Hey guys, it's been a while hasn't it… well, I'd like to say that I got lost on the road of life. But I can't. Things for me, I have to admit, haven't been all that great. I've had some things to deal with IRL. A death in the family and a bit of writer's block didn't help my enthusiasm for writing.
That aside, I'm back now. And I have several stories that I want to update along with a few potential one shots to publish in the near future.
And hey if you like my work maybe consider supporting me on (P)atreon, where my works are ahead. The Maelstrom of Remnant is five chapters ahead, An irregular Path To Hope is five chapters, and TTLAS a tensura parody is two chapters ahead. And if that's not your speed, and you'd still like to support me, please consider buying me a coffee on Ko-Fi or on link(tree). Deets will be in my updated profile.
Coco glared at her scroll that rested on the table as if it offended her. Honestly, she knew she and Velvet couldn't just sit here all day. They had a fixed allotment of time given to make this call, arranged by the Uzumaki.
"Coco… w-we're going to have to talk to them, eventually..." Velvet sighed, a bit of pink dusting her cheeks.
"I know Vel… I know." she groaned, steadfastly staring at the scroll and not at her teammate. Not bothering to make the call herself.
"We might as well get this over with…" Velvet moved to press the call button.
"Hey wait no…" Coco tried, too late. She was too slow to react, and the sneaky bunny had already pressed the button.
It was the call that if Coco was honest; she would much rather put off until a later date. But no, as much as she was dreading this call, she hated procrastinating more. When she looked to Velvet, who sat beside her just as stiffly. Coco knew that she too likely felt the same way.
While Pyrrha had accepted them, how would Weiss and Yang take the intrusion into their relationship? Would they hate them for getting in the way? Would their meddling tear the relationship apart?
The call rang once…
Twice…
Thrice…
Then finally, on the fourth ring, it connected. Both Yang and Weiss sat before them. As beautiful as ever. "So I hear you want in?" Yang cut in before anyone could speak up first. the cheshire grin she wore spelled nothing but trouble. "And be honest now." She added in a teasing, lilting tone.
Normally, Coco was the one doing all the teasing. But the blush that spread across her cheeks told another story. "Yes…" she mumbled. Acting unusually shy. Her cheeks flushed like a blushing maiden.
"What's that?" Yang held a hand up to her ear in jest. "I'm afraid that you're going to have to speak louder. Oh, and-"
"Yes!" Coco blurted out, interrupting Yang. She felt like she was blazing from head to toe with embarrassment. "Yes! damn it…! I want him… I feel like I need him to fuck me! To pin me down! Bend me over a table and have his way with my body. To ruin me for any other man! I need him to utterly dominate me and make a mess of me! Anything, he can do anything he wants with me! I don't care just so long as he'll have me!" she shouted her confession. There was a fervent, hungry desperation in her eyes.
Yang elbowed the lightly flushing heiress next to her. "Well, is that enough, Princess?"
"Well, I suppose it will have to do, for now…" Weiss licked her pale ruby lips, "we will have to explore further at a later date to get further results."
The grin she wore matched Yangs. "The one I am interested in hearing from is Scarlatina…"
Said bunny in question stiffened up. An atomic blush on her cheeks. "I like him. He helped me even though he didn't need to. I want to do everything I can to return the favor."
"It's a bit more vanilla, but I'll accept it." Yang shrugged.
"I uh, also w-want him to-to…" Poor Velvet devolved into embarrassed mumbling, looking very much like she would explode and die from embarrassment at this rate.
"I think that's enough teasing, don't you Weiss-cream?" Weiss looked at Yang as if she was something foul.
"I cannot believe you just said that…" Weiss deadpanned.
"What's the matter, Snow angel? Everyone needs a little Yang in their life from time to time."
Weiss sighed, "you know you're lucky I love you right?"
Yang gave Weiss a saucy grin, "yes, and you love to start your mornings with a nice hot steaming cup of Yang in the morning." The flush that little jibe had brought to Weiss's face was incandescent.
"Yang!"
The heiress shrieked, launching herself at the blond brawler, knocking over their scroll. It tumbled to the floor, along with the table. All Coco and Velvet could do was listen on helplessly as the heiress and the brawler wrestled. that wrestling soon turned to heated kissing and wanton moans.
"Ah, Yang… no don't…"
Mercifully, the call disconnected before they could be exposed to anything more… graphic.
