Kishimoto owns Naruto
Opening Theme: Sunrise(1st opening theme of SD Gundam Force)
Chapter 17: The New Home
After the mother-son pair finished crying out fourteen years of separation, they stood up. Taking a step back, Kushina took a moment to get a better look at her long-lost son.
He looks so much like Minato did, she thought. Her eyes focused on his whisker markings. But still like a fox.
"My boy…" She said softly. She pulled Naruto into a soft hug. "I'm so sorry." She looked him directly in the eye. "I should have been there. I know what kind of life you led, I'm sure of it. To get stuck on this island while you were growing, and needed me…" Tears begin to leak from her eyes again.
"It's okay." Naruto said, smiling. "I don't blame you. I know it's not your fault." He grinned, looking foxy like he did. "It's weird, but when I found out you were going to raise hell to protect me, it gave me the strength to find you."
Sobbing, Kushina pulled Naruto back into the hug.
Near the tunnel entrance, the rest of the Team watched the reunion.
"Is Naruto…crying?" Sakura wondered aloud.
"I do not blame him," Lee said, tears streaming down his face. "Such a joyous reunion would make even the coldest eyes flood with tears!" Lee quickly put his arm to his face to hide his crying visage.
Shikamaru nodded, a firm smile fixed on his features. Hinata smiled more kindly.
Naruto's so happy…
It was at this point Kushina saw the people over her son's eye. "Huh? Who're those guys?"
Naruto remembered he wasn't alone on this island and separated from Kushina. Gesturing with arm, he said, "Mama, I want you to meet my Team. They helped me get here and find." Loudly, Naruto called out to the crew. "C'mon out, guys!"
As the crew came out, Naruto introduced each one in turn.
"That's Sakura…"
Pink hair? Kushina thought, confused.
"Hinata…"
No curse mark, weird. Kushina thought, recognizing her as a Hyuga. I didn't think the Main House let its members onto the field.
"Lee…"
Did that Might squirt have a son!? Kushina thought frantically, taken aback by Lee's eyebrows.
"Shikamaru…"
Oh, great. Nara's kid. Looks just like his dad… Kushina mentally sighed.
"That's Inari, from the Land of Waves…"
Oh, him again. Kushina remembered the little boy she met earlier.
"And that old guy's Oda, a sailor…"
That sounds familiar…but why? Kushina wondered.
"And this guy," Naruto picked up Kawazaki and held him up for all to see. "Is Kawazaki! He's the guy who told me where you were! Without him, I'd have never known you were alive!"
"Hello, Kushina," Kawazaki said, giving a 'that's life' shrug.
Kushina blinked. "Huh, I remember you. One of the acolytes from Mt. Oinari, right?"
"You're not surprised by the talking frog?!" Shikamaru asked, unbelieving. Everyone else, was!
Kushina laughed. "Your village has more summoned animals than any other, and a talking frog upsets you?"
" We've got turtles, dogs, toads, apes…" Naruto counted off his fingers, "But no frogs."
Kushina shrugged. "If you ever go near Oinari, you'll find stuff stranger than him. Anyway!" Kushina took a deep breath before bowing before the crew minus Naruto, who stood beside her with Kawazaki. "Thank you so much for bringing my son to me. I've spent each day for the last believing he was killed. I didn't live or kill myself because I believed I deserved to be stuck here for not protecting him. To see him again like this… No words can express my gratitude. Thank you."
Inari grinned. "No problem. Now let's get outta here before some big monster comes out after us!"
Naruto put Kawazaki on the ground. "Right. So who remembers where the ship is?"
A long silenced followed.
DATTEBAYO
And so, Team Naruto and Kushina ended up walking along the shore Lee defeated Kanibusshi. However, the crustacean monster was nowhere to be scene. Since they anchored the Kingfish off of the coastline and no one remembered the way back, the only thing to do was to trek along the beach in hopes of finding the Kingfish.
As they walked, Kushina insisted on being told everything she had missed out on Naruto's life, and he told her everything. His early years, befriending Iruka, entering the academy, his pranks(Kushina laughed outloud when he mentioned the graffiti incident), the events surrounding his graduation(The other Leaf Ninja were surprised to hear Naruto had beaten up Mizuki), and everything else.
As Naruto regaled his life to his long-lost mother, a thought occurred to Shikamaru.
"You know, as loud and as he is, we really don't know a thing about Naruto." He commented.
"I don't think any of us do," Sakura sighed sadly, being once again reminded of the huge gap between her and her teammate. Over by Naruto and Kushina, the mother was comforting her son when got to Sasuke's leaving the Leaf Village.
