Jiraiya, Sasuke, Anko, and Yugao were jumping through the trees as fast as they could. All four wanted to reach Uzushio as quickly as possible. Although three of them had different reasons than the fourth member of their group. The sun was starting to set and Jiraiya landed on the ground in a small clearing surround by the forest.
"We'll rest here for the night. We'll be able to reach Uzushio by early morning. Hopefully the gaki hasn't left yet if this is where he is really at." Jiraiya said he began setting up his tent.
"Jiraiya-sama, May I ask how you know Naruto-kun? I didn't know one of the legendary sannin knew him personally." Yugao asked.
Before Jiraiya could respond, the three ninja heard Sasuke snickering as he sat leaned up against a tree watching them. "What's so funny?" Jiraiya asked confused.
"Remember when I learned how you knew Naruto and the way I reacted?" Sasuke asked getting a nod from Jiraiya. "When you tell this two, you better take off running." Sasuke said with a laugh.
"What does he mean Jiraiya-sama?" Anko asked this time while slowly drawing a kunai.
Jiraiya was starting to get nervous as the two females started moving toward him. He slowly started backing up trying to find a way to run just in case he needed to. "He was supposed to be there to protect and raise Naruto, he's Naruto's godfather." Sasuke said before Jiraiya could get away.
The air temperature around the area suddenly dropped as Anko and Yugao both glared at Jiraiya. In one swift motion, Yugao unsealed two katanas and threw one to Anko, then the duo proceeded to chase after Jiraiya. "I really hate you kid." Jiraiya shouted over his shoulder. Sasuke just shrugged and went into his tent to rest.
-XXX-
Back in Uzu, Naruto and the rest of his group were settling in to their beds for the night as well. Deep within Naruto's mind, Kurumi sat meditating focusing on a dormant link in the back of her mind. As she focused more and more, she felt a tug on her conscious and let it take her. A few seconds later she was sitting in a front of a small fire in a large open room. She pulsed her chakra and waited for the others to join her from within their own jinchuriki.
In Suna, the one tailed tanuki smiled from within his container. "So nee-chan has finally decided to call us all together huh? Shukaku said to himself before following the pull.
In water country, the six tailed slug along with the three tailed turtle let a small smile appear on their faces before they too followed the pull on their conscious.
Somewhere within the borders of Iwa, the four tailed monkey and five tailed dolphin-horse let the pull take them as well. In the forest surrounding Taki, the seven tailed horned beetle flew happily around her container's mindscape. "About time nee-chan brings us all together again." She said before landing and allowing herself to be pulled to her brethren.
In land of lightning, in the hidden village of Kumo, the two tailed cat and eight tailed ox-octopus felt the pull and went along with it. Soon all nine bijuu were setting around the fire for the first time in a long time. "It's been a long time since we have been here." Shukaku said looking around at his brothers and sisters.
"Why have you brought us all here nee-chan? I mean I'm glad to see you all but it doesn't seem like this is much of a social visit." Chomei asked causing all eyes to be focused on Kurumi.
"You're right Chomei, I have brought you all here to ask if you think any of your containers would like a home where they won't be looked down on for holding us?" asked Kurumi.
"How can you provide us with this place?" asked Isobu with slightly wide eyes.
"My third container is an Uzumaki and is the prince of Uzushio. We aren't currently in the village now along with a few others. He wants to rebuild the village and was wanting to start with the other jinchuriki." Kurumi said.
"Now I may not be the smartest of us here, but at most shouldn't you only be on your second host now?" Shukaku asked.
"You're right, I should only be on my second host. My second host was Kushina Uzumaki, princess of Uzushio. On the night she was to give birth to her son, I was forcefully ripped from her seal and placed under a genjutsu by an Uchiha. When I finally broke free from the genjutsu, I had impaled both Kushina and her husband, Minato Namikaze. Before they died, they used what strength they had and sealed me inside their son, my current host." Kurumi explained as a few tears fell from her eyes not noticing as Isobu's eyes widened even more.
