Chapter 45-Reunion
"OW! Shizune-nee-chan! It huuurts…ITAI~!"
"Oh stop being a pussy Naruto-kun! It's only a damn needle!" Shizune exclaimed in her 'sister mode' while Tsunade frowned at that.
"Oi Shizune!" she exclaimed with that motherly tone of hers as the blonde medic stood up, now walking towards Naruto. Jiraiya snickered to himself as he saw Tsunade berating her 'daughter' for being rough on her 'Naru-chan'.
'Yeah…she got her family back. Just wait till you meet Kushina Tsunade.'
Konoha: Hokage's Office
"You will meet your client downstairs in the waiting room. This is an easy A-rank mission, so I'm expecting it to go smoothly for you two. Try to return to the village as quickly as possible," the godaime hokage, currently wearing a loose sleeveless sky blue kimono with a dark blue sash on her waist along with a maroon skirt covering upto her upper thighs, spoke with authority. She was currently sitting behind her desk, piles of papers laying on the table beside her while the light orange hued sun rays pierced through the large windows behind her, dimly illuminating her office.
"Hai...hokage-sama," Anko responded with a neutral expression on her face while a serious looking Hana was standing beside her.
Kushina stared at the two jounin, more like her little sisters as a sigh escaped her lips.
"And listen, don't try to show off or anything. Complete the mission as fast as you can and return," this time, some emotions seeped into Kushina's voice.
"Relax nee-chan...we are not kids anymore. And don't worry, we won't miss the chance to see Naruto-kun when he arrives," Hana uttered with a light grin making the hokage blush lightly in embarrassment of being caught so easily.
"Anyway..." the red head coughed to regain her composure as she spoke in her professional tone.
"You may leave now," both Anko and Hana nodded as they turned to leave.
"See you in a few days nee-chan," Hana verbalized over her shoulder with a smile.
"And try not to heat up this place with Naruto-kun until we return," Anko articulated with a bright grin making Hana snicker quietly as the duo quickly closed the door before a book slammed into it.
"W-What does that mean'ttebane?" a furiously blushing Kushina yelled anxiously as she sighed to herself, leaning back into her chair. The female Uzumaki closed her eyes.
'I miss him so much. Where are you Naru-kun?' she pondered, her hand on her heart when an image of his grinning face flashed in her mind. She opened her eyelids to chuckle softly as the red head shook her head lightly.
'You just can't leave me now can you Naru-kun? Wherever I go, whenever I close my eyes, I only see you. Whenever I sleep, I dream of you. Whenever I smile, I think of you. Whenever I cry I want to be in your arms. I really am hopelessly in love with you, aren't I?' she thought with a giggle.
Several days ago she had received news from Jiraiya that Naruto had fully recovered. It had made her almost jump off her seat in joy as tears of huge relief had cascaded down her cheeks. Though it also saddened her upon reading the letter further that her son had suffered emotionally too.
And she knew that emotional scars would take time to heal.
'It doesn't matter though. I'll be there for him at every step, I'll give him all the love he needs! I'll be everything that he wants,' Kushina thought with that patented Uzumaki determination as she smiled softly, now gazing outside through the windows.
Tomorrow...
'Tomorrow...he'll be coming back tomorrow!' she squealed mentally as her heart started to beat faster. She couldn't wait to take him in her arms and kiss the living daylights out of him! She would remind him that his 'Kaa-san'...his 'Kushina-chan' would always be there for him, that he had people here who cared for him, who loved him. He didn't need to cry over that traitor!
And Itachi...
A frown took birth on her face, replacing her serene expression.
'You will pay...I will never forgive you for what you did to Naru-kun. First you, and then that bastard war hawk. I swear on my Uzumaki blood that I'll hunt you two down personally,' she thought with a cold look in her eyes, clenching her fists in anger. Naruto may have had persuaded her to forgive the elder villagers for ruining his childhood, but this...these two along with that masked man, they were definitely on her 'to kill' list.
She didn't care if Itachi was her student, but he had crossed the line this time. Besides, even if she wanted or not, to her, as the godaime hokage, he was a missing nin anyway. He was a threat to Konoha, to the village she had sworn to protect, but most importantly, he was a threat to the blonde she loved with all her heart.
Shifting her mind off the 'bloodshed' topics, the reflection in her violet orbs shimmered with extreme happiness when she remembered that Tsunade, her 'Kaa-san' would be coming home tomorrow. It had been a month since she had seen her surrogate mother after all.
The red head was brought out of her musings when the door was knocked gently. Turning her chair, she adopted a serious expression.
"Enter"
The door opened for a black, raven haired woman to enter the office, a small smile on her face.
"Mikoto-chan!" Kushina exclaimed with a grin as she jumped off her seat to rush towards her best friend, taking the Uchiha in a tight hug. Mikoto smiled warmly as she hugged her red head friend back.
"So, how was your first mission in such a long time?" the red head asked with a giddy smile, slinging an arm around her friend's shoulder making Mikoto shake her head with a chuckle.
"Kushi-chan, you're the godaime hokage now. Act like one," the Uchiha matriarch muttered with a teasing smile making the hokage pout.
"I'll act like I want to. And if the elders have any problem with it, I'll just kick their asses!" she exclaimed while thumping her fist into her other palm whereas Mikoto just sighed in exasperation as she walked to sit on a chair in front of the hokage's desk.
'Really…she's the same as ever. One would've thought that becoming the hokage would make her more responsible but no….,' the raven haired kunoichi thought while Kushina occupied her seat.
"And how many times have I told you not to call me 'Kushi-chan'?" she asked in annoyance making Mikoto raise her eyebrow, a mischievous glint entering her eyes.
"Pardon? But Naruto-kun told me that you liked that name," she retorted as the red head blushed in embarrassment.
"W-Well, I haven't told him yet….I told you that I don't like that name!" the Uzumaki articulated with a 'hmph' as Mikoto leaned forward, placing her elbows on the desk- an amused smile on her face.
"You haven't told him yet? Or could it be that you actually like that name only when Naruto-kun uses it?"
"W-What are you talking about dattebane?" Kushina spoke loudly, a tomato red blush on her face making Mikoto giggle at her expense.
"Oh Kami, you actually do!" she accused, laughing loudly as a vein popped on Kushina's forehead.
"Shut up Mikoto-chan, or I will kick your ass," the red haired hokage muttered sweetly as the raven haired kunoichi stopped laughing abruptly, a mock expression of horror on her face.
