Disclaimer - Don't own Naruto

(Two Days Later – Konoha)

Hyuuga Hiashi had not really been having a great day; the news of the Demon's defection had run rampant through the members of the council. They dared not tell the public yet, who knew how bad the backlash would be.

Hiashi was a cautious man; when he laid a plan, he expected it to come to fruition. He would plot and chart each and every possibility, to ensure that nothing went wrong. Unfortunately, the Hokage was a brash fool, and would stick his wrench into each and every plan Hiashi would devise, seemingly unintentionally.

When the Uchiha had stuck the Uzumaki boy as a Genin Hiashi had been overjoyed, it was a chance to keep the heiress Hanabi safe. He pulled strings, had him assigned to her Genin team, et voila, she could prance about pretending to be a ninja and would never be placed in any danger.

Then the Rokudaime, how Hiashi hated that the traitor boy had been granted that title, it should have been his, decided that Genin wasn't humiliating enough. The Hyuuga head had been forced to come up with alternate methods to protect Hanabi, namely removing her from service, citing her vulnerability as 'sole heir'.

He expected his daughter to kick up more of a fuss, but it was a surprisingly painless time – as if she was distracted. The period after that was less enjoyable.

Ever since then she had become more and more difficult to control. Hiashi had instilled in his younger daughter the values of a noble, the strength and heartlessness to rule. Regrettably, it appeared to have backfired. She would ignore more and more of his commands, even going so far as to use a high level Jyuuken technique on one of her potential suitors. He needed her to get married, to one of the Main House, to continue his line's rule of the Hyuuga, lest another of the Five take control.

And now she had vanished. When he had gone to check on her in the morning he found her bed empty. She had been there last night, he had made certain of it; now she was gone. The guards had seen nothing. Hiashi knew her skills and was adamant that they were nowhere near the level to sneak out of the compound.

A knock at the door to his office jolted him from his thoughts. He wasn't expecting anyone, perhaps news of his heir.

"Who is it?" Hiashi really regretted installing the rule against using the Byakugan in the mansion itself now; it was tiring to have to seek the identity of each and every visitor. Not that he got many.

"An envoy of Namikaze Hanabi, seeking an audience with Hyuuga Hiashi." The white eyed council member froze. He couldn't have heard that right, no, it was impossible. He spoke out, his voice dangerously low.

"Enter." They did. His second daughter stepped into the room, wearing a royal blue kimono with an orange Uzumaki swirl on the back and a smaller one stitched over the left breast. "Hanabi, what are you playing at!?" His composure left him, he was livid and it showed. "I've had enough of you, return to your room, take off that ridiculous garment, and prepare for retraining." Spittle flew and the table groaned under his slamming fist, but the figure that was his heir calmly stood.

"Unfortunately Hyuuga-dono, I am not your daughter Hanabi. My mistress is currently in the Capital with her husband." She tried to continue, but was interrupted.

"Don't be ridiculous!" Hiashi activated his Byakugan to find it was most certainly Hanabi; her chakra system was exactly the same. "Even if you were there, you know you cannot get wed without my permission." Her visage changed, but not to the fear and submission he sought. A smirk grew uninhibited, but not the thin grimace of a victorious Hyuuga. It was a most detestable grin; apparently she spent too long near the Uzumaki brat.

"It appears in your rage you have forgotten many things. I am but a shadow-clone, a chakra construct, and your daughter is far beyond your reach. My Mistress sent me to announce her marriage to one Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto yesterday afternoon. It was conducted by the Fire Daimyo himself. I bid you farewell." His daughter, no her Shadow Clone, dispelled in a puff of smoke.

Hiashi sat in silence. If another person were in the room no doubt they'd be able to hear the gears whirring in his head. They'd also swear blind that smoke started billowing out his ears. He was enduring a very strange form of PTSD, his life flashed before his eyes, but the image that stuck the most, was the self-satisfied smirk on his daughter's face as she dispelled.

It at least answered the question of why the council's number one problem up and left the village, in direct violation of their expectations. He himself had inspected the Genjutsu when the boy reported to the council less than four days earlier, it had been intact; the brat had been submissive. The Genjutsu had been administered by the Sharingan, a bastardised version of the Tsukuyomi and Shisui's persuasion. It could not have been broken without outside help. Now he knew who. His daughter had betrayed them all.

At least he knew the location of the Kyuubi-brat; he'd need to tell the council.

(Hours later)

Currently unaware of all the commotion and troubles her father and the leaders of the village were enduring, Inuzuka Hinata stood tending to her garden. She enjoyed it, it helped her find peace. She knew all that the council were up to; she knew of their plans to destroy Naruto. Her husband told her everything. She knew he tried to stand against it, she knew that he wasn't alone, but Sasuke had become a tyrant in all but name, manipulating the civilians through the Sharingan, and the Shinobi through fear and a false sense of gratitude for services rendered.