"My hosts seems happy where he is, I don't think he would want to leave Iwa." Said Son Goku getting a nod of agreement from Kokuo.
"Same can be said for us nee-chan. Although we do appreciate the offer, we will be staying in Kumo." Matatabi said with Gyuki agreeing.
"That's fine, I just wanted to ask and let you know you have a place just in case. What about you Shukaku?" Kurumi asked.
"I'm not really sure, the seal on my host takes all the rage and destruction from me and channels it through my host. I have tried to make contact with him but he just seems to drive him even crazier. I need someone with experience in seals to look at it and fix it." Shukaku explained.
"Uzu was known for their fuinjutsu, I'll see if Naruto can find something. What about you Chomei?" Kurumi said looking toward the beetle.
"I'm sure Fu would like somewhere else to live. Her village has basically already got rid of her, she lives in the forest surrounding the village and hardly ever goes into the village itself." Replied the beetle.
Kurumi nodded while she started thinking. "Have her head toward the Hidden Hot Water Village, I will tell Naruto in the morning and we can head out immediately and meet you there in about two days." Kurumi said before turning to the slug and the turtle.
"My host is happy wandering around the elemental nations. However I will let him know of the offer and if he wants we will head that way." Replied Saiken.
"Helping my host might be a bit harder. My host's name is Yagura, the current Mizukage of Kiri." Isobu said causing all the other's eyes to widen. "Like you were nee-chan, Yagura and I are under a genjutsu and no matter what I try to do, I can't break it. If you could come and help us I am sure he would be more than happy to join with Uzushio." Explained the turtle.
"Very well, I will let Naruto know in the morning and after we get Fu, I'm sure he will want to come and help you out as well. You all stay safe." Kurumi said as everyone said their goodbyes before they all left the room.
-XXX-
Naruto slowly woke the next morning as he sat up and stretched. As he looked outside and saw the sun in the sky, he noticed it must have been around nine. "Nee-chan almost always has me get up by seven, wonder if something is wrong?" Naruto thought to himself as he got into a meditating position.
Soon he was standing in front of the house he had thought up for Kurumi after meeting her for the first time. Not seeing her outside the house, he walked in and started to look around. After making his way upstairs, he found her asleep in her bedroom. He walked over and sat next to her and gently shook her awake.
She rolled over and looked at him with sleepy eyes. "Morning ototo, why are you up so early?" she asked with a yawn.
"It's about nine o'clock nee-chan. Normally you have already woken me up by now, everything ok?" Naruto asked with a little bit of worry.
Kurumi sat up finally remembering what had took place the night before and why she felt like she was low on energy. "I have some news Naruto, but first we should gather the others and discus it together."
"Alright, I'll go find them and make your clone once we're all together." Naruto replied as he faded from his mind.
Naruto quickly hopped in the shower of the small house he was staying in and cleaned himself up a bit. He put on his black anbu pants and a dark red shirt with the Uzumaki swirl on the back. He put the bracelets that had his weapons sealed in them back on his wrist and strapped on his black sandals. Making sure he had everything he needed, he rushed out the door nearly running into Rei.
"My apologizes Naruto-sama." Rei said while bowing.
"It was my fault, I was in a hurry. And please, no sama stuff, I'm not for honorifics." Naruto said getting a nod from Rei. "Would you happen to know where Haku and the others are? Kurumi-nee-chan wants to talk to all of us."
"They're in the middle of town looking around, I was just on my way there if you would like to join me?" Rei asked as Naruto nodded and started walking beside her.
It was quiet for a few minutes before Rei broke the silence. "So do you plan on becoming Uzukage soon?"
"One day but not anytime soon. I'm too young and much too weak right now to protect the village. We need someone who can make the right choices and is strong enough to lead the village. Why haven't you taken up kage position?" Naruto replied.