"Oh my Kami! I'm scared! Kushi-chan is going to kick my ass," Kushina's eyebrows twitched at that she glared at her best friend who smirked at her.
"Are you forgetting…Ku-shi-chan, that I'm the Kawarimi no Kami? And last time we sparred, I think I was the one who won, right?" the Uchiha matriarch teased making her smile dangerously.
"Oh, is that so? Then why not do it again? Cause you know…I have the Sharingan too this time?" Kushina said confidently, her Sharingan staring into Mikoto's surprised onyx eyes.
'Oh damn….I forgot she now has the Sharingan too,' the Uchiha matriarch thought as she laughed nervously. Even she knew not to mess with her best friend, especially now that she too has the Sharingan. Though if they did fight while going all out, she knew that Kushina just had way too many aces up her sleeve. Her ninjutsu, taijutsu, kenjutsu and fuinjutsu were already strong enough and earlier Mikoto used her famed substitution techniques in conjunction with her genjutsu to fight her best friend on equal terms, but now with the Sharingan….she knew that Kushina would be a devastating opponent. She was sure that her genjutsu must have been improved by leaps and bounds now.
"A-Anyway, the mission went well," she replied making Kushina smirk victoriously before she grinned lightly at her friend.
"But that client was a bloody pervert! He kept staring at my ass," Mikoto spoke with a frown as she crossed her arms in front of her chest making Kushina giggle.
"Wow, seems like you've still got it Mikoto-chan," she verbalized making the black haired kunoichi pout.
"But it's not fair that you get to skip the twelve years of your life while I only skipped six or seven," this made Kushina sweatdrop.
'Talk about being pessimistic…she doesn't care about the fact that she was brought back from the dead.'
"Anyway, so Naruto-kun and Tsunade-sama would be returning tomorrow right?" Mikoto asked with a bright smile making the hokage nod in excitement.
"Yup! Kaa-san and Naru-kun would be returning tomorrow! I'm so happy Mikoto-chan! It's like I've fully got my family back," Mikoto's smile turned a bit sadder as she averted her gaze, rubbing her forearm softly. It seems she still hadn't gotten over it.
Itachi, her eldest son, had murdered her family, her whole clan years ago. Everything she had, it was stripped away from her in one night.
'But still, they did say that Itachi didn't do that of his own free will. He did that…..to protect the village,' Mikoto thought, her smile now vanished as she stared at her lap.
"Mikoto…." She lifted her head to gaze into Kushina's concerned violet orbs as she offered her best friend a soft smile.
"Are you alright?" the hokage asked softly making her nod.
"Yeah, I am. It's just that….I'm still not over it Kushina. No matter how hard I try, that night, those memories, they…." Mikoto took a deep breath as she pulled back her incoming tears, closing her eyes while Kushina averted her own gaze, sadness lurking in them.
Upon her orders, Mikoto was still kept in the dark about what had happened regarding Itachi and Naruto a week ago. It hurt her very much to lie to her best friend, but she had to do it for Mikoto's sake. The Uchiha still hadn't gotten over what had happened to her clan, to her family, Kushina didn't want to burden her best friend with such heart breaking news. She knew it would break Mikoto.
'I'm sorry Mikoto…you may hate me for this, but it's for your own good. I will definitely tell you in the near future, but not now,' the godaime hokage thought as she nodded to herself while Mikoto seemed to be lost in her own thoughts. Kushina's eyes softened as she gazed at the broken look on her friend's face.
"C'mon…." standing up from her seat, she walked around her desk to gently pull her friend to her feet.
"Where?"
"Let's just go for a walk," Kushina spoke with a smile as she created a shadow clone, ordering it do the paperwork. Mikoto sighed as she just walked in tow with her friend. She knew the stubborn Uzumaki, if she wanted to stroll around with her, then she wouldn't leave her until the Uchiha agreed.
Outskirts of Konoha: A Bit Away from North Gate
"Hurry up ero-sennin! We're almost there!" Naruto spoke in irritation as he walked in front of the group, an unconscious Hinata in his arms.
"How many times have I told you not to call me that?" Jiraiya's equally annoyed voice came from behind, who currently was carrying an unconscious Tayuya in his arms. Tsunade sighed as she kept walking along with Shizune. It had been like this the whole way, the two just kept fighting over trivial things. Seriously, she could understand Naruto, but Jiraiya too kept acting like a kid!
"Heh! You call yourself super-pervert yet you can't accept a simple name which so suits you," the blonde spoke with a smirk, his trenchcoat flowing with the light breeze while Jiraiya's eyebrow twitched at that. He grumbled under his breath while Shizune quietly snickered to herself.
After being healed by Tsunade, Naruto had insisted that they go to Konoha right away since the Akatsuki could still be searching for him, that and Hinata and Tayuya needed to be admitted into the hospital where they could rest safely. The blonde jinchuriki however still wasn't fully healed yet. His whole upper body was bandaged along with his earlier broken wrist. The bandages however showed signs of only outward injuries, but his body had suffered internally too. Mainly because of the poison and Ayumi's youki.
His muscles were still torn in several places but they were already being healed by his chakra, though at a very slow rate. Shizune too had her whole right hand bandaged, through which Guren's crystal spear had completely pierced through.
Tayuya's whole upper body, like Naruto was bandaged duo to Sasori's senbon whereas Hinata's stomach area was bandaged, though it was mostly healed now due to Tsunade. So, the only uninjured ones in the group were Tsunade and Jiraiya, not a surprise for an onlooker considering both were one of the legendary sanin.
"Hey Naru-chan, how are you feeling now?" Tsunade asked as she stepped forward, a look of concern on her face making him smile at her.
"I'm fine Kaa-chan. But don't you worry about me, I'll heal completely in a few days. You just concentrate on the surprise waiting for you just ahead of us," he uttered with a grin making the medic sanin pout.
"How am I supposed to concentrate on something when I don't even know what it is? And why can't you tell me of this surprise now?" she asked eagerly making him shake his head as the blonde tightened his jaw, trying not to laugh.
"Nope, you'll have to wait Kaa-chan," he snickered as Tsunade just sighed in defeat. Really, Uzumaki and their stubbornness…it was legendary.
"And oh yeah…Shizune-nee-chan, it's a surprise for you as well," he verbalized over his shoulder making the black medic's eyebrows lift in genuine surprise.
