Kishimoto owns Naruto

Opening theme: Alones(6th opening of Bleach)

Chapter 16: Mama

Naruto stood there, unmoving, trying to arrange the chaotic disorder that was his thoughts into a reasonable line of mentality.

"Did… Did I win?" Naruto asked faintly, trying to figure out what happened. His Wind-release had self-destructed, and there was this big explosion of swirling air, like a tornado appeared instantly, when everything calmed down, Ryukaiju was gone. Was he sent flying…?

"Hey! Narutoooo!" A pretty voice called out.

Coming out of his trance, Naruto looked over to where the voice had come from. Over a nearby came Sakura and…Oda?!

"Sakura? Oda?" Naruto asked, blinking. "What the…?"

"What happened here?" Sakura cried, running up to the whiskered ninja. "We saw some big thing fly over us… are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine- OW!" Naruto felt a throbbing pain in his arm.

"Let me take care of that." As Sakura began to heal Naruto's injuries with her medical Ninjutsu, Naruto explained what transpired.

"Nuts on the high seas," Said Oda, "A monster like that, and ya sent it flying?"

"I think so," Naruto replied, rubbing his fixed arm. It was no longer numb. Then a thought occurred to him. "Oh…crud! Shikamaru! Lee! Kawazaki! We gotta help them! They're in danger! They-!"

"It's awfully loud here, must be the right place." A lazy voice drawled.

Looking over to the source, the three saw Shikamaru coming out from behind a pile of rocks. He was looking pretty dirty, with some scratches on his face, and splinters in his hair.

"Shikamaru…" Naruto breathed, unable to believe it. He thought Shikamaru had been monster chow…

"Man, you would believe the time I had. This island is messed up." Shikamaru groaned, stretching.

"What happened to you?" Sakura asked, coming to his aid. He didn't look too roughed up, but…

And so Shikamaru explained his 'fight' with Mogurama.

"…It would have got me, but luckily the explosions had weakened the base of a tree nearby. That mole thing was so intent on me that it didn't see it coming until…Splat!" Shikamaru finished. "Your stupid luck must be rubbing off on me."

Naruto harrumphed. "It's cool that you're okay, but we still have to find Lee and Kawazaki!"

"There is no need to worry!" A bright voice called out. Out from behind a large skeleton leapt Lee, with Kawazaki on his shoulder!

"Guys!" Cried Naruto.

Lee landed in front of the group, panting. He waved. "How are you doing?"

"I'm doing great!" Naruto laughed. For some reason, Lee's bowl cut was full of sand. "What's with your head?"

"After a victory over a fighting monster, I fell asleep on the beach from exhaustion." Lee replied. "I was looking for you when I heard that explosion. On my way here, I ran into Mr. Kawazaki and he helped me locate you all."

On Lee's shoulder, Kawazaki waved.

"That's a relief," Naruto sighed. He looked at the gathered allies. "Now all we need to do is find Hinata and…" Naruto trailed off as he looked at Oda. "Hey, what are you doing here, anyway? Why aren't you at the ship with Inari?"

"Long story." Oda replied. "Bu' she's with Hinata, so don' worry."

Sakura gasped. "Oh! That's right! Naruto! I think we found her!"

Naruto looked confused, squinting in his foxy way. "Who?"

"Who?! Oh, for the love of…" Sakura rolled her eyes skyward, asking the man upstairs for strength. "Your mom, you idiot! Hinata and Inari went to meet up with her while Oda and I came here!"

Naruto's eyes went wide. "Is…Is that true?" He asked slowly.

"It should be," Kawazaki put in, his eyes closed in concentration. "I can sense Ms. Hyuuga and Inari's chakra near where your mother should be."

A strange, shaky smile appeared on Naruto's face. "Then what are we doing here? Let's go!"

DATTEBAYO

As the band traveled toward their intended destination, with Kawazaki directing, Naruto took a moment to ask the frog how he escaped from that huge tiger.

"Oh, it wasn't easy, Naruto." Kawazaki began. "That feline was most determined to hunt me down. Luckily, I stumbled upon an easy solution to my dilemma…"

"Nooo!" Wailed Kawazaki, backed up against a rock. "Get awaaay!"

Torayoma didn't listen. It didn't care what Kawazaki had to say, as it stalked up to him, ready to end the hunt.

Kawazaki, in desperation, grabbed a small rock next to him and flung it at the tiger monster. The projectile hit Torayoma dead-on, and its eyes rolled up into the back of its head. The giant jungle cat fell over, a bump on its forehead, spirals for eyes.

"Hmm?" Kawazaki nudged the tiger with his pipe. It didn't move. "Out cold."

"…And that was how I defeated the dreaded tiger monster." Kawazaki concluded.

No one had anything polite to say to that. Naruto didn't know what to say period.

By the time they met up with Hinata and Inari, the day was nearing an end. The Hyuuga-boy pair were standing near the entrance to a what looked like a cave.

"She's that way." Inari said, pointing into the cave. "But she won't talk to us. She won't move, she just…sits there."

After looking at Kawazaki for confirmation, Naruto walked into the cave. After a few minutes of walking, Naruto came out of the cave and out onto a cliff overlooking the sea. The sunset was right in front of the cliff point. And sitting at the edge of the cliff was…

A woman.

This woman was his mother. It must be. It had to be!

"Ah…" Naruto felt his throat dry up. What was he going to say? What should he say? What could he say? This woman… This was his mother. A month ago he didn't know he had a mother, and now here she was, right in front of him.

"Hello, mama." He said at last. No answer. The woman didn't even move. "I'm your son, Naruto." Still no answer. Naruto was starting to get frustrated. "I'm your son, whaddya think of me? Answer me!"

When the woman refused to budge, Naruto felt tears come to his eyes.

"I…I don't know why you're here." He said, trembling. "I don't even wanna know why. But…" Naruto felt himself breaking apart. "I…I want to know who you are. Until a month ago I didn't think I had a mom, or any parents. Please…come back to me."

The woman stayed silent, though she was starting to shake as well.

"I can do the Shadow Clone Technique!" Naruto yelled suddenly. "And the Rasengan, and I can summon toads and stuff! Whaddya think of that?!"

No reply.

"Please…say something. Anything. I'm tired" Naruto moaned, unable to take it anymore. "I… I don't wanna be alone, mama!"

Naruto fell down on his knees, unable to take it anymore. Then, the woman got up. Slowly, she turned around, and for a brief moment, the two gazed into each other's eyes.

She's so beautiful… Naruto thought, staring her albeit dirty face. The woman, however, was thinking something else entirely.

Whiskers. She thought, and an image of small baby with similar markings came to her mind. Tears began to well up in her gorgeous green eyes.

"Naruto?" Kushina asked, unable to believe her eyes.

"Mama?" Naruto asked, taking a step forward.

"Naruto…" Kushina ran towards Naruto

"Mama…" Naruto got up and ran toward his mother.

"Naruto!" Tears began to pour from Kushina's eyes.

"Mama!" Naruto wailed.

Mother and son collapsed into each other, sobbing.

"Oh, my son…My sweet baby, you're alive, oh, god…" Kushina kissed Naruto's face. "Let me look at you… Oh, Naruto!" Kushina squeezed her arms around Naruto into a powerful hug.

"Mama…Mama…" Naruto sobbed, unable to stop the pouring tears.

This is real! This is real! I'm not dreaming! This is my mother!

DATTEBAYO

Next time, the final chapter!