"For one it isn't my place to take, me and my clan returned in hopes of finding other Uzumaki. Another thing is to be Uzukage, you have to have Uzumaki blood, none of us here are part Uzumaki." Rei explained.
Naruto stayed quiet for a few minutes before he remembered something he had learned in the academy. "I may know someone who could fill the kage seat. She is a Senju and the granddaughter of Hashirama Senju and Mito Uzumaki, so she has the Uzumaki blood in her."
Rei thought it over before nodding in agreement. The Senju and Uzumaki were distant cousins anyway, so why not someone born with both blood. She looked forward and saw they were at the center of town. "Let's find the others and learn what Kurumi knows."
After checking around for a few minutes and searching a few nearby buildings, the duo soon found the four ninja they were looking for. Naruto went through hand signs for the kyuubi clone, a few seconds later and Kurumi was standing there with them. She started to talk but was soon stopped when she and Naruto sensed four chakra signatures coming closer to the village.
"You feel them too right ototo?" Kurumi asked looking toward the gate of the village.
"Yeah, three of them I know too. This ought to be fun." Naruto replied with a smirk as he made three shadow clones and then all four unsealed the Aki no Shi from their wrist bracelets and leapt off.
"Where's he going?" Zabuza asked. "I thought you all had something to tell us?"
"We have visitors." Kurumi said as she walked toward the gate.
The other ninja soon followed after her and were son all waiting as the gate. The other ninja at first thought the fox may have went a little crazy, but after five minutes of waiting, they too felt the chakra. About ten more minutes later, four ninja landed near the gate, one kid, two women, and one older man. As everyone stood there, quietly looking over the others, only Kurumi saw Naruto move from the shadows.
Before anyone could move, Naruto and his clones had their blades placed against the ninja's necks. "You know Yugao-chan, you should have been able to sense me coming." Naruto said as he and the clones removed their blades and resealed them and dispelled.
Yugao then turned around and wrapped Naruto in a hug. "Naruto-kun, it's good to know you are safe. And do you really think I could find the one person to hide from every single anbu in Konoha." Yugao said as Anko gave Naruto a hug and he bumped fist with Sasuke before looking at Jiraiya.
Naruto stared the man down for a few seconds as Jiraiya did the same. "So, you finally decided to come looking for me huh godfather?" Naruto said surprising everyone around him.
"How did you know?" Jiraiya asked shocked.
"My mother and father's scrolls that left me had a few pictures in them. One was of you and dad and mom had left a letter explaining who you were and what you did and saying that I shouldn't let you corrupt me with your perverted ways. I understand why you were never around due to your spy network but that doesn't make it right to just leave me alone. You have a lot to make up for Jiraiya." Naruto stated as he turned back to Kurumi. "Let's go back so you can explain what you needed to tell us."
As the group of ninjas made their way back to the middle of town so they could all talk. Naruto explained who Kurumi was which shocked the group of Konoha ninja. Naruto explained his plans for Uzushio and that Zabuza was his new sensei along with Haku being on his team. They made it to a small restaurant to have breakfast and talk.
"Last night I contacted the other bijuu and offered them a place to stay like you said you wanted Naruto. Most of them are happy where they are and I told them if they ever needed a place to stay, Uzushio is always available. The one tailed tanuki is sealed in a boy in Suna and said his seal was messed up. Naruto is good with seals but he is nowhere near mastering them enough to fix one of the jinchuriki's seals, so that leaves you." Kurumi explained as she looked towards Jiraiya.
Jiraiya thought it over and was surprised that the fox knew he was a seal master. But after thinking about it for a few minutes, he remembered that Kushina was also friends with the fox. "I will see what I can get done once I get back to Konoha."
Kurumi nodded and started talking again. "My younger sister, the seven tailed beetle, is sealed in a young girl named Fu. She is from Taki and has had almost as bad a life as you have Naruto, I told Chomei to have Fu head towards the Hot Water Hidden Village and we would meet them there"
"The host of the six tailed slug is wandering around Water Country and said he would talk to his host about coming here. The only other one who agreed to come so far may be a bit of a problem to help." Kurumi said a little sad.
