I do not own Naruto, nor Watchmen.
This is the beginning of the changes made to Naruto's world. The changes will grow in size as we go on. Only three chapters left for Part One! I'm very excited, because quality seems to be going up.
Thirty-seven chapters and counting...
Sakumo is in the yard surrounded by dogs when Eddie and Sally come for the monthly barbeque. What started as a chance lunch between three Jounin-sensei (forcing their nine students to eat lunch together at a barbeque grill) has become a bit of a tradition for the nine shinobi of the Sannin generation. As they became adults, they moved the food away from the grill in a restaurant, and to the grill in their backyards.
It's just Team Five this month, because the members of Team Four are all on missions, Jiraiya is off spying, and Tsunade had to call it off for an emergency surgery. Orochimaru is available, but he knows they only invite him out of courtesy.
"I'll leave you boys to it." Sally says to Eddie, heading for the house.
Sakumo has always been a very private person, but lately he's been drifting away from his team. He left for a two-month mission in Sea Country a year ago, and returned married to Sumire Kitoh, a Tea Country civilian.
Sumire is quiet, demure, and fragile in a way Sally and Tsunade will never be. She looks at her husband with a devotion that worries Eddie, because she watches Sakumo not with love, but total and utter hero worship.
She's also pregnant. After so much trouble conceiving, the nauseous moody pregnancy, and delivering Laurie, you'd think she'd be jealous of Sumire, who wears pregnancy well and easily, but instead the two women have bonded over shared tidbits of pregnancy and discussions of children and future children.
Eddie leaves them to their girl-talk, heading towards his former teammate. Sakumo is tending a pug dog with five pups clinging to her belly. Around him, a Siberian husky lays curled on the lawn next to a huge mastiff and a beagle. As Eddie, a Dalmatian raises its head to greet him with wet nose and long, spotted pink tongue lolling in a doggie grin.
If Laurie were here, Eddie thinks, she'd wave her chubby arms and squeal "Puppies!", and toddle towards them. And maybe fall on her face – at four years old she's still getting the hang of balance – which might require a cuddle and a kiss to make things right again. Eddie's still learning not to be embarrassed about showing affection to his child in public, but it must be part and parcel for ninja fathers, learning how to be a good dad and still be badass, and if they can do it he will too. Laurie is currently on a play date with a neighbor's kid, leaving her parents conveniently free for the barbeque.
"Eddie." Sakumo greets, nodding as Eddie plops himself onto the lawn next to the pug-bitch and her pups.
"Hey there, Whitey. Wassup?" Konoha's White Fang makes a face. It's Eddie's pet name for him, ever since Sakumo got his nickname. Eddie has nicknames for everyone, particularly his friends. Jiraiya is 'Gramps.' Orochimaru is 'Hottie', because he still is, and because Eddie is one of the few people who can get under his skin anymore. Tsunade is, inevitably, (but only from a distance) 'Boobs.'
"Kite has a new litter, as you can see. They needed names, so most of them are named, except this little guy." He lifts the sixth pup up from its sprawl on his lap. "He's a talker." Eddie's eyebrows raise, impressed. Most of Sakumo's dogs do not talk, so a new talking summon is very welcome to Eddie, seeing as he can't communicate with the other dogs like Sakumo can.
"Want mum! Want milk!" The little pug squeaks, unimpressed by Eddie's mustached mug.
"I was thinking of naming him Pakkun." Sakumo continues, fondly scratching the puppy under its wrinkled little chin. It makes a happy little 'ooh', and its tail thumps happily.
"Pakkun?" Eddie rolls the name around in his mouth, and decides. "Nah, he's definitely not a Pakkun type. Maybe Bob, or Larry." To the pug dog; "Yeah, you're a Larry, aren't you?"
"Larry!" The puppy says enthusiastically, "Larry! Me Larry!" Sakumo glares at Eddie.
"Yeah. Totally a Larry." Eddie says with satisfaction, his work done.
"Thanks a lot." Sakumo sighs.
I'm feeling ambitious. Can we get two reviews this time?