Hinata had known that Sasuke was lying from day one. And what was worse, she knew that her Father knew it. Naruto was the only person she had ever found that could lie to the Byakugan and get away with it. For some reason her father had it in for Naruto, and she wanted to know why. It surely wasn't the Kyuubi still.

"Oh Naruto-kun, why do they hate you so much?" She wasn't in love with him any longer, he had set her free three years earlier, but he still occupied a soft spot in her heart. When Kiba revealed the council's plans; the depths of their betrayal, she had wept bitter tears. She still idolised Naruto, he was still the epitome of all she wanted to achieve. He was the one who had turned Kiba from a brash, arrogant idiot, to the man that she could love.

Kiba had been changed in the aftermath of the Great War. He had seen a mother and sister die; Hinata had lost her cousin Neji in that same conflict. He had seen the depths of human depravity and their willingness to betray their own for power. It had changed him, in some ways softening him; in other ways he made diamond look like a sodden rag. He was forced to become a leader, for his clan and for her.

She had convinced her father to agree to her marriage to Kiba by subtly persuading him it was a way to get her out of the way. He had attempted to have her Byakugan sealed, but Kiba refused. He then attempted to have her sealed by force; Kiba had broken the arms and legs of the three Hyuuga sealing elders. Even now there were four of Kiba's most trusted clansmen watching her. It was a nervous life, but at least she was beyond her Father's grasp here. Her greatest pain was for her sister. Hanabi had changed since being on a team with Naruto, he had that effect. She no longer let Hiashi rule her, and because of that Hinata worried for her safety.

"Kaa-san, where's Otou-san." Hinata's daughter Haruka, not yet two years old, toddled over, shadowed by her four guards and her nursemaid. She was her other ray of sunshine, and a stone in her Father's shoe. She had been born with both the red markings of the Inuzuka and the Byakugan, and she was a prodigy. Even at her age she could use chakra, not very well, and not in a controlled fashion, but it was something, something that the Hyuuga main house would very much like to control.

Hinata scooped her daughter into her arms, hugging her tightly and swinging her in the way she liked, enticing a high giggle from Haruka.

"He's at a meeting 'Ruka-chan. Daddy will be back soon." Unexpectedly Haruka wriggled out of her mother's arms and ran to something only she could see.

"Daddy!" As Kiba stepped through the door he was tackled by a ball of red and blue known as Inuzuka Haruka. He picked her up and kissed her on the cheek as she wrapped her little arms around his neck. "Kaa-san said you were in a meeting. Was it fun?" He laughed; being a father had also changed him.

"No 'Ruka-chan, well not at first, but there was something I need to speak to your Kaa-san about, do you think that you could go play inside for a minute?"

"You aren't going to make kissy-face?" He shook his head; she narrowed her lavender eyes, "Promise?"

"I promise, now scoot midget." Haruka ran off giggling. She had such energy, and a boundless confidence. Kiba shook his head slowly, as his brushing cobwebs from his brain. He turned to his wife, holding her gently and kissing her cheek as a brief 'I saw that' was yelled from their house. "I have news. You'll be… surprised. Not sure if that's good or bad yet. You should probably sit down."

"Kiba-kun, I haven't fainted in over two years, I think I'll be fine."

"Right, um. I'm not sure where to start really." Kiba massaged his forehead; he was nineteen and already felt like an old man. It wasn't in the 'get to relax and do nothing' way either.

"Kiba, you'll have to hurry, Haruka won't wait forever, and if she decides to activate her Byakugan, you know she can read lips already." Oh yeah, sometimes it was frightening how smart that girl was, if it weren't for the Inuzuka marks he'd doubt she was his.

"It's about Naruto, he's gone."

"What do you mean… gone." Her voice was low, dangerous. Kiba was a powerful ninja, but after getting over her confidence issues Hinata was probably one of the most lethal Kunoichi in the village, she had never hit him, but just knowing that if she did… well it was best not to think about it.

"As in, he left sometime after the council ordered him to report for sterilisation. But that isn't all. He… uh, he took everything." Kiba tried to stay serious, but couldn't. "He took his Father's entire jutsu library, everything from the Namikaze estates. He somehow got into the Hokage's vault and 'stole' everything to do with the Uzumaki or his Father, including the Forbidden Scroll. Not sure how you can steal something that belonged to you, but Sasuke-teme was never exactly reasonable, or your father for that matter." He started going off topic, Hinata smiled lovingly and decided to remind her husband of what exactly they were discussing.

