Chapter 13

Four days later

Naruto had finally found some people to call friends despite them being older of course; the Mizukage had been an interesting character, the night they went back to her hotel, he met her bodyguards Chōjūrō and Ao. Chōjūrō has short, tufty blue hair, and dark eyes. He also has pointed, shark-like teeth which he thought were funny much to the mist ninja dismay. Nonetheless, his characteristic on the other hand told a different story, he was a bit shy when around new people but after a few days with Naruto he started to warm up to the boy a bit and officially became his first friend.

Ao was a middle-aged man with blue hair, which is styled in a moussed-up manner. His left eye was blue and his right eye was covered by an eye-patch, curious to know what was behind it he asked the older man why an eye patch had on, Ao dismissed it and told him that it was nothing to worry about, much to Naruto disappointment.

This happened overnight when they returned from the hospital, on the second day Mei had told Chōjūrō to take the day and keep Naruto accompany.

The next day Chōjūrō had nice conversation with the Mizukage.

"Lady Mizukage…" He could not believe what he was hearing, "Take the day off? But…but…but what about your protection surely Ao can't do all the work by himself…"

"Chōjūrō, Ao will be fine defending me after all I'm not some damsel in the distress that needs saving all the time or do you doubt my abilities as Mizukage?" she added with a smirk crossing her arms into thinking pose while putting a finger to her chin.

A trap question for and Chōjūrō knew it too. He face went from stunned to relaxation giving his leader a small smile.

"No Lady Mizukage I do not doubt."

"Okay then Chōjūrō, then enjoy your day off and spend some time with Naruto as well, the boy has few to no friends and I want to leave here after diplomatic businesses are done with a good impression on him."

He bowed understanding the situation and left her standing with a smirk on her face, soon after he left her smile turned into a frown as she thought deeply.

'If Naruto is my son I want him by my side at all times.' She began to turn inside of her hotel room, 'This village has done nothing but cause him pain and grief. Well if this is the way that this village will treat him than having him move to the Hidden Mist shouldn't be a problem once I've claimed custody over him.'

Little did she know that taking Naruto with her would cause an issue with a certain someone that wanted to overthrow the Sandaime off the Hokage seat.

On the third day, Naruto was with Mei again and she decided to ask the boy a little about his life and only the simple things.

"Naruto"

"Yes"

"Tell me where do you go to school?"

"The Ninja Academy, all the teachers hate me for some reason as the people here do too." He gave frown as they walked by in the streets of Konoha hand in hand; people stared or glared at them for that matter, even whispers on how to kill the boy was in the air.

Mei tried to ignore the comments they were giving but the look that Naruto was radiating off was not helping. Grinding her teeth together in order to keep her cool she did the unthinkable in the eyes of the people to their shock she picked up Naruto and powered walked away.

When Mei felt, she was a safe away distance from hateful eyes she put Naruto to the ground resuming the stroll, "Are there any teachers that you feel that don't hate you?"

"Hmm…" Making a thinking face he pounder for a few moments before giving a response, "AHA, Iruka sensei and Mizuki sensei were always good to me especially Iruka sensei."

Nodded in acknowledgement the Mizukage made a mental to thank this Iruka for being kind hearted to Naruto after she finds out about those results and if this is her son.

Lost in her thoughts she did not notice she bumped into Fugaku and his son Itachi along the way.

"Oof, pardon me sir-Fugaku!"

"Mei what unexpected and unpleasant surprise, haven't seen you in a long time." His tone was not filled with emotion nor did he face show any delight upon seeing the red head again, Itachi stood silent nodding to acknowledge the Mizukage that was returned.

"Like wise."

The older Uchiha noticed that she was with Naruto.

"I see you decided to become acquaintances with the brat, don't bother with him he just a low life."

Mei growled viscously at him glaring at him darkly, however he was unmoved by the growling or the glare, "Let me tell you something Fugaku, this child is a human being like the rest of us and to be loved, respected like the rest of us, this boy hasn't done anything to you."

"It's not the boy you have to be worried it's what that thing inside of him you have to be worried about."