"For me too?" she asked.
"Yep…just you wait," Jiraiya articulated with mirth in his voice as they neared the gates. Naruto lowered his head as he gazed at the unconscious face of Hinata, his lips curving upwards in a soft smile.
"So, sensei is still the hokage Jiraiya?" Tsunade asked over her shoulder as she walked beside Naruto who just chuckled softly to himself while the toad sanin smirked in amusement.
"No, the godaime hokage has already been appointed. That's the surprise anyway," he replied making the blonde medic squint her eyes in thought while Shizune too was confused. Naruto however got an idea as he handed Hinata over to Tsunade.
"What are you doing?" the slug sanin asked in confusion when the blonde jinchuriki lifted his hand to put his index and middle finger on his side neck. Tsunade's eyes however widened when she noticed a red seal on his skin.
"Kai," Naruto softly muttered as he activated the Uzushio seal, a warm smile on his face.
Konoha: With Kushina and Mikoto
"Makes you remember our own childhood days, huh Mikoto-chan?" Kushina spoke in a low tone with a smile, the duo currently sitting on a bench as they watched children playing in the park. A cool breeze was gently flowing across them as Mikoto nodded with her, a reminiscent smile on her face.
"Hai…we used to have so much fun, huh? Back then, no responsibilities, no goals, no duties, nothing…just our own little world," she uttered, her hands in her lap. Kushina wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling in her friend. Mikoto sighed as she rested her head on her best friend's shoulder, the sun now setting down.
"Don't worry Mikoto…everything will be alright," Kushina whispered with a smile as she comforted her friend who just nodded back as she watched the children playing with a sad smile on her face.
"Hey Kaa-san…"
Kushina's eyes widened in shock when she heard a familiar voice, the Uzushio seal on her neck now glowing red. The grip on Mikoto's shoulder loosened as she lifted her trembling right hand to activate the seal.
"Kai…" she whispered softly, as if, still in a daze. Her eyes were now glossy….he couldn't be, could he? But the seal was supposed to work only within a limited distance…he had to be!
"N-Naru-kun….?" She telepathically asked in a quivering voice while Mikoto turned her head to gaze at Kushina in confusion.
"Kushina?" she asked who just concentrated on the link. Kushina however heard nothing but silence making her sigh.
'I must be hearing things….' the red head thought sadly as she shook her head, wiping her eyes. Just as she was about to deactivate the seal….
"The one and only….Kushina-chan…"
Mikoto watched in confusion as Kushina's eyes widened in shock again as tears began to leak down her cheeks.
"Kushina, what's wrong?" the Uchiha matriarch asked in concern as she squeezed her friend's shoulder who just shook her head, wiping her cheeks quickly.
"N-Naru-kun! Is that you'ttebane?" Kushina asked anxiously, her heart beating rapidly. Could it be that Anko was playing another prank on her, she too had the Uzushio seal after all. And IF this was a prank, only Kami save that woman from her wrath- little sister or not!
"Hey, you alright?" Mikoto nudged her friend gently when she noticed the glowing seal on Kushina's neck, a look of realization coming onto her face.
'Must be talking to Anko about something…but why is she crying?' she thought.
"Yep! We've just entered through the north gate dattebayo!" his excited voice reverberated through her body as her lips curled upwards into a bright megawatt smile.
"YEAH!" Mikoto squealed when she was suddenly pulled to her feet by her best friend.
"Kushina, wha-"
"No time to explain Mikoto-chan! Let's go dattebane!" the anxious hokage uttered with a grin as the duo dissolved into water.
"Our hokage….sure is impulsive huh?" a woman in her mid thirties spoke to her husband who had come to take their children. The man, a jounin, chuckled as he wrapped an arm around her wife.
"Hehe…of course, but things are never dull around her….dattebane," the two burst out in laughter at the jounin's attempt at their hokage's mimicry.
Konoha: North Gate
"Now what are we waiting for Naru-chan?" Tsunade asked with a sigh, Hinata resting in her arms while the group was currently standing just outside the gate. Naruto had a foxy grin on his face as he just continued to stand there, his eyes closed as the blonde shuddered in anticipation of his latest prank.
"This has to be my BEST prank dattebayo!" he snickered to himself while Jiraiya too had an equally stupid grin on his face, Tayuya in his arms.
"Can't you tell us what the surprise is now Naruto-kun?" Shizune uttered with a pout making him shake his head excitedly.
"Just a few more seconds nee-chan!" he exclaimed over his shoulder making her sigh. Really, sometimes he was a handful. How big the surprise could be that he was making them stand just outside the gate like idiots. Even the guards were staring at them in confusion, waiting for them to enter.
"Oh hehehe….this should be good," Ayumi chuckled, eating popcorn as she prepared herself for the upcoming drama-fest.
"The new hokage is coming to greet us!" the whiskered blonde declared with a bright grin as he could feel Kushina drawing closer with his Uzushio seal, they could tell each other's location within a limited distance after all.
"Uh huh….I wonder who that is," Tsunade muttered with a bored expression on her face. Right now, after being emotionally drained and having healing these three teens, she wanted nothing more than to just snuggle her face in a comfy pillow and sleep into the oblivion- sharing Shizune's thoughts.
'Here she comes.'
Turning to the slug sanin, his grin only widened, something which sent chills down Tsunade and Shizune's spine. That grin….it was an indicator of one of his grand pranks nearing success.
"And I present to you the most pleasant surprise of the millennium, our new….," his voice trailed while Jiraiya was now shivering in anticipation, he could say that he was now honestly enjoying one of his godson's pranks for once! Tsunade and Shizune though sported skeptical expressions on their faces when the blonde prankmaster lifted his right hand to point his index finger, with a jerk, at an empty spot inside the gate.
"….godaime hokage!"
SPLASH!
They turned their heads to see swirling water which soon formed two figures, one of which was already dashing towards them.
"Naru-kun!" everyone saw a familiar red blur before it tackled the blonde jinchuriki, lifting him off his feet as the duo slid on the ground.
"Ow ow! Ahaha…Kaa-san, easy there! I'm still hurt!" Naruto exclaimed, his eyes closed as he laughed a bit painfully while Kushina hugged him tightly to her- her face buried in his chest. The red head's eyes were currently closed as she snuggled into his warmth, making sure that he was right there in her arms- oblivious to the world.