"Kiba… back to Naruto."

"Oh, yeah. After that the dobe," a glare warned him, "I mean Naruto, yeah just Naruto. After that he," A snort of mirth burst from his lips. "He destroyed the Namikaze estate. The whole thing, there isn't even rubble. The best part is he blew it up over 48 hours ago, he used fuinjutsu to cover it up, the council didn't know a thing until ANBU tried to drag him in this morning. It took over ten squads three hours to get to the house, Naruto had the whole thing sealed down tighter than a…" Damn it he couldn't think of anything.

"Keep going Kiba-kun, I won't mock you, much." Sometimes her new confidence was a double edged sword as every day Hinata pushed at the boundaries of what she dared to do.

"Yeah whatever, anyways… they finally got to the estate to find a smoking crater. He must have used over a hundred explosive tags, or some sort of enormous Katon technique, but no-one sensed a thing. I think Sasuke-teme has seriously underestimated Naruto; if he holds a grudge, with the calibre of people Naruto is friends with, he might not be Hokage for much longer, Sharingan or not." He took a breath, taking his wife's hand in his and leading her to the viewing bench, sitting her down tenderly but firmly.

"Kiba, what's wrong, that's great news. What else happened… wait a moment Kiba-kun." With a resigned sigh Hinata twisted her head, veins pulsing next to her eyes. "Haruka, you turn that Byakugan off right now." More giggles carried on the air from the house. Hinata rolled her eyes. "Well she doesn't get that from me. Now… are you going to tell me the real reason you've been shuffling nervously since you came in. My father may view me as a failure, but I can still read a person better than most." He was really unsure now, not certain of what to do or say.

"Yeah, one moment," Kiba turned to his wife's guards, "Could you go join the detail on our daughter, this is technically 'Top-secret', you know how much those stuff-balls like their red tape." They left immediately, Kiba was as well respected as his Mother had been and the Alpha's word was law. Hinata was getting worried now.

"Kiba," she dropped the honorific, "Tell me what is going on. I will not ask again."

"It's to do with Naruto's location." One of Hinata's dark eyebrows slowly rose, and she rotated one of her hands in front of her, motioning for her husband to continue. "It turns out Naruto didn't leave alone. Initially Hiashi claimed that he kidnapped someone and forced them to leave with him, but Sasuke, actually being useful for once, revealed information that contradicted that, saying that said individual left willingly and of their own accord. I'm still not sure about how to say this." Kiba's eyebrows drew together and he exhaled deeply.

"Earlier today a certain member of the council received a visitor, claiming to be the envoy of the wife of Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto." Hinata screwed her forehead in confusion, her fingers tapping together as they hadn't in years. Naruto was married? But to whom, and how did no-one notice.

"That's where it gets really interesting. The council member in question was your father. The 'envoy' was a shadow clone of your sister." Cogs started turning in Hinata's head, she thought she knew where this was going. "Naruto went to the Capital; Hanabi went with him. According to the Hokage their relationship was why he separated them a year ago and confined Naruto to the estates. Your father was furious that he kept it to himself, and even angrier that he was exposed for lying in a council session. The shadow clone introduced itself as 'an envoy of Namikaze Hanabi'. They were married by the Fire Daimyo yesterday." He winced and waited for it.

Hinata's eyes went wide. Her sister and Naruto… together; her imouto and Naruto-kun were married. Images that she would rather not have thought about where Hanabi was concerned flashed through her head. She fainted.

(One Day earlier – The Capital City of Hi no Kuni)

"Ta-da, this Hanabi-chan is the capital." Naruto's fiancée just rolled her eyes and hmphed; he had been very dramatic about everything since they woke up in each other's arms in that tent the day before. It had been that day when she asked him something that had been bugging her.

Hanabi had suspected that the reason they were travelling by foot had some significance; that it was to avoid the detection of his chakra signature too early, imagine her surprise when it turned out the reason was far more mundane. The real reason – Naruto hadn't left any of his tri-kunai in any of the other villages, they were left with walking (If running at 50mph through the treetops could be called walking.)

"Hai Naruto, I know, I've been here before." Hanabi was garbed in her travelling gear; Naruto was very flattered by it. A heavy cloak, in the style of the one he and the other 'Sasuke Hunters' wore, but a dark blue, somewhere between royal and navy. The red stripes along the bottom replaced with orange, and an orange Uzumaki swirl adorning the back. Underneath she wore a simple dark form-fitting t-shirt and ninja trousers, covered with a ninja mesh miniskirt and shirt for additional protection of vital areas. Naruto wore his sage outfit; was in Sage Mode up until a mile from the city. She'd convinced him to put the staff away thankfully.