"What are you talking about? What thing inside of Naruto?" Now she was bit confused

"It's not my place to tell anyone who speaks of it, for they be will killed, now if you'll excuse me I have to pick up my son Sasuke from the academy." He walked passed her with Itachi saying goodbye following him not too far behind, "Good day Mei."

"Do you know what happened to your other son Fugaku?" she asked

Both men froze in their spot, if Mei could only see the pain that went through their faces it would have been heartbreaking, Fugaku was never a man to shed tears in front of anyone but if you had seen him the day that Jet went missing then you would have believed first hand.

"I don't want to talk about it; the memory is still fresh in my mind like it happened yesterday morning."

"If you need to…"

She was cut off before she finished that sentence, "No, I don't like talking about my personal problems to foreigners Mei and I don't care if you were my wife's best friend what's my problem is my problem and the clans we lost two the day of that fateful night. Mikoto was never the same when she found out the news and she's been in a coma lying on her bed still growing weaker and weaker each and every day."

Mei was silent letting a single teardrop from her eye, it dropped on Naruto hand and he looked up seeing this strong and beautiful woman on the verge of crying, it confused him greatly.

"I should get going Sasuke is due to come out from the academy soon."

With that said, he left. Mei felt a tug on her dress; looking down at Naruto she looked straight into his confused face, she gave him a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry little one, it just something inside hurts a lot and I haven't been able to see my best friend in a long time."

He stretched out his arms, knowing that he wanted to be carried Mei scooped him up in her arms but what he did next stunned her. He hugged her; wrapping his arms around her neck, he gave her a small squeeze burying his head in her left shoulder.

"It's okay right Mei we have each other right?"

Mei was stunned, speechless from his action, she promised herself that she would not cry but she let those years of holding back those tears fall freely from her eyes.

"Yes…N-Naruto we still have each other." She squeezed Naruto tightly, though Mei could not see it she knew he was smiling, 'If you are my son Naruto I promise you that I won't let you go and I promise to be there for you every day when you need me.'

The fourth day came sooner than expected Mei and it was time to see if those DNA results were in. Mei woke early that Sunday morning she showered and changed quickly and went to the hospital leaving a very sleepy Naruto on her bed.

She left a note on the kitchen table for the three of them to read.

When she got the hospital she went to the front desk and asked for DNA test result, since the incident the service for that branch of Konoha emergency was increased tenfold as they recognized the Mizukage.

It took a least twenty minutes but the nurse that they encountered a couple of days ago was there, "Ah Lady Mizukage a pleasure to have here again."

"Pleasure all mine er…I didn't quite catch your name last time what is it?"

"Nurse Baki Abumi at your service."

"Baki alright then, but you most already know what I'm here for." She stated eagerly

"Yes, yes the test result to see if you are the mother of Naruto Uzumaki. No let's take a look shall we." He took out the folder and the paper of the test results, "Now when it comes to being the mother of Naruto Uzumaki, Lady Mizukage the probability of you being the mother is…"

Mei bit her bottom lip crossed hers finger praying to a higher to give a second chance with this boy, Baki read the result and looked wide-eyed he read over and over and over about 20 times, he was speechless.

"Well don't keep me in suspense what is it?" she said impatiently

"The probability of you being the mother is…99.9%..."

Quick as the flash she ripped that paper out of his hands reading the results, she read about 15 times before her knees gave out from anxiety. Finally, she can be reunited with her not so dead long son.

Baki called for a chair and it came immediately for the Mizukage as tears spilled freely from her eyes as a smile gave way. Baki noticed that these tears were not tears of sadness but tears of joy. Now given the circumstance that was presented if the Mei was somebody else either than the Mizukage he would immediately told the woman to abandon the child for he had the fox within him but since wasn't he kept his mouth shut and put on a fake smile for her.

"You can stop faking that smile." She said wiping the tears away, immediately the smiling was lost, "I know you and this village were hateful to my son and I swear unto you that you and everyone else here in this village will have nightmares if another finger is laid upon his head. Do I make myself clear or do I have to make an example of you?"

He swallowed dryly

"That's not a threat that's a promise!"