The blonde's eyes opened in surprise when he felt wetness on his dark blue sweat shirt, having discarded his damaged jounin-like vest. A warm smile took birth on his face as he hugged her back.
"You're back'ttebane!" she exclaimed, her voice muffled making him grin lightly.
"O-Of course I'm back! I'd never leave you," he replied with a chuckle when she lifted her head, her eyes reddish while her cheeks were wet. Her ecstatic violet orbs met excited oceanic pools as her soft hands began to cup his cheeks- her eyes shimmering with intense happiness. Naruto's smile softened as he placed his hand over hers.
"I missed you Kaa-san," he whispered as her lips curled into a soft smile, her lower lip trembling. Here he was, in her arms again. The last time she had seen him, he was on a hospital bed, fully bandaged and hanging on for his life. His face was pale, and now... he was glowing, full of life. Those electric blue eyes- enchanting as always to her, making her swoon inwardly, oh how beautiful they were! She had missed those eyes, those whiskers, that heart melting smile of his, that damn foxy grin of his!
She didn't want to act this excited upon his return. In fact, Kushina had planned it all out on what she would do when he returned. She knew that she would act formally when they would meet either in her office or at the north gate, that she would just act like a hokage and offer him a smile. Though she had planned that the moment they were alone, she would pounce on him. But….but he was supposed to come tomorrow! Him returning now, was such an exciting surprise that she couldn't hold herself! He was her baby, her lover…she loved him with all heart, consequences of 'not acting your rank' be damned; this was a happy moment!
Kushina started to lean in as she caressed his cheek with her left hand with the other one sifting through his blonde locks. Naruto, lost in the moment, too started to lean in as he parted his lips.
"Naruto-kun, Tsunade is still here," Ayumi warned making his half lidded eyes snap open as he turned his face sideways leading into Kushina kissing his cheek. The red head opened her eyes in surprise.
"Naru-kun….?" She spoke in confusion while the blonde turned his head back to smile at her, before averting his gaze to a specific spot behind her.
"K-Kushina?" her violet eyes widened upon hearing a familiar voice. Getting off of Naruto, she turned her head back to see a shocked Tsunade staring at her, along with Shizune of course while Mikoto and Jiraiya were smiling at her in amusement.
Naruto stood up as he dusted off his trenchcoat. He smiled sadly upon noticing the tears freely streaming down Tsunade and Shizune's cheeks.
Kushina however smiled at them as she found herself getting nervous at being stared at so intensely.
"Hey there….Kaa-san," she greeted, a soft angelic smile on her face while Tsunade stood stunned, not knowing how to react, what to speak. She was just….no words could imagine what she was currently feeling.
"Kaa-san, can't you be a little more….expressive? You may be meeting her after only a month, but Kaa-chan hasn't seen you for twelve years. Just a few seconds ago, she thought you were dead," the blonde pointed out in a reprimanding tone making the Uzumaki redhead rub the back of her head as she laughed sheepishly.
"Ahaha…yeah you're right'ttebane. But um…" she spoke hesitantly, not sure what to do. Naruto however sighed as he turned his pupils back towards his surrogate mother.
"Well Kaa-chan….as you can see, Kaa-san is alive," Mikoto giggled quietly to herself at the 'Kaa-chan' and 'Kaa-san' mix up.
'Wow….this is going to be good, he has two mothers now….Kaa-chan and Kaa-san,' she thought in amusement, now watching Kushina's 'I-don't-know-what-to-do' expression with mirth in her eyes.
"B-But….how?" Tsunade choked out as her warm tears fell on the ground, the blonde sanin taking a startling step back.
"W-Weren't you….d-dead?" Shizune stuttered, still not being able to come over her shock. Kushina however just grinned sheepishly.
"I…hehe, well….that's a…kinda long story you know," Naruto rolled his eyes as he started to push his lover towards the astounded sanin.
"W-What are you doing Naru-kun?" she stammered.
"I want a happy reunion and its weird with you two just staring at each other," he spoke sternly as now Kushina and Tsunade stood in front of each other. Walking around the red head, he gently took Hinata in his arms from Tsunade.
"There, now hug each other," he ordered making Kushina look at him nervously before turning her head back. The red head smiled softly at Tsunade.
"Kaa-san…it's me, I'm really alive," she muttered while the blonde medic lifted her trembling hand to cup her cheek.
"K-Kushina…." She sniffed, trying to hold back some tears while the female Uzumaki smiled at her, placing a hand over hers. Without wasting another breath, Tsunade wrapped her arms around her step daughter. Her eyes were closed as drops of pearly liquids cascaded down her cheeks.
"K-Kaa-san….too tight," Kushina muttered, her cheeks red in embarrassment as she hugged her step mother back.
"Yo-You're really alive!" Tsunade exclaimed, her head resting on the godaime hokage's shoulder as she sifted her hands through her adoptive daughter's long red hair.
"Of course I am…I would never leave you all," Kushina mumbled with a smile, her eyes half-lidded in content. Tsunade leaned back quickly to again stare at her face; the sanin bit her lower lip as she tried to hold back hears.
"Y-You….You r-really are…." She couldn't complete as a choked sob escaped her lips while Kushina just smiled at her shyly, surprising Mikoto and Jiraiya since that was something they rarely saw on the fiery Uzumaki's face.
'Wow…she never ceases to amaze me with her beauty….' Even Jiraiya had to admit, Kushina was someone even a pervert could swoon over just by staring at her face. Naruto sure was a lucky bastard!
The red head however, hugged Tsunade gently as she comforted her mother.
"There there….easy there Kaa-san, you don't need to cry. I'm here now," she whispered soothingly while Naruto smiled at the scene, his heart swelling with joy. Turning his head, he noticed Shizune standing there with a teary smile on her face.
Walking towards her, he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, gently bringing her towards the hugging duo.
"Hey….you're forgetting someone," Naruto said with teasing smile as he tapped on Tsunade's shoulder. Kushina's smile widened upon noticing Shizune staring at her with a smile, the black haired medic's own tears falling off her chin.
"Ah….Shizune-chan," Kushina whispered as she walked forward to take her in a tender hug. Shizune hugged her back tightly, choked sobs escaping her lips.
"N-Nee-chan…." Her muffled voice came while a lone tear slipped down Kushina's cheeks, it warmed her heart that they cared for her so much.
Tsunade had a bright smile on her face as she wiped her tears. Walking towards Naruto, she grinned widely, pinching his whiskered cheeks playfully.