He had almost permanently been in Sage Mode since they left – except for when they slept or made love. It was necessary to check for pursuit, he could sense all developed chakra signatures (supressed or otherwise) for a hundred miles in all directions. If he had been exposed to them before, he would be able to identify them. They had not been pursued so far.

"Pfft, whatever, we are here to do some very important and dangerous business." He paused for dramatic effect, she didn't fall for it. It wasn't the first time. She was pleasantly surprised by the reason for their visit. "Sightseeing." Like a small child Hanabi's widened, and her hands made tiny clapping motions in front of her breast.

"Really?" He smiled at her innocent glee. He had figured it would be like that.

"Yeah, I thought that you'd never have gotten to just sightsee, what with your father having a pipe up his rectum and all. So I thought we'd have a look around here for a few days. Then we can decide where we want to go to get married, Spring Country or Sunagakure."

Like a pair of lovers, which they were, they entered the city. Hanabi clung to his arm, her head resting on his shoulder.

For a few blissful moments they navigated the city streets aimlessly, having no true destination, simply wanting to enjoy the sights. And what sights there were. When they had crested the hill the magnificence of the city had taken their breath away. It was easily ten times the size of Konohagakure; there were even rumours of it having almost a million inhabitants. Every building seemed impressive, constructed with shimmering white walls and topped with baked red shingle, some low and sprawling, others tall and imposing.

They separated to let a palace official past, but to their surprise he stopped in front of them. Hanabi quickly took Naruto's arm once more as the pair surveyed the man. Long dark hair billowed down his back, to just below his shoulder blades, in a style reminiscent of Hanabi's deceased cousin Neji. He wore a shimmering, canary yellow kimono, and clutched what looked like an order packet in his hand.

"Naruto-sama, I am glad to have found you," the Sage was immediately on guard, unconsciously gathering Nature Chakra just in case. "When the gate guards told me you had arrived at last I was so pleased." The man was so upbeat and happy that all thought of hostility melted away. Both were impeccable judges of character and his kind of cheer just couldn't be faked.

"Arrived, at last, what do you mean? I only knew I was coming here the other day."

"Hai how is it you knew to expect us?" Hanabi chipped in.

"The Fire Daimyo has been expecting your arrival for nearly three years now. After he discovered how the village of Konoha had treated the Hero of the Elemental Nations, he set in motion plans for your inevitable departure from that nest of vipers." Hero of the Elemental Nations, apparently it was only in Konoha that the title belonged to Sasuke, no wonder they kept him confined to the village. It appeared that Naruto possessed more allies than he thought. "His Lordship has a standing order that you are to be escorted into his presence immediately upon arrival. He is eager to repay you for services rendered, and his ire is raised with the village that scorned you. He will leave it upon you to pass judgement however." The man turned to leave, and then turned back. "Oh, pardon me, my name is Fukusaku Kenta, his Lordships vizier and chief advisor. And I am a massive fan Naruto-sama, ever since you saved Koyuki-sama, she and I were personal friends when she was still masquerading as Fujikaze Yukie." With that he left, it was apparent that they were to follow.

Naruto looked to Hanabi, which surprised her. He stroked her cheek with a thumb and kissed her gently, using it as a cover-up for the words he whispered.

"I sense no deception, are you for this?" Hanabi didn't think the kiss was good enough, so she forcefully pushed her lips to his, moving sweetly against him before sucking on his lower lip and dragging her teeth seductively across it.

"Hai Naruto, I think we should see what his motives are. We need shelter; we need someone powerful enough to give the Council pause, unless you've changed your mind about a hostile takeover?" He couldn't hold back a laugh. They moved off once more, Hanabi retaking her place on
Naruto's arm, the left this time. The blonde leaned in close.

"If only they knew that I'm the one holding you back from destroying them, I think they'd give me a medal. Troublesome little Firecracker-chan." Before she could hit him or move away Naruto's arm snaked around her waist and pulled Hanabi closer. "If it looks like things are going downhill, get out of there." She started to argue but he pulled her head into his shoulder, whispering in her ear. "We both know they can't hurt me if I go all out. Hurting you is the only way someone can get to me now. Nearly everyone else I care about is dead and Kiba is looking after the others. If Sasuke gets over his arrogance and his superiority complex, he'll realise that and come after you." Hanabi turned her head, laying her ear to be able to hear his heart, powerful, fast. She could almost believe he was invincible…almost.

"Fine, but if you get yourself killed I'm coming after you. I'm not willing to face this world without you." Just the faintest ghost of a voice was all Hanabi could muster, but it was enough.

