(And here's the next one.)
It had been about seven months since Naruto and Jiraiya visited Kumo and were once again on their travels again throughout the ninja land. Naruto was currently by a waterfall in Catastrophe mode meditating under the falling water, "Peace, quite, tranquility." Catastrophe whispered to himself constantly until Jiraiya popped over, "Hey Naruto!"
Catastrophe groaned breaking out of his concentration, "What is it, this better be important!" he shouted walking away from the waterfall and onto the shore returning to Naruto.
"I assure you Naruto it is. I just got this letter from Tsunade," Jiraiya pulled out a letter, "According to her the Tsuchikage of Iwa requests our presence in the Earth Country."
"Whoa-whoa-whoa," Naruto said pretending to clean his ear out, "Correct us if we heard you wrong. You said Iwa requests our presence?"
"That's exactly what I said." Jiraiya answered.
"Does it say why?" Naruto asked while crossing his arms.
"It seems that the news of the Akatsuki has spread to their side as well along with the rumors of Dormammu." Jiraiya explained.
"We see, and what has Tsunade replied of this?"
"She told them it all depends on you." His sensei answered.
Naruto crossed his arms while thinking, 'Iwa's always been an enemy of ours since dad's mission with Kakashi sensei and his old squad. But if they know about how dangerous the Akatsuki is and Dormammu then the least we should do is warn them.'
'Let's hope you're right about that kit.' Kyubi thought to him.
'He's right after all, not every one of the great nations is an ally.' Catastrophe thought as well.
'We know, but we have to chance it? Otherwise it'll only seem rude if we ignore a call from one of the great Shadows,' Naruto thought back to both his partners before answering Jiraiya, "All right Ero-sennin we accept this invite, send a message back to Tsunade for her to send to the Tsuchikage."
"Very well then after we'll start our journey there so get ready to head off." Jiraiya ordered.
Naruto nodded as he went back to their camp and started packing up, 'We wonder what the people of Iwa are really like?' he thought to himself until he finished packing.
When camp was finally packed up, Naruto and Jiraiya headed off with Naruto once again web-slinged on ahead much to the ire of his perverted master. After a few days of traveling, they reached the entrance to Iwagakure where two Iwa guards stood positioned, "Halt identify yourselves!" one guard ordered as he and the other blocked their path.
Jiraiya and Naruto halted as the old man spoke, "We're Naruto and Jiraiya from Konoha. We believe the Tsuchikage is expecting our company."
The guards checked their lists, "Oh yes right here, all right then follow us." The second guard said escorting them into the village. Naruto looked around the village seeing how it lived up to its name for its buildings looked to be made from stone.
As they walked through the village, Naruto glanced at several shinobi seeing they looked pale as if they had seen a ghost. 'Looks like dads reputation still lingers on.' He thought to himself.
The guards led them into the administration building, as they approached an office room as they knocked on the door, "Come in." an elderly voice ordered. The group entered the room as Naruto looked at the desk seeing the Tsuchikage himself named Oonoki who was an old man whose age was on par with Sarutobi's, and noticed he was incredibly short, and his nose looked like one big tumor.
"Tsuchikage-sama, our guests from Konoha have arrived." One guard spoke.
"Good, that'll be all," The Tsuchikage said and groaned as his back cracked, "Go get me some ointment though!"
"Yes sir." The guards left.
"Welcome boys please have a seat," The older man offered the two as they sat before the desk and the Kage eyed Naruto, "So this is Naruto Uzumaki/Namikaze the legendary son of the famed Yellow Flash."
"We do have a certain reputation," Naruto answered seeing his spider sense was going off just yet signaling there was nothing to worry about for the moment. "Though we hope you didn't call us here just to bash on how much trouble our father was to you."
Oonoki scoffed, "Kids today really have no respect for their elders."
"We missed the class on respect." Naruto joked while the older man scowled.