Coco sighed, supposing that was going to be as good an acceptance as they were going to get.
"Well, I suppose it could have been worse." Velvet gave Coco an awkward smile, her cheeks aflame with embarrassment.
"Yeah," Coco nodded, "well I suppose we can go meet up with Miss. Shizu. She mentioned something about a festival."
]|[
"Are you sure I can't talk you out of this, old man?" Naruto sighed for what felt like the umpteenth time today as he glared at the decorations and stands being set up in the town square just beyond from the windowed office of the tower.
Hideyoshi gave out a jovial laugh. "nonsense my boy their, celebrating you."
"Oz, put you up to this? Didn't he?" the blonde leveled him with his best glare.
"I have no idea what you're talking about…" Hideyoshi stated plainly, "he did offer to bribe me with coffee though." the old man's face wrinkled in disgust. "It would take more than some of that Vale branded swill to sway me!" the older Uzumaki scoffed. "I hate coffee!" he spat.
"Right," Naruto nodded cautiously, "then why the festival?"
"Why," Hideyoshi snorted, patting Naruto on the back, "why not? We finally have an heir from the main line to take over as clan head and leader of the coalition."
Naruto felt his cheeks warm just a bit at the admission. He felt bashful at such blatant praise. "well… ok." he grinned ear to ear.
"Excellent, my boy," Hideyoshi cheered, patting the blonde on the back, almost bowling the blond over with the force of his blow.
"It's just I'd like to see Ren. He has me worried." Naruto frowned. "He hasn't reached out to any of us since we got here. Nora's really worried about him."
The elder Uzumaki nodded. "Yes, it is understandable to worry about one's comrades, but worry, not our best seal masters and healers are working on a solution fitting to his predicament. We will find a solution. You have my word." Hideyoshi rested a hand on the blonde's shoulder, "but for now you need to rest. You can't run yourself into the ground and expect results."
"Yeah, I know." the blonde said in a somber tone. Genuinely reflecting on his most recent loss.
"Besides, I think you need this respite." Hideyoshi said, running his hand through his beard.
"Alright, thanks for the talk, Elder." Naruto bowed to his fellow clansmen. "I suppose you're right." He grinned. "I think I'll go find Nora and Pyrrha."
Hideyoshi chuckled, "yes, you do that. Last I heard, your teammates were being kidnapped by Kanata, Nichika and their siblings. Amane's little sprogs have taken quite the liking to your teammates. Now go, you can leave this old man to the rest of the paperwork." He grinned even as the clone before him dispelled. Vanishing in a puff of smoke.
Hideyoshi walked over and settled into his chair. Where he let out a long held sigh. "I suppose you heard all of that?" He grunted, "make no mistake, I'm quite aware of you. Just as that boy no doubt was." he scowled at his open window. "You should stop hiding and come in. It's rude to keep an old man waiting."
Without delay, a lone black bird winged its way into his office. It landed on his desk, then from one moment to the next, where there was once a raven with feathers as black as night, stood Raven, former bandit chief. With her crimson eyes glaring daggers at the man before her.
"This is rather unusual," Hideyoshi said, ignoring the slight scent of alcohol he could detect on her, unimpressed with her entrance. "Normally you're too terrified to even consider stepping foot on our little island. So what brings you here, Raven?"
"You know why I'm here." Raven practically hissed like a wildcat,
"I do, but I would much rather hear you say it." Hideyoshi nodded, "and, let's be clear here…" he sighed, leveling her with his most unimpressed gaze. "You being here is a courtesy. If I wished it, you would have died long before you ever reached our island."
Raven folded without even a further protest, "I need your help, please, I-I…" she choked up, her head bowed in supplication, and if one were to look closely a lone tear rolled down her cheek, "I don't know where else to turn, I can't go back to Ozpin, and I'm scared not for myself but my daughter. Your people were straight with me. So I'll do anything. Just please…" she got down on her hands and knees this time, her head kissing the floor in submission.
"Very well, we will do all we can to aid you. Is what I would like to say, but I'm afraid that decision is not mine to make any longer."
Raven looked up in shock, "what do you mean?" a sinking suspicion filling her middle.
"Hmm," Hideyoshi nodded, "it might come as a bit of a shock to you, since, well, you avoided contact with us like the plague. Even going so far as to make communication as arduous as you could." his grin was absolutely smug now.