"I promise, I won't die until you do." A comfortable silence fell over the couple, both had a feeling that their brief interlude as a normal pair was over. It only remained to be seen what exactly would fill the gap.

The Palace was enormous. Wide sweeping roofs and tall marble columns topped with Jade, and that was just the outside gate. The grounds alone could probably fit a third of Konohagakure. The gates themselves were steel all the way through, embossed with a mixture of brass and gold for decoration. It was an ornament, a show of wealth. The guards weren't. Hanabi released her Byakugan and Naruto swept his Sage senses over the security, both those they could see and the twelve high-level Shinobi they couldn't. One of the Chakra signatures seemed similar to Naruto, but not overly so.

Every guard had a developed Chakra system, indicative of at least basic Shinobi training, and the twelve shadows were all jonin level or higher. One was formidable enough that Naruto might have needed to try, not nearly powerful enough to warrant Sage Mode or Kurama's chakra but impressive nonetheless. Clearly in the aftermath of the war the Daimyo had fully reformed the Guardian Twelve, and upped his independent security. The cause was easy to deduce, he no longer trusted the Hokage.

Hanabi was nearly blinded by a golden light as Naruto activated Sage mode. It appeared he was going for the impressive entrance. She released his arm as the mighty gates swung open, revealing the Palace Proper. Hanabi called upon her noble training, her poise carefully calculated, her expression revealing nothing to any round about her. Naruto had no need for such things; the air surrounding him was so thick with Chakra that his presence was almost corporeal. His coat billowed around him in a wind that wasn't there, as he walked the dust rose and hovered around his ankles, plants leaned in closer and trees seemed to bow. The natural world acknowledged him as one who had mastered its secrets; even the great Toad Sages of Myoboku Mountain had nothing left to teach him. Naruto walked as if he had every right to be there, the orange markings striking to the eye, giving him a look that wasn't quite distinguished, it was far greater.

Hanabi relaxed her chakra, next to the colossus at her side she was no more fear inducing than a kitten, but she didn't need to be. Her place would be different; she would be his link to the nobles. Naruto was a force of Nature; though young he commanded the power of a three hundred year old demon, though the being itself was absent, as well as the nigh-incomprehensible might of Natural Chakra, which in a lesser being would be fatal. Hanabi suspected he could combine the two, and her calculations had divulged… interesting results.

Their yellow-clad guide paused before a set of doors, turning to the pair.

"May I ask the name of your… companion Naruto-sama? I must announce you both to my Lordship." Hanabi answered for herself, swiftly imposing in the man's mind that she was no simpering noble girl, she was a kunoichi, and as such equal in the eyes of the law to any man.

"Hyuuga Hanabi, ex-Genin of Konoha, betrothed to Namikaze Naruto." A smile, so large many would think it had to be false, met the response along with a slight bow.

He waved them in.

As Naruto stepped over the threshold he was taken aback by just how many courtiers there were, at least a hundred milling around the enormous hall. Twin balconies overshadowed the room on his left and right, Shinobi hiding in the darkness, good ones. A fanfare, simple as befitting their status, rang out, along with a booming voice.

"Introducing Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto, Toad Sage of Myoboku Mountain and Hero of the Elemental Nations, along with his fiancée Hyuuga Hanabi, for an audience with the Daimyo."

The sea of shimmering colours parted as Naruto and Hanabi entered side by side. Iridescent kimonos and resplendent outfits assaulted the eyes in every direction. Neither was sure whether it was attractive or garish. Each may have been splendid, but with so many different colours, it was somewhat of an eyesore.

Whispers rose like tendrils of mist, the appearance of two Shinobi in battle dress in the room itself, not hiding away in the galleries, was a rare thing. The absence of Hitai-ate caused titters and pointed fingers.

There were a number of people who were not so impressed, the ambassadors from Konoha to the Daimyo, including one in particular. Hanabi smirked inwardly at the fuming Hyuuga representative as she continued to the raised Dais upon which the Daimyo's throne was situated. He would have to be dealt with, but later.

A silent pact was made between her lover and her, she would speak. Until they were in private, Naruto would remain silent. Large groups of politicians made him jumpy, the side effect of growing up in the fashion he did.

Neither knelt, nor did they bow, simply inclining their neck as a show of respect. Surprise rippled through the hall, gasps of outrage at the defiance of protocol. The Daimyo himself merely smiled.

"Welcome Namikaze-San, Hyuuga-San. I assume you would wish for a private audience." His voice was ever so slightly effeminate, his mannerisms childish, but his eyes betrayed an inner strength that would be foolish to underestimate. They went according to the plan; Hanabi answered, but it seemed they would get their wish for a more secluded location for the conversation.