"Ow…Kaa-chan, they are sensitive'ttebayo," he muttered, now nursing his slightly bruised cheek with a pout while Tsunade draped an arm over his shoulder.
"So this was your surprise huh? You brat!" she exclaimed, rubbing her fist over his head making him complain while Jiraiya stared at the scene with a soft smile on her face.
'Honestly, this is the happiest I've seen her since Dan died….' He thought while Mikoto walked towards him.
"So how was your mission Jiraiya-sama?" she asked with a smile making him grin.
"Smooth Mikoto-chan!" he exclaimed with a nice guy pose making her giggle. Inwardly however, he cautioned himself on not to tell her of this mission, which was to let Tsunade heal an injured Naruto. Kushina had already sent him a message that upon her orders, what happened regarding Itachi was an S-rank secret. They were not supposed to tell this to anybody, especially not to Mikoto.
To her and the village, they had went on a mission to retrieve Tsunade, and that was it.
"Looking at those two, it doesn't look so smooth to me," she pointed out making the toad sanin's grin falter before he suddenly adopted a serious expression.
"Well, to tell you the truth, we had a run in with two of the Akatsuki members along with Orochimaru," he spoke in a low tone making her eyes.
"W-Was Itachi…." Her voice trailed while Jiraiya shook his head.
"No, Itachi wasn't amongst them. We barely escaped….and frankly, it's thanks to Naruto," he spoke while staring at his godson who was begging Tsunade to leave his head.
"Naruto-kun….?" Mikoto asked in surprise as she glanced at the whiskered blonde.
"He fought one of them, an S-rank nin?" she asked with wonder in her voice making the sanin smirk as he nodded, a proud expression on his face.
"Yeah, he faced one of them one on one. And even managed to pull out a draw," he told her, this time making her freeze in shock. Well, she did hear Kushina say Naruto was exceptionally strong for his age, or rather a prodigy of even greater caliber than Itachi. But to take on an S-rank nin, of Akatsuki and manage to pull out a draw?
'How much strong you really are Naruto-kun?' she thought in awe.
"Yosh! Now this calls for a party at Ichiraku ramen!" Kushina pumped her fist making Mikoto sweatdrop while Naruto had stars shining in his eyes as he was in front of the red head in a flash.
"Oh Kaa-sama, you truly are the best!" he spoke with a dreamy grin making Kushina blush, her hand encased in both of his hands while Tsunade chuckled at their antics.
"Okay, we'll have that party tonight. For now, let's just take care of these two first and get done with the important things," Jiraiya spoke making Tsunade nod as she glanced at Hinata and Tayuya. Kushina adopted a serious expression as she gazed at her two unconscious chunin, well….she had decided that Tayuya was fit to start with the chunin rank anyways.
"I'll explain later Kaa-san," she whipped her head to notice Naruto smiling at her making her smile back as she sneakily held his right hand, a look of longing in her eyes. Leaning in, he gently whispered in her ears.
"You're looking gorgeous Ku-shi-na-chan," his voice sensual making her blush furiously as she fidgeted in her position, her inner regions getting wet at that. It had been a week since they had any 'activity'.
"D-Don't do that Naru-kun…Tsunade-kaa-san is still here, we have to be careful until we tell her," she spoke through the Uzushio seal making him grin lightly.
"But I like teasing you like this, it's adventurous!" he exclaimed making her sigh as she smiled at him, that loving look in her eyes whenever she stared at him.
"Oi, c'mon you two love birds, or else Tsunade-sama might get suspicious," the two instantly jumped apart to see Mikoto giggling quietly at their expense.
"Mikoto-chan!" Kushina exclaimed with a huff while Naruto smiled at seeing the Uchiha. Walking towards her, he gently hugged her, surprising both Kushina and her.
"I'm glad to see you all healed up Mikoto-chan," he spoke with a warm smile while the slightest shade of pink adorned Mikoto's cheeks whereas Kushina had a pout on her face, well…she was possessive after all.
"Ah, it's good to see you too Naruto-kun," Mikoto uttered with a smile as she hugged him back.
"Alright! That's enough, let's just go!" Kushina exclaimed as she pushed herself in between the two, pulling on Naruto's arm to get going.
"Why Kushi-chan, jealous?" Mikoto teased, winking at Naruto. Kushina however adopted a dark shade of red as she whipped around.
"W-Who's jealous dattebane? I'm not! Let's just go, we can't be standing here all day now!" she verbalized making Naruto, Mikoto and Ayumi snicker at her expense.
"Oi! Let's get going you guys!" the trio turned their heads upon Jiraiya's voice to see Tsunade, Shizune and him already on the move.
Later: Konoha: Around 9 PM: Ichiraku Ramen Stand
"The usual oji-san!" both Kushina and Naruto exclaimed at the same time. The duo looked at each other before grinning sheepishly. Sitting beside them were Tsunade, Jiraiya, Mikoto and Shizune.
"Coming right up!" Teuchi's voice came from the back while Ayame, who was ecstatic to see Naruto again, took the orders of others.
"Oh, where are those four Kaa-san?" Naruto asked in curiosity, he was dying to meet the fire queens, especially Anko. Kushina however gave him an apologetic smile.
"Well, Anko and Hana just left today on an A-rank mission. Kurenai too is out on a solo B-rank mission. They would return in a day or two though," the hokage replied, having used a shadow clone who was handling the 'paperwork' right now.
"Ah, I remember those four little brats. The fourth one, it was Yugao right?" Tsunade asked with a smile, sitting on the other side of Naruto making Kushina nod with a smile.
"Hai, currently she's on patrol duty around the west gate," this made Naruto's smile drop a bit, he really wanted to see her.
'Oh well, I'll catch up with her later tonight,' he thought with a nod. The blonde was currently dressed in civilian clothes. Shifting his gaze, he blushed lightly upon noticing how beautiful Kushina was looking in her purple kimono with pink sakura petals on it. And the red lipstick complimented her hair beautifully. Really, even without the makeup, her serene beauty was to marvel at every time.
'Can't ignore Mikoto-chan too,' he thought before shifting his eyes towards the other side, where Mikoto was conversing with Shizune with Jiraiya strangely being quiet. Mikoto too, having a dark blue lip stick with a red kimono-light pink roses printed on it—was looking gorgeous. He had to say that the eye liner and mascara was really suiting her, her curled and thick eyelashes pulling him in.
