will be Naruto's job to clean it."
A/N Please review if you like this story. It encourage me to write and update faster. And please let me know if the chapter too long, too short. What length do you prefer more? This chapter length or chapter 1 length.
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