"Hai Daimyo-sama, Fukusaku-san delivered a message from you requesting my companions' presence to discuss some delicate matters."

"That is indeed the case Hyuuga-San; I see that Namikaze-San has found himself a spokesperson. I trust our conversation will be even more… interesting that I had previously anticipated. Come, let us go." But before they made it out of the awestruck hall, the Hyuuga representative made his move.

"I must protest Daimyo-sama, this girl is not at liberty to discuss anything, and she is most certainly not betrothed to this piece of scum. I demand—"With a twitch of the finger, he was silenced.

"You demand? You presume to make demands of me in my own palace? It appears that I do young Hanabi-san a disservice by associating her with your clan." In a rage the man leapt at Hanabi, his fingers poised in a familiar attack. A smug grin appeared as he saw that Hanabi made no attempt to escape.

His progress was halted by Naruto's fist in his gut. Blood burst from his lips and he choked, barely able to draw a breath.

"Fast… didn't see him move… even the Hyuuga didn't see him." Whispers again took hold in the hall, even the Shinobi, only a bare handful had seen him move, and all knew that none of them would be able to react fast enough to stop him if they were Naruto's target.

Taking him by the throat, Naruto growled in a low voice, barely restrained fury in his eyes, compounded with his bar pupils, immense chakra signature and orange Sage markings, the Hyuuga was terrified out of his mind. Naruto didn't even flare any of his red chakra. "Tell the Hokage this, if anyone tries to hurt Hanabi, I will assume it was Konoha, and I will raze it to the ground, consequences be damned." He cast him to the floor with a nonchalant flick of the wrist. The Hyuuga whimpered, curling up into a ball, still unable to draw more than the faintest hit of a breath.

Naruto glanced at Hanabi, she wasn't shaken at all. Her outside countenance was the epitome of calm. Inside… inside she was actively smiling.

"You knew he would do that?" Naruto already knew the answer, but he needed the room to know.

"Yes."

"You could have stopped him at any time?"

"Yes, he was very slow. But I think the good people needed a demonstration of at least the tiniest part of your power, in case Konoha got any ideas. I knew you'd get him." He hugged her, just a brief show of affection, and an excuse to get close. "He tried to get me to marry him, even tried to rape me once." Everything fell off Naruto's face, an emotionless mask that Hanabi knew to be unbridled rage. "Naruto, calm down, he needs to deliver the message remember." He let her go and they continued their journey to the private chamber.

"Hanabi-chan, I'm done with them. Since birth that place has screwed me over. I always had a reason to stay, first Oji-san, then the Akatsuki; these last three years it was you… I'm done letting them walk over me. Once he lets Sasuke-teme know the score, if I ever see him again… I'll kill him."

Ten minutes later, in the Palace of the Lord of the Land of Fire, in a small chamber just beyond the audience hall, Namikaze Naruto and Hyuuga Hanabi sat opposite the Daimyo himself. Neither party spoke, they were measuring each other.

The instant they were alone, the Feudal Lord dropped his simpering politician act; his face grew stern and his mannerisms solid. The message was clear, there was to be no pretence here, all masks were to be dropped, all lies and untruths left at the door. Naruto broke the impasse; he released the Nature Chakra, returning to normal. He had finally been satisfied that there was no way for someone outside the room to hear them.

"So, imagine my surprise when I come here to find that you were expecting me. When just a few days ago I didn't even know I would be coming. Out there I may to defer to you, but you want no lies right?" The daimyo nodded. "Okay, I am the most powerful person on the planet. That is fact. I am the last Jinchuuriki that there ever will be, I am the last student of the Sandaime; the last student of Jiraiya; I have mastered Nature Chakra; I have mastered every jutsu my father ever created and improved most of them. I have mastered the Kyuubi's chakra to such an extent that none could possibly stand before me… so I have every right to make demands of whoever I choose whenever I choose. Are we clear?" He could see out of his eye Hanabi's face crease with amusement, what he did not expect was the Fire Daimyo's agreement.

"True. Naruto, before you continue, may I interject."

"You may." Naruto was almost glad to be interrupted; he wasn't 100% sure where he was going with that. It sounded cool and all, but his follow up wasn't solid yet.

"Your treatment in Konoha is unique to that place. The rest of Fire country, the rest of the world, worships your name. Well, except the nobles, but they wouldn't know the pointy end of a kunai from the ring.