Raven bit her lip to hold back the biting comment she knew she had on the tip of her tongue. Like hell she wanted anything to do with this clan of crazy sword psychos. They were not only bad for her former business, but for her health as well. Just thinking about them made her blood pressure rise, in the beginning of an anxiety induced panic attack.
She had to drown herself in enough Absinthe to make Qrow, the bloody lush keel over just to muster up the courage to come here. Like hell, she was going to make it easy to get in contact with her. She could already feel her stomach rebelling against her, tying itself up in knots. And that was on top of her terror induced chronic insomnia.
Raven was woman enough to admit that she might slip a bit here. But she was no fool. She knew about what happened in Lower Cairn, and not the sanitized version of lies that Ozpin had given to the council and the unwashed masses.
Raven was a mess, with the bags under her glassy eyes, and her once lustrous ebony locks a shaggy mess. She couldn't hide it and Hideyoshi knew it. "But things have changed for those of us who are Uzumaki and of the coalition. And we have you to thank for that. It is because of you we have found an heir to our main line."
"What," Raven blinked blankly.
"Let's not be slow, my dear, do try to keep up, yes…" Hideyoshi sighed, deciding to spell it out plainly for her. "That boy, we had you briefly investigate for us. Well, the blood of our main line flows through him. He is now the leader of our coalition. As is his right as Clan head." he smiled with pride.
With donning horror and widening eyes, Raven was finally beginning to see the whole picture. "W-what…" she hadn't known this, if she knew she would have never come here, hoping that if the sword psychos took the blond away from Yang, disappearing him to god knows where.
So that just maybe with the lure of training she could hide Yang, Ruby, and Tai away in some distant bolthole provided courtesy of the Uzumaki. Then maybe she could keep her promise all while watching those two immortals, Salem and Ozpin, do their level best to kill each other in their cold war.
"Well Damn…" Raven groaned, biting on a once immaculate fingernail as she let out a shaky breath. She swallowed thickly, rallying her nerves. "I-I…" she paused, clenching her eyes shut as she took a breath. Never was she more grateful than now that she could always think quickly. "I don't suppose you would allow me to meet him, Honored elder?"
"Oh," the wizened former leader of the Uzumaki exclaimed, leaning forward in his chair. His amusement was clear to see. "Getting all formal now, I see," he chuckled for a bit before getting more serious, "now why would I allow this to happen?" Gone now was the jovial tone of a grandfather, replaced by the tone of a man who had seen battle, who had spilt blood, who gladly would bathe in the blood of millions if it meant those who were considered his safe. "Now think carefully before you speak next, girl. Because if I don't like what you have to say. Then you'll just be…" he trailed off, his ominous warning quite apparent. Causing Raven to look up with wide eyes at the empty desk where he once sat.
Raven's heart pounded in her chest as she looked around desperately. On the verge of a panic attack. Then she felt one of his hands on her shoulder, as close to a silent threat as any.
Raven lost it… she let out a keening wail, as if she had been stabbed, and was dying, hyperventilating as she clutched at her breast as sure as any that this was where she died.
Jerking forward to stand, Raven stumbled, her legs feeling like jelly. Her only saving grace was that she caught herself on his desk. As her stomach finally betrayed her in her alcohol fueled panic. vomiting all over Hideyoshi's desk, Raven slumped over and finally passed out.
"I'm getting too old for this shit." Hideyoshi grumbled to himself, letting out his frustration in an aggravated sigh. His old bones ached as he lifted the clearly insensate woman who reeked like a brewery. Now that he was up close.
Setting her to lie down on the couch, he supposed now that he had gotten a better look at her; he had been a bit mean, terrifying her like that. But he felt justified. The relationship she could have had with the clan could have been more amicable were she not such a flighty Birdy.
He supposed that at the very least that he could arrange that meeting, that she mustered up the courage for.
]|[
From within one of the many clearings on Uzu used as a training ground for the shinobi and samurai of Uzushio alike, Naruto opened up his eyes revealing not the orange irises and bar like pupils of a toad sage but slit golden pupils more akin to that of a cat or a panther. Getting to his feet, he stretched, feeling the joints in his spine popping in a satisfying way, feeling his fingernails extend into claws. He looked at his new claws with a bit of sadness. It was a change he knew that was long coming. An inevitable change ever since he had signed the Panther scroll.