Noticing him staring at her, Mikoto winked at Naruto making the blonde blush as he averted his gaze.
'Damn it! Way to go and embarrass myself!' he thought while Ayumi chuckled in amusement, he really was cute.
They were currently celebrating Tsunade's return with Kushina having another reason for it- her 'Naru-kun's' recovery! She was pleasantly surprised to see him act all normal, his goofy self. Frankly, Kushina was expecting for Naruto to be a bit emotionally unstable after what had happened with Itachi. But here he was, grinning like crazy and enjoying himself.
Just after watching him smile at her, having him grin at her, all her worries were flushed away instantly. She knew that he was her Naruto, and that the blonde hadn't changed one bit. He was still the goofy and sexy prankmaster who she loved unconditionally.
However, there were other things for her to worry about. Jiraiya had briefly informed her about their face-off against Orochimaru and Akatsuki. He hadn't told her much, just that they had to face them and that they were able to escape, thanks to Naruto's idea. She also had to explain to Tsunade about how she was alive. Though, to her relief, Jiraiya had already filled in Tsunade about the history between Itachi and Naruto, the jinchuriki's Rinnegan and all.
There were many things to talk about, many questions to be answered, many problems to be solved, but what the hell! She intended to enjoy this moment to its fullest!
"Here it is, the usual!" Teuchi spoke as he brought in several bowls along with Ayame to set them in front of Kushina and Naruto.
"Oh Kami…." Naruto whispered as he inhaled the heavenly scent of his Miso ramen with Kushina doing the same with her Salt ramen. Tsunade just chuckled as she gazed at the ramen obsessed duo.
"Itadakimasu!"
'Really…he's just like her,' the slug sanin thought as she smiled at them fondly. Tsunade, noticing something strange, turned her head when her eyes widened in realization.
'That's right, he's awfully quiet,' she thought while staring at Jiraiya's thoughtful looking face.
"So, what perverted fantasies is your mind coming up with right now?" Tsunade asked with a teasing grin, effectively snapping the toad sanin out of his trance-like state as he chuckled at her sheepishly.
"Nothing….just thinking about some things," he answered making her nod with a solemn expression on her face. She knew what he was probably thinking, that they had too much on their plates anyway. A mischievous smile graced her lips as she turned to Teuchi.
"Oi Teuchi! Bring some sake will ya? Oh…wait! Bring the one made from Omachi rice!" she cheered making Jiraiya and Shizune look at her with suspicious eyes while Naruto and Kushina were engrossed in eating their ramen.
"Coming u-"
"Wait, just bring the Amazake," Jiraiya intervened making Tsunade turn to him.
"Oh c'mon! That's doesn't even affect you, it's a low alcohol sake!" the slug sanin exclaimed with a sigh when Shizune spoke.
"We are not going to take any chances, especially when Naruto-kun is with you. Kami knows what I had to witness the last time you two were drunk!" Shizune exclaimed with a sigh making Tsunade stiffen at that as she glanced back to see Kushina talking with Naruto, both of them lost in their own world as they devoured the bowls in front of them.
"Oi Shizune, keep it down will ya? We don't want Kushina t-"
"Naruto got drunk with Tsunade-sama?" Mikoto exclaimed in shock as silence ensued in the stand while the slug sanin began to sweat bullets. Jiraiya was whistling innocently while Shizune began to laugh nervously.
"What?" Tsunade turned to see Kushina glaring at her as she too began to laugh nervously while Naruto pretended to play innocent as he just kept eating his ramen.
"Ahehe…you see Kushina, it was ju-"
"How can you be so irresponsible'ttebane?" Kushina exclaimed with a frown making Tsunade lower her head while Teuchi placed Shizune and Mikoto's orders in front of them. Tsunade's eyebrows however began to twitch when she heard Jiraiya quietly snickering to himself.
'Just you wait you perverted bastard!'
"I'm talking to you Kaa-san! You can't have Naru-kun drinking like that! He's just twelve years old!" the red head argued with a frown while Naruto just kept eating his ramen.
"Well, he does look like he's eighteen," Tsunade pointed out sheepishly.
"That's beside the point dattebane!" Kushina retorted making the sanin flinch while Naruto practically had his face in his bowl, furiously eating away his ramen, wanting to avoid his mother, as well as his lover's wrath.
"And you Naru-kun!" The jinchuriki jerked back as Mikoto giggled lightly at his nervous expression.
"U-Um…you see Kaa-san, that time I was trying to learn the drunken fist so I just borrowed some sake from her!" he quickly blurted out as the angry expression on Kushina's face was quickly replaced by confusion.
"Drunken Fist?" the female Uzumaki asked making him nod with a grin while Tsunade breathed out a sigh of relief.
'Way to go Naru-chan, you sure are a prankster,' Tsunade thought as Ayame set down her and Jiraiya's bowls.
"Yeah! You see Kaa-san, I think I have some hidden talent when it comes to drunken boxing!" Naruto lied smoothly making Kushina smile brightly at him.
"Really? That's great Naru-kun!" Jiraiya shook his head at the mother-son antics.
'Really Kushina, you're still so naïve,' he thought before slurping up some ramen.
"So Naruto-kun, Kushina told me that you're really strong? Wanna spar some time?" Mikoto asked with a teasing smile as the blonde turned towards her.
"You bet I am! And sure, I'll beat you," he uttered with a challenging smile while Kushina was surprised at his proclamation. Earlier he avoided any spar with her, she knew that he was afraid to face a kage level kunoichi like her. He used to avoid training with her, well she did beat him pretty badly in their training from time to time.
'But…how did he get so confident all of a sudden?' she thought while Mikoto smirked back at him.
"Oh really, well we'll see that in a few days. I'll fight you when you're at your best, you should rest for a while now," she spoke making him nod as he smiled at her before turning back to his ramen.
'Heh…the brat has grown. I guess that exposure to those Akatsuki members had a deep effect on him,' Jiraiya thought with a smirk.
"Well, I'm sure Naru-chan is going to be a tough opponent!" Tsunade cheered while slinging an arm over her fellow blonde's shoulder making him chuckle. Kushina smiled as she watched Naruto, his smile, the look in his eyes.
'He really….has grown,' she thought when she felt something, her cheeks being tinted a light shade of pink. She turned to Naruto with a surprised look on her face to see him talking with Tsunade.
