Hey...
Sorry it took so long to update but at least I did, right?
Right?
Anyway, enjoy the chapter, I'll explain a few things at the bottom...
"The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new."
~Rajneesh
Chapter 3: Tears of an Uzumaki, Blood of a Hyūga...
Don't own anything...
Unconcerned by the wound itself, Kenpachi stared at the slash across his chest before smiling and shifting his gaze towards the blond brat in front of him. Around him and Naruto, the members of the Eleventh Division remained silent, shocked by the seemingly impossible task of cutting their captain. Each had tried at least once to do this task and each one failed and received cuts and slashes of their own from their captain. However this stranger, this child, had managed to draw first blood from their immortal-like, fearless leader.
On top of a wall, a Shinigami watched Naruto waiting patiently, holding his zanpakutō readily for another attack. The little kid intrigued him so much, ever since he first heard about him. A Namikaze was right in his line of sight and he wanted to do nothing more than to take him under his wing. For this Shinigami, having a Namikaze to follow him blindly would make his plans a lot simpler and easier. Seeing the rate of his growth, he knew Naruto could become the ultimate tool for him to use. All he needed to do was seize the opportunity.
A random bystanding Shinigami blinked and looked up at the wall, only to see nothing. He shrugged his shoulders and returned his gaze to the fight.
Ikkaku Madarame, third seat of the Eleventh Division, watched in awe-struck silence as the blond kid waited for Kenpachi to make the next move. He had yet to make his captain bleed and here this kid was, slicing open Kenpachi's skin. No matter how superficial the wound was, the feat itself was nevertheless impressive in every sense of the word. The only other person to make Kenpachi bleed was a hot-headed, red head woman on their team.
"Ikkaku!" Speak of the devil. "What the hell's going on?" Kushina asked.
"You have improved kid, I'll give you that. But that's not going to save you from me!" Kenpachi said as he headed for Naruto.
"Tch, some brat challenged Kenpachi to a fight last year. I don't know the details but this fight is happening because of what happened last year... while you were away." He answered without facing the woman. His eyes were the only thing looking at her but after that, they moved back to the fight. Kushina just stared at him before also giving her attention to her son and captain.
'Why are you here, Naruto?' Kushina thought desperately as she saw Naruto prepare himself for Kenpachi who decided to make the next move.
Over him like a snake over a mouse, Kenpachi brought out his sword and swung down in a single motion. Naruto blocked it and found that the weight on his zanpakutō was more than he thought it'd be. It was almost too much to bear but then the weight seemed to become lighter and Naruto found the strength to push back. Unknown to Naruto, his zanpakutō's spirit pumped his spiritual energy into the blade to help Naruto match the strength of Kenpachi's zanpakutō.
Kenpachi, smirking wickedly, now felt a sensation wash over him that he hasn't felt since his fight with a certain red haired woman. He felt like this kid would give him a run for his money. Maybe not now but should he survive the hardships that being a Shinigami came with, he would be a worthy sparring partner and an even better subordinate.
"You got a lot of tricks to pull out of that bag of yours, eh Namikaze?" Kenpachi shouted in glee as Naruto back-flipped away as Kenpachi raised his zanpakutō to bring it down on him again. When Kenpachi's zanpakutō hit the ground, it shook the ground with tremendous force, making everyone lose their balance. Everyone but Naruto who landed on all fours with his zanpakutō in his right hand. He stood up and fell back into his stance.
"Not in the mood to speak?" Kenpachi asked but Naruto didn't answer. Kushina hoped he would talk, just so she could hear her son talk for the first time since his birth. Adamant to keep his indifferent and powerful appearance, Naruto refrained from saying anything. "That's fine with me." Kenpachi ran to Naruto and Naruto rushed past him. Kenpachi tried to cut his head off but Naruto ducked a second earlier and saved his head from watching his body run away from it.
Naruto stopped at the edge of the crowd and continued running in a different direction. He continued this method; running to the edge of the crowd before running in another direction until he picked up speed and it appeared like there were three Naruto's running around Kenpachi.