"So are you ready?" Giyu asked as he stood at the ready. Eager despite his bored expression to test his skill against his leader, it was all the more so since he was a sage.
Naruto couldn't help the smirk that spread across his face. "Yeah, I'm ready, but say, did you know about the festival they're throwing in my honor?"
Giyu stiffened. "N-no, I have no idea what you're talking about."
Shinobu huffed from the sidelines. Giyu was such a terrible liar. It was clear that he knew. And it wasn't like lying to Naruto would do any good.
She had to suppress a grimace when a loud, boisterous roar came right from Kyojuro and Sanemi right beside her.
"Come on, we want to see some blood!" Sanemi roared
"Yes, set your hearts ablaze with the fires of combat!" Kyojuro matched Sanemi's boisterous vigor with a cheer of his own.
"My, my, this is so exciting." Kanae fanned herself lightly, "cheer up Shinobu, it's not every day that you get to witness how a sage fights."
"Well, I suppose we should give them a good show." Naruto grinned. He supposed after he had some fun, then he could go about finding Nora and Pyrrha.
"Yes," Giyu smiled the smallest of smiles.
Then they both blurred into motion.
They met in a furious flurry of blows, blocking, ducking, and dodging each other with purely taijutsu alone.
Naruto felt it was commendable that Giyu kept up with him. Kept up with the blows of a sage, blows that, while not utilizing the full brunt of his might, could still shatter mountains, and carve valleys.
Truly, it had been such a long time since he had such a challenge. Giyu was superb; his style flowed like a constant stream, constantly flowing around his guard, attacks coming from unseen angles, redirecting his attacks with minimal effort. Naruto found himself grinning all the wider for it.
When Giyu stepped back, his single chakra enhanced step carried him enough distance to create a lull in the battle. Firming his grip on his sword, he rushed Naruto, intent on cleaving him in twain with a single powerful swing of his blade. (Ichi no kata: Minamo Giri)
A metallic clang rang out from the clashing of his blade on Naruto's claws and enhanced skin. "That's not bad…" Naruto grinned. His razor-sharp claws grinding against the steel of Giyu's sword.
When They broke apart once more. Giyu was met with a wall of wind faster than he could blink. The winds buffeting his form were more than enough to distract him from the seven clones that charged him.
Giyu reacted quickly, ducking under a wild haymaker thrown by one clone. His blade cleaving through the next in quick succession.
Naruto closed in, following in right behind his clones, his chakra enhanced fist rebounding off Giyu's Nichirin Katana. As Giyu's form became more irregular, flowing from a smooth stream into a rapid tempo that Naruto could barely keep up with. His body twisting like a violent raging whirlpool cleaving through Naruto's remaining clones in a single swing. (Roku no kata: Nejire Uzu)
"But you'll have to do better than that to beat me," Giyu heard Naruto's voice echo out from the haze, but by the time the smoke from his dispelled clones cleared, Naruto was already weaving through another series of hand seals. Clapping his hands together, he inhaled, his lungs taking on what seemed like an impossible amount of air. (Senpō: Fūton Sunabokori) The resulting torrent of air he exhaled kicked up a massive dust cloud, blanketing the training field in dust that hung in the air like a thick haze.
Giyu could feel it. A building of tension in the air, thick and cloying. Seeping into his very pores. An animalistic part of him urging him to run, to escape as fast as he can. That there is a predator before him. And if he doesn't run, he'll surely die.
It is through well honed instincts that he stilled that part of his mind. Entering a state of true tranquility. A state of Mu.
He could barely step to the side, dodging razor-sharp claws that cleaved through the earth like it was nothing by a hair's breadth. For the first time throughout their entire fight, Giyu channeled Chakra through his blade. Water poured forth as he aimed to end things with one final blow. With his blade poised high, he brought it down.
In a feat of animalistic inhuman flexibility, Naruto pivoted, his hand lashing out to wrap firmly around the hilt of Giyu's sword. Stopping his attack mid motion.
"You know you're pretty good." Naruto grinned as he offered his other hand rather than strike. "You were holding something else back, weren't you?"
"Yes," Giyu answered stoically, sheathing his sword in one smooth motion when Naruto let go of his sword. "it would seem that I still have quite a way to go in my training." he smiled softly, clasping hands with Naruto.
"That was Amazing!" Kyojuro declared. "Please allow me to test my blade against you in battle," from the sidelines. He was practically vibrating with excitement.