"My Grandfather was there when Konoha was established; he gave it his blessing; he was a personal friend of the Shodaime; he told me so many stories. He told me of his valour, his honour. He told me of his love for all his people and his hatred of bloodshed. The man my grandfather knew would have and did give his life for this country, not just the village, but the entire country. Your father knew that. Minato, he didn't speak of it to others, and neither did I, but we corresponded regularly. Naruto, you are like him in many ways, but like your mother too. And then in other ways you're your own person completely. I'm getting side-tracked; I have a hundred years of news and concerns to fit into a few hours. Give me a moment; I need to think of how to tackle this."

Whatever Naruto had been expecting, it wasn't this. He wasn't expecting to be addressed not only as an equal, but as a familiar face. A small hand found its way into his. Delicate fingers caressed his thumb with tender grace. Hanabi smiled softly, and Naruto couldn't help but grin. He had been alone for so long, friends had been great, but for so long the companionship of a lover had been denied him, that her presence; her attempts to comfort him, just felt so incredible he couldn't help it. An amused cough ruined the moment. They looked at the Daimyo.

"You know each day I wish that I had the opportunity to marry for love. This world does terrible things to its young people in the name of honour and tradition. Partly it's my fault. Just, fight for what's important, I didn't for so long… and the world was plunged into another war. I think… I'm ready now.

"Konoha had gone astray. It has forgotten what it was founded for. True it was a union of warring clans, but it was more than that. It was to show that Shinobi are not tools for mindless bloodshed. Senju Hashirama wanted to protect the innocent, so did your Father. Sarutobi Hiruzen, though a good man, was too weak to do what needed to be done. I know you loved the man, but it is true.

"In his reign Konoha changed. They still lauded themselves as the most humane of the villages, but that was no longer the case. They stood witness to the enslavement of the majority of the Hyuuga clan, with torture and murder hidden under the guise of 'protection' and 'clan business'. They stood by and did nothing when their greatest allies, your Mother's people, were slaughtered. Sarutobi did nothing to stop Danzo; he did nothing to stop Orochimaru.

"Konoha grew fat, but it was not the fat of peace, it was the fat of murderers, slavers, bigots and conquerors. Danzo manipulated me and many others through the Sharingan; he damn near took over the world through the Kage summit with that cursed eye." There was guilt in the man's voice. It was clear that the Daimyo blamed himself for the evil propagated underneath his reign. "I should have been stronger, I should have known somehow.

"Konoha has forgotten that it is a part of Fire Country, it has forgotten that the Hokage must answer to me. I can no longer trust them. And I have not even touched the gravest of crimes.

"Jinchuuriki were mistreated all over the world, but… Hiruzen did nothing. No Naruto you need to hear this, you ask for simple, you ask for truth and honesty. He kowtowed to the council time and time again, while you were neglected, beaten and worse. He did nothing… I did nothing. I would plead ignorance, but that is no excuse. I should have kept a better eye on Konoha; I should never have allowed it to lose its way."

"Daimyo-dono? If I may, you cannot blame yourself now. It is done, the past has happened, crying, weeping and wailing will do nothing to change it. Now we must look to the future. There will be no more Jinchuuriki; I have made sure of that. My children may receive a portion of the Kyuubi's chakra, but they may not. If you have anything more to add, please do, I have things to explain, and would rather not be interrupted."

At some point during the Feudal Lord's speech about the Leaf's sins Hanabi burrowed into Naruto's side, snuggling as if they were alone on a couch, not in a meeting with the ruler of a country. She had nothing to say, not yet. The softness returned to the Daimyo's eyes, but he soldiered on.

"Naruto, we need your help. The Hokage has taken too many liberties of late; all the Kage's have. They need to remember that the Will of Fire does not solely belong to them, and neither does the right to live in peace. Millions of my people were displaced from their homes due to that war. Hundreds of thousands died, all because of the greed of one man, one Konoha Shinobi. True it was all Madara's machinations, and he was a traitor and a murderer from the beginning, but that is the way the village is going now. That is the mind-set of Uchiha Sasuke, who for some unfathomable reason was named Hokage, despite my vote for you I might add."

"You voted for me?"

"Of course, my agents have had their eyes on you for quite some time. With your stubborn personality, your sense of Virtue, and the power to back it up, you would have been a magnificent leader of the Shinobi of this country. When you were not, instead of wondering why and demanding to know why my wishes were ignored, I waited.

"I thought that you would not stand that insult, that you would leave the village. So I set my men to watch for you, and waited. But the damage to you was greater than I feared, they nearly broke you it appears, and I waited three years in vain. Yet now you are here, and I have a feeling it has much to do with the young woman beside you. I have a plan for you Naruto, one that requires your dedication, not just in time, but in belief. If you do not fully want to go through it, I must take other measures, do not feel pressured. But first, I wish to know what happened."

This was not what Naruto expected to be doing today, to think he just wanted to spend the say sightseeing with Hanabi.