'W-What is he….h-his hand….' the red head thought, feeling Naruto's hand massage her thighs over her purple kimono. She lowered her head in an attempt to hide her blush as she grabbed Naruto's hand gently, trying to pry off his hand. The blonde however didn't budge as he continued to rub her thighs. Kushina's breathing began to go a little heavy as she sat there, her head lowered while she clenched her hands into fists.
His hand, it felt so good, she really was dying for his touch. She wanted him, to touch her, to explore her body, to be inside her. Kushina closed her eyes as her nether region began to get wet.
'Stop it Naru-kun….' She thought when he started to rub her bare thighs through the slit of her kimono, the blonde working under the counter. Kushina bit back a moan…
'It...it feels….it feels so good…' she thought, her head lowered as she again, in a poor attempt to stop him, put her hand over his. Naruto however continued to talk with Tsunade on the other side while she tried to control herself. She was getting extremely horny now, and he had just touched her thighs only!
'But his touch….it's so….' She mused, her soft skin being rubbed over by his masculine hand.
"Enjoying yourself Kushi-chan?" Kushina's eyes widened upon hearing Naruto's sultry voice. Bringing her trembling left hand upto her neck, she activated the Uzushio seal with a shaky command of 'Kai.'
"N-Naru-kun….d-don't do it….Kaa-san is here'ttebane!" she exclaimed when his hand began to rub her inner thighs making her moan inaudibly.
"Now why should I stop? It's been a while since we did it…." Naruto inwardly spoke teasingly while Ayumi was cheering him on.
"That's my foxy pevert! Show her what you've learned from me!" the female bijuu exclaimed with a perverse grin.
Kushina's grip on his hand tightened as he began to rub her pussy through her panties.
"Ahhh….N-Narutooo….d-don't," her breathing was coming in light pants now as he rubbed her panties, which were surprisingly soaking wet now.
"Wow…you are this wet already," his surprised voice came over the telepathic link while Kushina involuntarily parted her thighs, giving his hand more space to work in.
"E-Ero...baka…." she inwardly mumbled when he inserted a finger into her pussy lips through her panties making her bite her lower lip harder as she held back her moans.
"How does it feel Ku-shi-chan?" he worded sensually, turning her on even more as her body began to shake from the uncontrollable hormones.
"I-It's…..w-wonderful….." she spoke through the link while he continued to rub her.
"Should I stop now? They might catch us you know," he suddenly spoke as the blonde began to pull his hand back when her soft hand held it, pulling him back in.
"N-No….k-keep doing it…." Kushina muttered in the link with a scarlet blush on her face, her breathing heavy while Naruto inwardly grinned, currently eating ramen with his left hand holding the chopsticks. Meanwhile, Ayumi had a proud smile on her face as she watched Naruto seduce Kushina like that. Whenever the her blonde lover was free, she would give him lessons about what she dubbed as 'Sex and Seduction'. And here was her Naruto, pulling it off like a pro.
Ayumi however smiled while shaking her head as she saw Naruto glance at Kushina, herself seeing the female Uzumaki's tomato face as the whiskered blonde continued to rub her insides.
'Oh Kushina…you're still so naïve, so innocent. But don't worry, my pupil will teach you!'
Yeah, lame ending, but don't worry….the fun is just starting! Actually, I wanted to end this chapter after a lime scene between Naruto and Kushina followed by him meeting Yugao during her patrol duty. But oh well, this chapter is already about 9K long, so I'll include that in the next chapter.
Also, this is going to one of those 'long A/N's', so those who've decided to read it, sit back.
First thing, I'm going to explain about Naruto's power level in this fic, which, after his recent fight with Deidara, you guys are confused about.
Okay, so some of you guys have said that if he could face a jinchuriki (Roshi during the invasions) and fight two S-rank nins (Mikoto and Mito in Four Corner Sealing Barrier during Invasions), then why was he afraid to fight against two S-rank nins like Deidara and Sasori, and that why did he have such difficulty in facing these guys? Some readers have also said that he should've been easily able to take out both Deidara and Sasori, saying that these are amongst the slowest members of Akatsuki being both Deidara and Sasori are primarily long range fighters. So I'm going to explain point by point here.
Now, let's come to his performance during the invasions. Roshi, who he faced during the invasions, was under a genjutsu and judging by his behavior, you all could tell that he was just acting like a robot of some sorts, totally under someone's control. And Naruto didn't even fight him much. When Roshi arrived, he was already on the ground, due to the post Rinnegan ascension circumstances and all. And after he achieved the second level, he did fight Roshi a bit, who was not at his full power and just a mindless drone. So he mainly handled Sasuke and fought Roshi a bit. WHEN Roshi started using the bijuu's chakra, Bee had jumped in and asked Naruto to assist those in the Four Corner Sealing Barrier. So there you go.
As to when it comes to Naruto showing amazing speeds, that 'amazing' speed was in comparison to the competition that he was facing, meaning chunin level at best in the form of genins. So that speed, although extremely fast and upto that of a mid-high jounin, is not much compared to an S-rank nin. Now Deidara and Sasori maybe slow ones, but they are long range fighters, and they know how to handle fast opponents. Just think, Sasuke in manga is fast, extremely fast, and still he had his hands full against Deidara. This just shows that these guys know how to handle fast opponents and keep themselves at distance. The fact they are called 'slow' is in comparison to other members who are just, extremely 'fast'. Ex- Pain's Tendou holding his ground against Naruto in his six tailed form, and we know how fast Naruto is in that state. So there you go, Naruto is fast, extremely fast according to his age which led to everyone being shocked at his speed, but his speed, in general, is of mid-high jounin level.
When he fought Mikoto and Mito in the Four Corner Sealing Barrier, he had Kushina with him. Moreover, as pointed by Kushina during that time, Orochi's Edo Tensei had made them like drones without their thought processes. Therefore, their attacks were predictable and easy to dodge. And they were not at their fullest. So Naruto, in a sense, was only assisting Kushina. And if you have doubts, just go read that fight again, you'll know what I mean. I never implied that he's as strong as aS-rank nin and that he should've been able to take them down easily.