She took the results and left the hospital, no one moved or breathed when she left, fear and guilt was left hanging in the air, if the village had known that boy they tormented was the son the Mizukage how different they would have treated him. Now they had to watch out.

Mei rushed to get home knocking anyone away who was in her path stopping her from being reunited with her beloved son Naruto. Right when she was in front of the inn hotel, she heard a familiar cry.

"NOW WE HAVE YOU SPAWN FROM HELL!"

"WE'RE GOING TO SEND BACK FROM WHERE YOU CAME FROM!"

Sprinting towards the direction, they yelling and screaming was coming she was determined to protect Naruto, 'Hold my son your mother is on the way.'

Naruto was once again backed into the corner of an alley like he was previously when Mei rescued him the first time. This time he was not too sure if Mei would make it in time to save him now there was six grown men who wanted to kill him now.

They were upon him in an instance faster before he can say help.

When Mei reached her destination, her blood boiled over to the top, there she saw her son being beaten to pulp not by one, nor two, not even three but six grown men beating a six-year-old boy. Quickly she ran to the first one she could grab punching him square in the face knocking him in an instance, next she made few hands sign and blew steam in the air the area covering the area completely.

The five stopped their assault on the boy looking around.

"Hey what gives?"

"Where this fog come from?"

A scream was heard and then other and then another scaring three men, Mei was making quick work of Naruto assaulters by karate chopping them to the neck rendering them unconscious.

"I'm getting out of here!" one of them said

"Wait for me!"

When both men around their 40's bolted one collided with the heel of the Mizukage in the stomach and the other was hit with a midair-spinning roundhouse kick to the face slamming them both to the opposite wall.

Quickly she raced to Naruto scooping him up in her arms.

"NO, I DON'T WANT TO DIE!"

"Hush Naruto, it's only me…" Naruto calmed realizing Mei saved his life again hugging her.

When the fog cleared, the last man was standing face to face with the Mizukage but she recognized him immediately.

"YOU!"

"Oh no, not you again!" He was sweating bullets now

Mei fought the urge to kill the man then and their but she kept her cool, "Why are you and companions attacking this poor boy? What has he done to you!"

'Such a beautiful young woman dirtying her hands with scum like that 'demon brat'.' He thought, but just looking at her clothes, he could tell she was a foreigner and he would teach her the way of Konoha. He was oblivious to the death glare he was receiving from her as he walked in front of her raising his right hand as a suggestion for a truce she only stared at him. Thinking this was a good sign he then spoke up loud enough for people on the street to hear, "Now, now what's a beautiful lady like you doing holding up... trash like that?"

The crowd that was near the alleyway stopped walking and their activities started to look up smirk thinking that Mei would drop the boy that was in her arms.

"Oh? Tell me I ask why is he...'trash'?" she said sweetly with venom, the man oblivious to her hidden threat replied

"Ah that I cannot tell you, you see it's the law that is punishable by death if we speak of that... that demon-thing."

Mei now really had to hold back the urge to kill him but she knew killing civilians from a foreign country was not going to look good especially for a foreign Kage. Thinking about what Fugaku said about a law punishable by death she decided to push a little more.

"Oh do go on and tell, then maybe I can see the 'demon' for what he really is" she said while gritting teeth

The man accepted her challenge and proudly announced while pointing at the blond in her arm "Well then I will, he has the Kyūbi inside of him and is now the boy is the Kyūbi jinchu-!" the man never got to finish the sentence as a kunai was thrown hitting dead center of his back curtsy of an ANBU.

The crowd gasped and the ANBU looked at them and said aloud "He had broken the Sandaime law and was punished accordingly go about your business!"

They did, and then an ANBU wearing a bear's mask walked up to Mei.

"Mizukage-sama, Sandaime wishes to speak to you in his office privately" Mei nodded knowing that she and him were going to have a nice long chat with each other. The ANBU escorted her to Hokage tower, oh yeah they were going to have a long chat.

LXD: Finally finished and as promised the second chapter from April completed. Now this took a lot from me and a good three hours or more to come up with, so I'm hoping to see some feedback. Anyway happy summer to all of you and put on some sunscreen lotion because it's going to be hot for a few days, so check the forecast. Anyway until the next chapter, R&R!