"No! Fight me!" Inosuke roared, leaping onto the field.
"Hah, why should he fight one such as you? His time would be better spent fighting me, the flamboyantly great Tengen Uzui!"
"Ah, sorry, perhaps another time?" Naruto said, bowing out of what looked to be the beginnings of a free-for-all brawl.
"What did you Say!" Inosuke growled.
"Sorry Kyojuro, I promise I'll spar with you later," Naruto bowed in apology. "For now, I'd like to go see my teammates. Are you by chance free tomorrow?"
"Why yes, with the festival no one who isn't already out on a mission is free for the next few days." the fiery-haired swordsman said. "Why don't I join you?"
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, besides, someone should always accompany you as our leader." Kyojuro admitted.
Naruto smirked, quirking a brow. Not that this was a surprise. He had a rule about his guards, however. Much like his father, they had to keep up, "Ok, do try to keep up..." letting his words hang in the air, Naruto blurred into motion.
True to his word, Kyojuro burst forth right after him, but it wasn't just him either. Trailing not far behind and gaining rapidly was Shinobu. Following her was both her sister Kanae and her apprentice Kanao.
Shinobu showed just how fast she truly was when she caught up to him with ease. "It's a lovely day for a stroll, isn't it?" Naruto was pushing the expected limits of speed that a seasoned veteran Jonin could maintain. Of course he could go faster… but she wasn't even out of breath or sweating, for that matter.
"Yes, it is." he grinned, a rather cheeky idea coming to mind. He hadn't known her for long, just a few days, really. And she was always so prim and proper, so uptight. "but…" He knew there was nothing like a prank to loosen someone up.
Faster than she could react, his hand came up with an audible SMACK! It echoed through the woods as he spanked her ass, a cheeky grin on his cheeks as he shot off like a bolt, his words just a whisper on the breeze as Shinobu squawked in disbelief. "I can go so much faster than this. Try to keep up."
Shinobu stilled on a branch, a crimson flush burning her face to the roots of her hair. Something in her snapped. "I'll Kill YOU!" she shrieked, launching off her branch like a shot from a gun. "Get BACK HERE! I'LL SKIN YOU!"
Kanae could only sigh in exasperation. "Oh my, he certainly is lively." She palmed her face as she and the others kept pace as best they could. That, of course, was a good thing. Though she wondered if lord Hideyoshi informed the young master of his duties as clan head yet.
Naruto ducked under her grasping hands. Falling to a lower branch of one of the many trees within Uzu's borders. Looping back up. In a nimble display of acrobatics. He smacked her ass again as he soared by. Their eyes locking for the briefest of moments before he was off again.
Before too long, what was once a furious chase had become something of a game. Naruto was constantly ducking, dipping, and dodging. Just always out of reach. And whenever she poured on the speed, catching up in a burst of motion, he was always just that bit faster. Occasionally He would double back in a blur of motion. Just so he could teasingly ruffle her hair, pinch her cheeks, tickle her sides, or playfully boop her on the nose. All the while she chased him through the forest, atop roofs, down alleys.
Yet alas, much like all things, their chase that had become something more like a game of one sided tag ended. As Naruto skidded to a stop just outside the Ubuyashiki clan compound. Naruto had little time to take in the sight of the rather quaint, cozy little clan compound. When Shinobu bowled him over, not bothering to stop or even slow down. Before she tackled him into a rolling pile of limbs.
"Ow…" Naruto groaned, removing one of his hands from her head when he instinctively protected her during their impromptu roll. "I suppose I deserve that…"
"Oh, my!" Kanae exclaimed, "So forward, sister!" she grinned, taking in the sight before her. But how could she not at the sight of her baby sister mounted atop their clan head like that?
'Like like…' Kanae's thoughts trailed off as a scarlet flush came to her cheeks. "Oh my, and before I think the young master was even told of the arrangement, too. I'll have to make arrangements right away… of course you'll need time off for the baby… I'll have to go to the old man and tell him the good news… man does he work fast!" she giggled to herself nonsensically as both of her hands came up to her red cheeks.
"Sister!" Shinobu squeaked, leaping off Naruto as if she had been scalded. "you will do no such thing!" she hissed, scrabbling to her feet with all due haste. Intent on stopping her sister before she could do anything foolish. "I have no such aims towards, s-s-such an oaf!"