As to why he was afraid to fight Deidara and Sasori, the two Akatsuki members, even if it was not befitting of a hero. It was because- one- he always avoided training sessions with Kushina and that was for a reason. He knew how powerful kage level shinobi are, or rather, how scary his mother is. And two- having been filled up by Jiraiya about how dangerous Akatsuki members are- he was nervous. Also, having endured what happened with Itachi, low on confidence, and against opponents like Orochimaru, Deidara and Sasori (two of whom want to capture and the remaining one who wants to kill you)….and you say he should've been able to defeat them easily, yeah…..that's seriously pushing it.
Last thing, just consider the circumstances under which he fought in the last four or so chapters, and you should be able to understand.
In this fic, from the beginning, Naruto easily defeated their opponents until the invasions. And who were those opponents? Sasuke, Lee, Dosu and Gaara. Yeah, so he completely overpowered these guys, while his fight with Lee gave him the workout. But still, just notice that from the beginning he only fought the genins, those of his age. And when he fought the big names- Roshi, Mikoto, Mito, Orochimaru- he always had some help with him. When he fought Deidara here, alone, having just recovered from Sasori's poison, he fought an experienced S-rank ninja, former terrorist bomber and an ex-member of the Blast or something corporation in Iwa, I think he did an amazing job, in standing up for himself, as well as for Tsunade and Hinata. He even helped his group escape, fooling two S-rank ninja and defeating one with his 'sexy jutsu'….that takes guts, determination, level-headed thinking, and not some stupid, blind heroics. -.-
He may sound pathetic to you sometimes, like his emotional phase after what happened with Itachi, but he still is Naruto, only slightly different one considering the events that have taken place in this fic so far. People may think that this Naruto is stupid like that of cannon, but I still like this one. He has the same guts and determination, a level headed one with his moments of glorious stupidity in the mix, someone who faces his emotions head on rather than compressing them deep inside, and the one who has the will to stomp on his pride- accept his mistakes- and try to improve on them. Yeah well, he is a bit emotional, and he may not deal with everything with a foxy grin, but he has his loved ones here, and he doesn't hesitate in taking help from them. I agree, he has had his moments of stupidity despite being called genius on several occasions, but I do want to keep him this way- goofy, intelligent, full of emotions, gutsy, tendency to learn from his mistakes, flashes of shocking idiocy (hey he is the number one unpredictable ninja :D) and some slight stubbornness in the mix- that's how I want to portray him in this fic. :)
Also, this is not a god-like fic where he'll be able to defeat S-rank nins this early. Well, after the time-skip, there will be a drastic increase in his strength and he will be able to fight with standard kage level shinobi toe to toe. But before the timeskip, the max he will be at, without Ayumi's chakra- is elite jounin level. Things will not be always easy for him, things will be difficult for him, well…things are difficult for him, but he will always have his loved ones with him at every step of the way. (Well what's the goddamn huge harem for? XP) They will support him, and he will support them in their difficult times. There will be mind numbing plot twists (those who have read my 'Jinchuriki's Note' will know), his moments of idiocy which I'm sure will make you facepalm (lol), crazy and epic fights, fluffy and heart swelling romance, sweat breaking hot lemons *nosebleed*, heart touching drama, slight touches on philosophical themes, 'LMAO' level humor and a badass plot!
Lol, it feels like I'm starting all over again, telling you for what's to come. -.-" But still, the content from here on out will be much better than these 45 chapters, that I assure you. That's because, I believe, I'm confident that I've matured as an author. And others may not agree with me at some points in the future, still, I do hope you enjoy this from now on. As you've probably noticed, the romance has improved as compared to before, where almost every girl 'blushed' at seeing Naruto (lol). So yeah, whenever I read my earlier chapters, I can see the difference in my skills, so I will do my best to make this a truly unique story, something which you guys I hope, would love for years to come. (though that promises a lot of hardwork from my part T_T) lol
OKAY! Now I'm done with the ranting! Anyways, the lemons are gonna start from next chapter onwards. So be ready! Lol it's ironic that when we were free to write lemons, I only wrote two for this fic, and when they enforce their rating policy and other authors are deleting their lemons, I want to write more! I mean, I've already written a 5-6K words lemon in my other fic TBD (Naruto & Rangiku) in a chapter which has to be updated next. Yep, I am sorta weird! :D
RELATIONSHIPS- Now, I think I'd better inform you guys as to which girl (who's in the harem) is how much close (romantically) to Naruto, okay? The hearts are a rough indicator of how much their relationships have progressed.
Kushina: She's the closest to him, tying with Ayumi. (9 Hearts out of 10)
Ayumi: Yep, she definitely is VERY close to him, being able to interact with him all the time. (9 Hearts out of 10)
Kurenai: (8 Hearts out of 10)
Anko: (8 Hearts out of 10)
Hana: (7 Hearts out of 10)
Yugao: (6 Hearts out of 10)—Don't worry, we'll work on that :)
Mikoto: (1 Heart out of 10)- Remember that this is about being 'romantically' close. Otherwise, she is VERY close to Naruto, but not romantically….not yet :P
Tayuya: (2 Hearts out of 10)
Hinata: (7 Hearts out of 10)
Ino: (3 Hearts out of 10)
Kin: (5 Hearts out of 10)
Kiyohime: Hmm, it's only one sided right now. Soooo….. (1 Heart)- Nothing has progressed romantically between them.
Temari: (5 Hearts out of 10)- Remember that Temari protected him from Roshi during Invasions. :)
Mei: (4 Hearts out of 10)
Yugito: (3 Hearts out of 10)
Samui: (2 Hearts out of 10)
Konan: Haven't Met, Enemies-lol (0 Hearts out of 10)
Guren: Enemies (0 Hearts out of 10)
Oh, the ones having hearts less than 7 are not ready for lemons with Naruto. XP It means they need to spend more time with him, and get to know him better. :D Those with hearts more than 3 (excluding 3) are ready to kiss him (and some lime action)! Lol!
I know, the heart thing is pretty lame, but it at least gives you guys to keep track of the large harem and as to who's how much closer to Naruto. So I'll occasionally keep updating it during my A/N's. If you have any qualms with the 'hearts' (lol, kinda weird) above, then ask it in a PM or a review.
Whoah, long A/N huh? Anyway, that's that I guess. Though the lemons that I'm most probably gonna do in the coming chapters will be- Anko, Kurenai, Yugao, Hana, Kushina and Ayumi (see the hearts XD). Hinata will get hers after the time skip.
So please review, lots of reviews, and thanks for reading and staying with me through ups and downs in this story. I'm really grateful to you guys. So see ya next chapter! :)
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