"Now I didn't call you here just to pass jokes young whippersnapper." Oonoki said and groaned from the feeling in his back.
"Yes, so then why did you call us here?" Jiraiya asked being cautious getting ready to defend his old student if he was brought up negatively.
"Well first off I was alerted by the spreading news of the Akatsuki planning on acquiring the tailed beasts, and it means much to us because we've gathered Intel that one of the members was one of our own. His name is Deidara."
"Deidara?" Naruto asked.
"Yes, originally he a shinobi who specialized in the field of bombing with the ability to manipulate and mold clay into objects that would detonate on his signal. He fled our village years ago and became an assassin bomber for hire."
"We see, and what of Jinchuriki we learned from our sources you once housed two of them?" Naruto asked eager to here what the old man had to say about that.
"That we did, however our two Jinchuriki Han and Roushi fled our village years ago because of harsh treatment by villagers. I originally had sent several of our shinobi to track them down, but to no avail I'm afraid."
"And right now they're out there ready for plucking by the Akatsuki." Naruto frowned.
"I blame myself for not trying harder," Oonoki said, "And if what the rumors say or true a manifestation of evil also intends on using the Akatsuki for his own purpose."
"That's right; he's unlike anyone you've ever fought before, even stronger than our father." Naruto said.
"Which is why I've called you here, because of the real reason being an alliance." Oonoki added.
"An alliance?" Naruto and Jiraiya had a double-take.
"That's right."
"Back it up Tsuchikage-jiji, why would you want to suddenly start an alliance when you've always hated Konoha since that mission our father led." Naruto narrowed his eyes wanting answers.
"Well as it turned out after the war between our nations your father attempted an alliance, but as you know I refused at the time yet he remained persistent and refused to back down. One day my ninja gathered Intel on your father and discovered he had married Kushina Uzumaki in complete secrecy and that she was pregnant. Call me superstitious but the thought of a second Yellow Flash made me worry about my shinobi army. One Yellow Flash managed to defeat out a whole battalion of our shinobi. Against two, I knew we would never be victorious," He said sounding a little bitter and continued, "So I agreed to open up talk for an alliance between our villages. However, I wanted it to be kept a secret at the time after all some things end up turning dire if council members or other shinobi found out."
"No surprise there." Jiraiya answered knowing how councils can be.
"In the end to settle the dispute, we made an alliance that was only dependent on the promise that my granddaughter was to be tied in matrimony to the son of the Yellow Flash when he came of age," Oonoki said, "Which is why I called you here." He said pulling up a peace treaty showing them it was legit and the signatures of Minato and Oonoki were real.
'Minato, you always did do reckless things,' Jiraiya thought, 'But still this could be useful.'
"So we're arranged to be wed to your granddaughter?" Naruto asked and the old man nodded, "Would it be a bad thing to say if we already have eight brides-to-be thanks to the CRA?"
The old man nearly had a spazz attack upon hearing that, "Eight brides already, are you trying to set a record boy?"
"It's not our fault we're so alluring to the opposite sex." Naruto joked.
"Is the reason because of that other the rumors have said about?" Oonoki asked raising a brow.
"Not exactly, it's merely our own charm." Naruto said.
"If you don't mind I'd like to see this form the ninja land is talking about." Oonoki said eagerly.
Naruto took cautious and despite the alliance that was said still had to be careful as he nodded and the symbiote covered him transforming him, "Greetings Tsuchikage-sama." He bowed his head.
The Tsuchikage looked almost ready to have a heart attack but held it together, "Well who might you be?"
"We are Catastrophe, by name and reputation." The symbiote laughed.
"I see," Oonoki said, "In all my years I've never seen such a creature like yourself."
"Well we like to keep a low profile," Catastrophe joked before Naruto took over again transforming his clothes back, "So what exactly is your granddaughter like?"
"Well actually she should be due back here any minute now." The Tsuchikage said until a door knocked, "Oji-san I'm back!"