Naruto couldn't help but snort at the comment, taking it all in stride with good humor. Though he quirked a brow in puzzlement at the mention of an 'arrangement'. He sighed as he got to his feet, brushing himself off. The two sisters were practically in a world of their own now, ignoring the gathering crowd of onlookers from the Ubuyashiki clan coming to look at the oddity before them. For now, Naruto decided he would let the pair be sisters for a while longer. He wouldn't press the issue for now. Not when he could easily get that info later.
Instead, he waved at an older woman who was giving him a knowing grin. "Such a ladies man," she sighed wistfully. "If only I was twenty years younger." She snorted. Eyeing Naruto up and down like he was a piece of meat. "If only these old hips worked like they used to."
"What," Naruto scoffed. "You don't look that old to me. I'm sure your husband would agree with me." he grinned, rolling his eyes. Giving the burly older gentleman behind her a cheeky wink. He looked almost like an older version of Ay, and just like the former Kage, this man was built like a brick shithouse. Only he was bald.
"Ha, my Takeshi is always complaining about his back nowadays." She scoffed, with good humor, clearly not noticing her husband behind her.
She stiffened when he cleared his throat, "ahem…" she paled just a bit, when he grinned down at her, resting one of his massive hands on her shoulder. "Greetings, young master." he bowed respectfully, only causing the older woman to pale even further.
"Oh, my Lord. Forgive my rudeness…" She quickly went to pay her respects by bowing until Naruto stopped her. "It's fine," he smiled softly. "Really it is. Oh, and while I have you, could you give me directions to Lady Amane's dwelling?" he grinned this time. "I believe her youngest ones have kidnapped my teammates."
The mention of his teammates sparked recognition in the older man's eyes, in Takeshi's eyes. "Yes," he grinned, "I believe they should be at her lady's manor. They were quite the talk of the district. When they went shopping with the little ones. If you follow this main road straight to its end, you will find her home. I wouldn't be surprised if you find the rest of your friends there too." he said.
"Thank you." Naruto said, bowing in thanks before running off at a jog. But not before he heard Takeshi grumble to his wife. "MY back has only been giving me trouble, Noriko, because someone volunteered me for double time setting up the festival."
Naruto didn't quite catch Noriko's clipped response, but it was clear at the very least by Takeshi's boisterous laugh that things were well in hand with the elderly couple.
Both he and his group waved their ways through the crowds and before long, just as promised, at the end of the road was the cozy little manor of the Ubuyashiki clan matriarch Amane.
Already he could hear the giggling of children from the trees above him that surrounded the manor.
Naruto hid his smirk as he played along, acting oblivious for all to see, blatantly ignoring the giggling and rustling of branches overhead while whistling a jaunty tune. He walked up to the door. Just as he was about to ring the doorbell, the children up in the trees sprung their trap.
"Surrender now, intruder!" they cried as they fell upon him. "We've got you now!"
All three of the boys gasped in shock when the stranger that they thought they were ambushing exploded into smoke. Obscuring their vision as they fell into the smoke. Only their muffled squawks of surprise were heard until the smoke cleared away, revealing Naruto and three clones, a bound and tressed up boy on each of their shoulders. But that wasn't all. Naruto had even taken the time to colorfully scribble curly mustaches on each of their faces, along with a big and bold FAIL on each of their foreheads. Their mouths taped shut.
"You know if you want to be Ninja, then not giggling up a storm would help." Naruto said, giving a sly grin to each of the boys.
Fortunately or unfortunately for the boys, based on the hurried footfalls, it would seem that their brief scuffle had drawn attention. And when the door was slammed open, Naruto found a scowling pair of identical twin Girls. Each of them wore a pretty purple kimono and looked to be about midway through getting ready for the impending festival.
"Kiriya, Shigeru, Takeo do you have to be s-" hissed the bolder of the twins, the one with the crimson hair ornament in her hair. The rest of her rather biting comment died when she saw him.
Both of the girls sighed in dismay, taking in the scene, "so I take it this happens often?" Naruto couldn't help but snicker.
The twins couldn't help but sigh in what was long held exasperation. "Yes," they groaned in unison. "I'm Hinaki, we welcome you to our home Lord Uzumaki, I do hope you will forgive my brother and his friends rather poor greeting." the eldest daughter, who wore a red hair ribbon, said. Giving her brother, who was paling rapidly, a dirty side eye. "This is my youngest sister Kanata," she said, gesturing to her little sister who wore a wisteria flower hairpiece in her hair.