"Why do you say that nee-chan?" Naruto asked wandering what was so bad.
Kurumi looked toward the four Kiri missing nin before speaking. "The three tailed turtle is sealed in Yagura, the current Mizukage."
The four former Kiri ninja just sat there shocked before Zabuza spoke up. "It is going to be close to impossible to get him out of Kiri especially with the civil war between the rebels and Yagura's men."
"The Mizukage is being controlled by a genjutsu just as I was when I attacked. Maybe we can talk to the rebels and join them to stop the war and in return bring Yagura back with us. We can think it over as we head to meet with Fu and Chomei. But we need to get going, I told Chomei we would meet them in a few days." Kurumi said getting nods from everyone.
As everyone began leaving, Jiraiya pulled Naruto aside with the other Konoha ninja. "I am going to get straight to the point, Hokage-sama asked me to convince you to come back to Konoha. I asked for these three to come along and help me get you back kid."
Naruto looked at Sasuke, Anko, and Yugao before turning back to Jiraiya with a smirk. "You really think these three would try and convince me to return? They probably came along just because jiji asked them to and because they wanted to see me."
Jiraiya turned to look at the trio as Anko spoke up. "Hokage-sama more than likely knew we wouldn't help you convince Naruto-kun to return. He had us come along just because you asked for us."
The trio then took turns giving Naruto a hug or a fist bump before getting ready to leave. "Be safe out there Naruto-kun, I don't want you getting hurt." Yugao said.
"I will be I promise. I'll see you all in about a month for the chunin exams, I heard Konoha was hosting them this year." Naruto replied.
"I guess we'll see you then. Later ototo." Sasuke said and stated walking away with the two females.
"Later aniki." Naruto said before turning to Jiraiya. "This is my home now Jiraiya. I ain't returning to Konoha. I need you to do me a favor though, you me at least that much."
Jiraiya sighed shaking his head. "What is it gaki?"
"I need you to find your old teammate Tsunade Senju. We need a kage and only someone with Uzumaki blood can take the title of Uzukage. Please find her as soon as you can and ask her to at least visit me here." Naruto said getting a nod from Jiraiya as he began walking away.
Naruto turned to find Zabuza and Haku waiting on him. "Ready to go Naruto-kun?" asked Haku getting a raised eyebrow from Zabuza and a slight blush from Naruto.
"Yeah but where are Meizu and Gozu?" asked Naruto.
"They're gonna try and gather some bounties to help with rebuilding the village. This trip is just the three of us until we find this girl we're looking for." Zabuza said as they started heading out.
They were stopped by Rei walking up to them. "Here Haku, I wanted to give these to you. They belonged to your mother before her passing. I brought them back here in hopes of giving them to you one day and now is the time. They will take time to master but I know you can do it." Rei said as she handed Haku a scroll.
Haku unrolled the scroll and unsealed the items in it. Out of the scroll came two weapons that had a long blade coming from the handle with two smaller curved prongs projecting from the sides. The handles were wrapped in a dark blue fabric with a thin piece of red fabric circling the handles. The blades were a light blue color and a snowflake like pattern on the blades. After looking over the weapons, she sealed them in a seal on her wrist that Naruto had drew for her.
"Thank you Rei-oba-chan." Haku said giving Rei a hug before heading out with Naruto and Zabuza.
Here is another chapter for Journey to Uzukage. Some action will start next chapter as the group meets Fu and deal with a few pests. I am giving both Haku and Fu a weapon to use and as you found out, Haku got a set of sai. If anyone knows of a name that will fit the sai, I would be happy to hear them out.
There will be a short break after this chapter as I am starting a rewrite on my Naruto and Fairy Tail crossover. But I aint giving this story up so don't worry. Anyway leave me a review and let me know what you think.