"Ah Kurotsuchi come in I have somebody I want you to meet." Oonoki called.
The door opened and entering the room was a young woman roughly about nineteen who had short, black hair and pupil-less pink eyes. Her outfit included a long, red kimono with the sleeve on her left arm while there was no sleeve on her right arm along with the bottom left side of the kimono missing, a brown Iwagakure flak jacket, fishnet tights and shorts over them. The woman stood there seeing Naruto and Jiraiya, "Oji-san, who're these two?"
"Kurotsuchi, allow me to introduce to your guests from Konoha, we have Jiraiya here."
"One of the Sannin?" the woman gasped and looked to the blonde boy.
"And this lad here is Naruto Uzumaki." The old man smirked ready to see her reaction.
Kurotsuchi gasped and looked back at her grandfather and Naruto before speaking to the old man, "Naruto Uzumaki, as in my promised fiancé?"
"Precisely." Oonoki nodded.
"This is our promised wife?" Naruto asked getting a good look at her and smirked, "Well, we're starting to think this arranged marriage ain't so bad."
Kurotsuchi, couldn't help but blush at that comment but had to be strong, "Listen here pal, you may have been promised to me but I don't know anything about you, so before you start acting like I'm all cool with it get this. I'm not one of those girls who just accept things, after all we don't even know anything about each other."
Naruto who didn't flinch from her statement smiled, "Well then, maybe we should get to know each other."
"Huh?" she asked.
"Like you said, we don't know you, and you don't know us. Therefore the only logical solution is for us to spend some time together. That is if your gramps is ok with that." He looked back at the Tsuchikage.
"Well I think it's a splendid idea. Kurotsuchi new mission for you. Spend the day with Naruto and by the end of the day tell me what you think of him."
"What, but oji-san."
"Now we'll have none of that, off you go both of you," The Tsuchikage dismissed them.
Kurotsuchi knowing not to disobey a direct order from her village leader and grandfather to boot bowed her head as did Naruto as the two left the office leaving the two old men alone, "So Jiraiya, you think your pupil can handle my little granddaughter?"
"I have my hunches he'll be al right." Jiraiya smirked.
Soon out in the village Kurotsuchi brought Naruto to a private training ground, "Wow, so this is the kind of training grounds you Iwa folk use." He said seeing it was mostly rock and stone like terrain.
"What're the training grounds from your village like?" Kurotsuchi asked curiously.
"Well more grass, and trees." Naruto answered, "So why'd you bring us here?"
"I figured is you're supposed to be my husband I might as well see what your strengths are for starters." The Iwa kunoichi started.
"You may regret that, we have abilities you've never seen your average ninja will use." Naruto smirked.
"Well I got news for you I have an ability you probably never seen before." She smirked back.
"Well then let's put ourselves to the test." Naruto replied.
"I thought you'd never ask." Kurotsuchi said as the two got into fighter stances.
"Hajime!" they called together as they launched into battle with Kurotsuchi running to nail Naruto with her fist but Naruto caught it and swung around her trying to get behind and summoned five clones.
"The Kage Bunshin no jutsu, that's very impressive for someone so young to know a Jonin technique." Kurotsuchi complimented.
"This move is nothing compared to what else we have in store." Naruto and the clones said as they started fighting Kurotsuchi together while she skillfully managed to take out the clones one after another.
"Good move, but here's one from me!" Kurotsuchi said starting hand signs, "Suiton: Mizurappa! She launched a large jet of water from her mouth through her hand at the ground close to Naruto as she called her next move, "Youton: Sekkaigyou no Jutsu!" she called emitting a large amount of a cement like substance that covered Naruto's feet and solidified freezing his legs in place.
"What kind of move was that?" Naruto asked in surprise.
"I guess you never heard of the Youton element have you?" Kurotsuchi asked with a smirk.
"Not really." Naruto admitted.