"Kanata, be a dear and please inform Mother that the Young Lord is here. And that we will be in the receiving room." She leveled her most withering glare at her still bound brother. "And you can let her know that we have found Brother as well. He will need…" an evil grin spread across her painted lips, "a bath, auntie Shizu will be most displeased."
The boys stiffened at her words, as if the chill of death creeped into their spines and they were men set to be executed. Rather than wriggle and writhe about as they had moments prior, each and every one of them just gave up, hanging limply in their bonds.
Her sister nodded, giving him a shy wave before hurrying off to inform her mother.
"Lord Uzumaki, if you'll leave that…" Hinaki paused, lost for words as she regarded her very truant brother as something rather annoying. "Right there. Someone will come by and collect it. And I can take you and your guests to the sitting room." She gave Naruto the most radiant of smiles. "They clearly need to be reeducated."
Naruto glanced back at his clones and their rather unfortunate 'cargo'. Each of them had this look of hopelessness to them. He supposed it wouldn't be fair to just leave them here like this. It would be rather unsporting, wouldn't it?
"Say, I don't suppose if I cut you loose you'll run?" he asked the boys.
They all eagerly shook their heads, hope shining in their eyes.
"You'll all clean up for the festival, won't you?" Naruto was grinning now, wide like a fox. "Cause if I cut you loose, and you run, I'll be rather disappointed. Cause just leaving you here felt rather unsporting. And I'd feel bad if you got in trouble because of me. But if you ran well…" he left just what he would do unsaid as his clones freed the boys.
Leaving the boys in the entranceway, he and his group followed Hinaki to the receiving room.
"Say, you haven't seen my teammates Norra, and Pyrrha, have you?" Naruto asked while they walked.
"Yes, they're with my sisters, mother, and Auntie." Hinaki blushed, "They're both so pretty, I think you'll like their kimono." She admitted.
Naruto heard the giggling of little girls from the room just around the corner. "Wow, your hair is so pretty."
They left him speechless when he followed Hinaki around the corner. For within the sitting room before him was a sight of beauty.
It wasn't just Pyrrha who captivated him. Nora was there, and so were Coco and Velvet, too. But so was Ren. he knew it wasn't, but it felt like actual weeks since he had the chance to talk to his normally silent teammate.
"So, are you just going to stare at them or are you going to give them a compliment," said a grinning Shizu. "We worked so hard to get them all ready for the festival."
"You all look great." Naruto blurted out finally. Bashfully rubbing the back of his head. And he really meant every word, too. They were all gorgeous.
"Thanks." Pyrrha nodded shyly, tucking a strand of her crimson tresses back behind her ear.
"Say, what do you think about Ren?" Nora cheered boisterously, grinning a wide grin while she pushed her normally stoic teammate forward. Hoping that Naruto would approve.
Ren, normally implacable, flushed under Naruto's intense gaze. Shying away. "You look good, Ren, really. How are you?" Naruto asked. As he took a seat next to Ren on one of the many couches.
Ren bit his lip, "it's all been an incredibly drastic change as you can imagine. I've… um… been examined by your clan's medical specialists and… uh," He paused for a moment, lost for a bit at the correct term. "Uh, they do what you do with ink and seals…"
"Ah, Seal Masters," Naruto nodded.
"Yes, well, they examined me and this…" he took a breath, he closed his eyes in concentration. "This form…" his features shifted, becoming more masculine, his shoulders broadening, jawline becoming broader, if only for a moment. "I-I've been told that it is a matter of concentration and practice." He panted, the simple act taxing him more than he thought.
"From what we could figure out, this was always a part of me… a part of my semblance. It was just… dormant." he sighed. "I can make slight changes." He said, his eyes changing for emphasis. One turning blue while the other turned purple. "These are easy and don't even take any effort."
"They gave me a seal I can use to help, but that only lasts for seven hours. That would get me through most days. But never mind combat. I don't have the power to last. So I decided to make the best of my situation. And try things out as a girl while I'm like this. So you can address me using feminine pronouns, if you want to." She said so quietly that Naruto almost didn't hear it. But he did, and that was what mattered.
"Ok." Naruto held her hand. If that's what you want.
"It is," she smiled softly, tucking a loose ebon strand back into place.