DATTEBAYO
Back in the Leaf Village itself, the townsfolk were caught up in a flurry of rumors. Word had gotten out that Naruto had a mother he was bringing to the village, so the most asked question was what's she like?
"I asked my dad that." Choji said through a bite of cooked meat.
"Yeah? And what did he say?" Kiba asked.
The remaining members of Team Asuma Kurena and Gai were having an "Important conference to discuss the new revelation concerning Naruto's long-lost mother"(As Shino called it) at an outside café, as no other restaurant would allow the adult Akamaru inside.
Choji swallowed. "He didn't say. He just clutched his head and shook."
"My dad did the same thing!" Ino cried out. "I've never seen him look so scared!"
"Most of the adults in the village seem scared." Neji noted. "I wonder what kind of woman she is to terrify Lord Hiashi to such an extent." As far as Neji knew, nothing and no one caused the cool-headed Hyuga Clan head to break out into a cold sweat.
"Maybe this mom of Naruto's some kind of S-class super criminal!" Kiba broke in excitedly.
"If that was true, the name 'Uzumaki Kushina' would be in a bingo book," Shino broke in, putting the breaks on Kiba's theory.
"You know, I asked Lady Hokage's assistant, Shizune, if she knew anything," Tenten said, stirring her drink. "She said that this Kushina is a lot like Naruto." Takin a sip, Tenten continued. "Can you imagine what an adult, female version of Naruto must be like?"
There was a long pause as everyone took that in. Suddenly, their elders' fear of this Kushina made sense…
"Whatever the reason, the elders' fear might have something to do with Naruto's taboo," Shino said, "Whatever it is."
That was for sure. The gang couldn't help but notice that there was something about Naruto the older villagers didn't like, something that went beyond his early years of prank-playing. Did Kushina have a hand in the taboo…? Or was she responsible for it? No one said anything, but the bizarre scenarios were forming in their heads. Every possible occupation this mysterious mother could have was being imagined; pirate, bandit, thief, murderer, demon…
"Hold on, aren't we getting ahead of ourselves?!" Ino yelled, waving her hands.
DATTEBAYO
Back on the Land of Monsters, the group had finally found where they beached their ship, the Kingfish. By this time the sky had grown dark, as night had fallen. Henceforth, it was decided to set sail the very next morning. As the gang camped out on the beach, Naruto had one last question for his mom.
"Mama…?" Naruto asked sleepily. Fatigue was finally catching with him.
"What, Naruto?" Kushina murmured, almost asleep.
"How did my father die?" Naruto felt his eyes begin to close of their own will.
"Mm," Kushina adjusted her sleeping position before answering. "He died sealing the Fox into you…"
"Oh." Naruto replied absentmindedly. It wasn't until morning that the full impact of her answer hit him.
"EHHHHH?!"
The next morning, everyone got aboard the Kingfish for the departure.
"Are you okay?" Sakura asked Naruto. For some reason, he looked incredibly shaken, but immensely vindicated as well.
"Huh? Oh…it's nothing." Naruto waved her off.
I'll think I'll keep my father's identity a secret…
As the ship departed, Kushina looked back at the island, slowly shrinking into the distance.
Naruto noticed this. "Mama?" He asked.
"It's weird…" Kushina said softly. "For fourteen years, I've lived here, doing no more than surviving like an animal… Then you come and change everything." She looked at her son and smiled. "Your father was right from the start. You are a hero."
Naruto blushed. No matter how much he told everyone, to be called that wasn't something he was used to.
"Let's go home…son."
Things were going to change, that was for sure. Not just for Naruto, but for the entire Leaf Village. When they returned, it would be the beginning…of Naruto's family life.
Ending theme: Faith(One Piece 10th ending theme, English version)
Even if
There are times when we are far apart
Through it all
Remember
I'll be there in your heart
And on days when you start to cry, you know you'll always have someone who's there at your side
To wipe all the tears away
We will never yield, we won't back down
We'll keep our dreams alive
They'll never
Change the way we feel inside
And the light that shine eternally
So many try to grasp
Will someday
Be held within our hand at last
DATTEBAYO
So that's it! Story's over! Thank you to all those who reviewed, I really appreciate it! I may write a sequel that involves Kushina adjusting to life in the Leaf…and the Leaf adjusting to Kushina! I just wish Kishimoto-san would make Naruto more interesting, he's lost his touch… And I hope he reveals more about Naruto's ancestry, it'd be cool to learn more about the 4th and Kushi-chan! I've also got this weird theory that Naruto is related to Tsunade somehow…but that's not important. Adios, amigos!