"Well to some it's a rare bloodline, however there have been others able to use it, like the Yonbi Jinchuriki," The Iwa kunoichi explained, "But I have the very basic elements that make it up, fire and earth chakra."
"We're impressed, but now let us show you something you never counted on!" Naruto declared as the symbiote covered him and he breaks his feet out.
"What the, what is this?" Kurotsuchi asked in shock.
"Meet our other form, Catastrophe!" the symbiote introduced.
"Then I take it you're the one that was said to have killed Orochimaru when he invaded Konoha." Kurotsuchi replied.
"That we were, but that baka is nothing more than a memory," Catastrophe said as he fired spider web strands for the woman but she was a step ahead as she formed a hand sign as earth covered her up forming a dome, "Good move, but it won't protect you!" he called as he slammed down on the dome cracking it open making Kurotsuchi jump back and launched a jet of fire at Catastrophe who back flipped away avoiding the attack.
'This chicks good, you really need to impress her kit, think of the tykes you could have with this one.' Kyubi thought.
'We agree, you can tell she's got a fabulous body, and she probably fucks like a minx!' Catastrophe thought to Naruto as they continued avoiding attacks from Kurotsuchi while attacking back.
'Ok boys we got aroused enough just by looking at her,' Naruto thought to his buddies before snapping back to the fight and continued blocking Kurotsuchi's blows, "You know we could easily break you in half with our strength alone but we have no intention to harm such a beautiful woman and our fiancé nonetheless."
Kurotsuchi blushed from that, but continued blocking moves Catastrophe was using until the Iwa ninja was running low on chakra, "I declare a forfeit."
Catastrophe stopped, "Well what do you think of our abilities?"
Kurotsuchi smirked wiping some dirt off her mouth, "Not bad, you were right I've never seen such abilities like yours before. They're remarkable."
"Thank you, same to your Youton element," Catastrophe said as he powered his head down back to Naruto, "Now then is there anyplace to get something to eat we're starving."
The woman smiled, "Sure let me show you." She started but suddenly found herself on Naruto's back with her arms draped over him.
"Let us give you a ride while you show us." He replied.
"A ride?"
"You'll see," Naruto said as he started web-slinging across the village while Kurotsuchi was hanging on looking down cheering, "We're surprised you're not screaming."
"I'm used to this." Kurotsuchi answered.
"You've web-slinged before?"
"No, but my grandpa has flown me around the village when I was a little girl."
"Your grandpa can fly?" Naruto asked.
"It's one of his abilities."
"Wicked." Naruto replied as the two laughed.
Later on both Naruto and Kurotsuchi were having a bowl of soup outside a restaurant, "Mmm this stuff's really good." Naruto said.
"Glad you like it, special stamina soup for growing ninja." Kurotsuchi explained.
"We're glad we could spend time like this Kuro-chan."
Kurotsuchi blushed upon hearing that, "What'd you call me?"
"Kuro-chan, of course."
"But why would you?"
"Well for one thing it's a hassle saying your full name, plus it's a cute nickname isn't it?" Naruto asked.
The Iwa kunoichi blushed once again, "Yes, it is."
"So then why we don't we start talking about ourselves?" Naruto suggested.
"Well I do want to know more about you like where that power came from, and what your life is like." She admitted.
"Well brace yourself because what we're about it say isn't really a happy one." Naruto said as he started telling Kurotsuchi his tale and she started talking about herself. When both sides of their story were done they felt like they understood each other better.
"I never would've guessed your father was the very man that gave our country so much trouble."
"Surprised us to," Naruto admitted, "But both of us are very similar in a way, we're related to a Kage from our own respected villages, and have a special ability that not many have."
"True," Kurotsuchi said smiling and thought, 'Wow, now that I know him that much he's not a stranger to me anymore. And what he said about his past, so tragic like Han and Roushi yet he still continues to fight for his village even though some still fear him. That's real courage. My kind of guy, even if he is host to some parasite.'