"After the war many of the Kage's had fallen, the Raikage, and Tsunade both fatally wounded. I took Obito and Madara and teleported far away from the battlefield. We fought for days, I with the power of Kyuubi, and with Madara pulling Sharingan jutsu after Sharingan jutsu out of his ass. I was losing. I couldn't help think of the thousands who had died, to buy me time. And I was failing them.

"I was desperate; at Kurama's suggestion, I drew Nature Chakra. Nature chakra needs to balance with the Chakra in your body in quantity if not strength. With Kurama's strength, I could draw enough to quadruple even his strength. The power was incredible. I tore them into pieces. Obito died, but Madara just kept coming back, over and over again. His bastardised Edo-tensei was too powerful.

"Then Kurama spoke. He told me that he and the rest of the Bijuu were willing to give their lives to counter this threat. He taught me a jutsu. His father, the Rikoudo Sennin taught it to him." At the memory tears welled in his eyes. "Do you know why the Bijuu acted the way they did. We did it to them, humans. We hunted them, trapped them in vessels time and time again. We drove Shukaku insane. All they wanted was to fulfil the mission their father gave them. They just wanted to live.

"And now, their sacrifice is forgotten. Nine immortal beings gave their lives to stop Madara." He was shouting now, "They never had to die. It wasn't their enemy to face, it was ours. None of them had to die. I did it. I… had no choice." He was fully crying now, Hanabi tightly hugging him, weeping alongside him. She whispered constantly in his ear, how she loved him, how none of it was his fault. It helped.

Naruto had held that inside for three years, the full knowledge of what he had been a part of. The full knowledge and emotions of the Bijuu as they were driven to anger and madness belonged to him now.

"I miss him you know? Kurama, I miss him. He was with me the whole way, a crazy psychotic baka-fox, but he was there. He loved his brothers and sisters so much, that their pain consumed him. He became an incarnation of anger and hate, so much that he forgot why. He just wanted to protect his family.

"I sealed Madara away with the force of nine immortal souls, he's never coming back. Then I was stabbed in the back, literally. Sasuke appeared out of nowhere, I was too tired to sense him, he ran me through; thinking I was dead took me back and made up a crock of lies. He claimed that the Sandaime and Danzo left him with a mission to smooth over his missing-nin status. They took him back with fucking open arms. He told them he killed Madara, he fucking lied, and they all believed him. All my friends, all the people I damn near died to protect. All the people I saved from Pein. They threw me away like ash on the wind. I was the Demon-brat again. My teammates abandoned me. Only The Nara and Inuzuka stood by me. Well, Hanabi too. I'm sure your agents know the score after that.

"I met Hanabi, fell in love with one of my best friend's sister, and left that place after they decided to neuter and neutralise me. Well, she twisted my arm. That everything you want to know?"

"Hai, Naruto. Thank you. I… can never understood how tough the battle was, or how it would feel that the Uchiha tried to kill you, as I understood it was your word against his. This definitely confirms my thinking. However, I believe I have kept you for long enough in one sitting. This has been a heavy conversation; we can discuss it later. Is there anything I can do in the meantime?"

Naruto stroked Hanabi's hair in response.

"I have an idea."

"I can't believe it. We're actually married." Hanabi hadn't been able to say much else since the Daimyo had agreed to wed them earlier. The paperwork was organised in less than an hour; shortly after, with a hundred nobles and a fuming Citizen Council Representative from Konoha as witnesses, they were married.

She kept looking at the golden band adorning her left ring finger. It was simple gold; it occupied her finger next to her engagement ring. The morning after his hashed proposal Naruto had surprised her with it, a large diamond, flanked by two rubies cut into the Uzumaki swirl. It had been his mothers, another keepsake he had saved.

The Daimyo had then made available a suite for them as long as they chose to stay at the palace. It was their current location. Hanabi just stood in the bathroom in a thin, and short, nightgown, gazing at the ring. She was still in her Gollum-mode when a pair of strong arms swept her from her feet, carrying her bridal style to the bed.

Naruto laid her down in the centre of the giant mattress. He knelt before her, slowly lowering himself until the only thing keeping his weight off his wife were his elbows.

"Shush, Hanabi-chan. Wonder later, right now you're mine."

She leaned up the last bit, pulling her husband fully on top of her while kissing him intensely. The baka sometimes had excellent points, and she planned on enjoying her honeymoon.

Author's Note

Okay, so this is earlier than I planned, and the next one should be in about three days, but after that it should be about every 1 and a half weeks.

Again thanks to all who have reviewed and all that, please provide feedback on what you'd like to see.

La3nus

End Transmission