Naruto was also thinking, 'Wow she's even cuter when she smiles. The girls might have fun with her. And with her abilities we'd stand a better chance in taking on the Akatsuki and Dormammu.'
"Naruto can I ask you something?" she asked.
"Yes?"
"How do you feel about this arranged marriage between us?"
Naruto taken aback from what she said answered truthfully, "Well truth be told we didn't expect this to happen. Dad never mentioned anything in his letters about this arranged marriage; we suppose it was something we were supposed to find out on our own. And now that we do know we will say this we wouldn't pick any other Iwa kunoichi if they weren't you, for you are a strong kunoichi and we like them strong."
Kurotsuchi blushed from this compliment, "Well arigato."
"Now how do you feel about this?"
Kurotsuchi took a breath and answered, "Well at first I was against it thinking you were just one of those self absorbed ninjas who only wish to make slaves out of their wives just so they can breed for their family. But after spending this time with you I now see you're nowhere near anything like that. Even though you already have more than one wife it's because you didn't want the council of your village to exploit it for their own reasons. I would feel the same way for my family and heritage. So I guess what I'm trying to say is, Naruto will you make me your bride as the arrangement promised?"
"Kuro-chan," Naruto gasped as he could see the honesty in her eyes and he knew she really wanted it and he smiled, "We will Kuro-chan, it's a promise." He said as the two moved forward until finally their lips met and they engaged in a passionate kiss that lasted two minutes before they parted.
"Wow you Konoha shinobi sure can kiss." She joked.
"Same for you Iwa shinobi. Next time you should use your tongue." Naruto smirked.
"You mean like this?" Kurotsuchi asked clasping his face in her hands and kissed him once again taking his advice by using her tongue forcing him to follow along leading into a heated make out.
When nighttime came, the happy couple returned to the Tsuchikage's office, where Jiraiya and Oonoki waited for them, "Welcome back you two how was your day?" Jiraiya asked.
"It was magnificent." Naruto smiled.
"Really, so then Kurotsuchi what is your answer?" Oonoki asked but had a feeling it was obvious.
"Yes I agree. I would love to marry Naruto, if he'll have me." She smirked at him.
"You want us, you got us." Naruto smirked.
"Splendid," Oonoki clapped his hands, "I'll give Tsunade the message right away." He groaned from his back pain, "Ouch."
"Though you sure you can juggle nine wives Naruto?" Jiraiya smirked as he teased his pupil.
"Oh we'll manage sensei, but the real question is if you can keep yourself from trying to add any of them in your books?" he smirked back making Jiraiya pale knowing it would be hell to pay if any of the girls caught him especially if Tsunade did.
Oonoki turned to his granddaughter, "Well Kurotsuchi I hope you can handle sharing your husband with eight more girls if possibly more."
"Don't worry about me Oji-san. I can handle it." The kunoichi assured her grandfather.
"Well it's getting late and it's too dark to wander around out there," Oonoki told the blonde and old man, "So you may stay with us until morning, so long as you two youngsters don't sneak into each others rooms." He eyes the two younger ninja.
"No problem sir." Naruto assured her.
"Good to see you still have your sense of humor Oji-san, I was afraid you lost it with your age." Kurotsuchi joked.
Oonoki chuckled as their guards show them to their rooms where they slept the night away and when morning came Naruto and Jiraiya were outside the village entrance where Oonoki and Kurotsuchi were seeing them off, "So send us the invitation to the wedding when you get back home when your trip is done." Oonoki ordered Naruto.
"You have our word. And Kuro-chan should we end up getting engaged to more women we'll let you know as well as our other fellow brides."
"See that you do Naruto." Kurotsuchi said as they had one final kiss before they had to part.
"See you later!" Naruto called as he web-slinged off with Jiraiya running after him. As Naruto web-slinged off he thought to himself, 'Things have really started looking up for us.'
(And that's it for now.)