"..." Kenpachi watched in interest as the three Narutos suddenly stopped and then ran towards him. He eyed the one nearest him and struck it with his zanpakutō. It faded away like a hologram and Kenpachi's eyes narrowed. He turned quickly and grabbed the Naruto in the air by his neck. This one let out a choking sound as he was held in the air by Kenpachi's left hand.
The third Naruto was also in midair but because it was not the original, it faded away when Kenpachi used his zanpakutō to slice 'Naruto' in half.
"Interesting tactic kid; sneaky, clever." Kenpachi complimented as Naruto struggled to free himself. For the first time since the match started, Kenpachi frowned. "In my division, we fight head on, no tricks, no strategy. Just good, old fashion fighting and killing if necessary." Kenpachi dropped Naruto and he moved away from Kenpachi. Standing tall with his chest puffed out and his eyes as cold and hard as ice, Kenpachi towered over Naruto.
"If you want to join this division, that's something you gotta remember." Kenpachi said and his sinister smirk returned as he gripped his zanpakutō with his right hand. "Now stand up, we're not done here." Out of all the things Kenpachi expected Naruto to do, smirking victoriously and sheathing his zanpakutō was not one of them.
"Actually, I finished a while ago." Naruto finally said and Kushina couldn't help but smile at hearing her child's voice.
"What?" Kenpachi asked in a voice that dared Naruto to defy him.
"You set up the rules, not me." Naruto said defensively. "'A scratch, I win; no scratch, I lose' those were my exact words and you agreed." Pointing to the slash Naruto gave Kenpachi on his chest, Naruto smirked. "I'm no doctor and don't really want to be one, but I'm going to say that's no boo-boo; that's a grade A cut, much worse than a scratch." Naruto explained and Kenpachi scoffed.
"Do you think I care? Fine, you won the bet but kid, you're way too much fun." Kenpachi said. "With Uzumaki and Namikaze blood flowing through your veins, even now, in your young age, you're a lot of fun. So fine, you're in, welcome to the Eleventh Division and blah blah blah. Now, let me show you how we welcome new members into the division." Before Kenpachi could do anything else, he lifted his left hand up and grabbed a zanpakutō that almost hit his chest.
Naruto raised an eyebrow at seeing some random woman come out of nowhere and stop the beast of a man from attacking him.
"That's enough." Kushina told Kenpachi as he smirked at her after registering the zanpakutō.
"Kushina, what timing." Kenpachi taunted and she grunted as she freed her zanpakutō from Kenpachi's grasp.
"What exactly do you think you're doing?" She asked and Kenpachi chuckled.
"What's it look like? Messing with the new kid." Kenpachi answered as if it was the most obvious thing in Soul Society.
"You know damn well who he is." Kenpachi smirked as he enjoyed watching some fight light up in someone's eyes.
"I had an idea." Kenpachi teased and Kushina kicked his back.
"Then why?" She asked.
"I want you to fight me again." Kenpachi said and Kushina scoffed.
"That's not gonna happen." She declined but Kenpachi chuckled.
"Don't I get a say in this?" Naruto asked and Kushina and Kenpachi stared at him. "I mean, no offense lady but this isn't your fight." Naruto said as he eyed Kushina oddly.
"Who are you anyway?" Naruto asked and Kushina was hurt by his words even though she expected them. Having died before he had a conscious thought, she knew he probably wouldn't even know she existed as Kushina Uzumaki, former Uzushiogakure shinobi, once Konohagakure shinobi, wife of the Fourth Hokage and loving, caring mother. He would probably remember her as the no good mother that abandoned him for a reason that he did not want to think about for fear of crying.
Still, in the years she spent in Soul Society, she had thought about what she would say to him should she ever see him again, she practiced and rehearsed it over the time span of nine years but now, when it really counted, she had no words to speak to her son. The pain and anguish she felt since being separated from her baby boy had been bubbling up in her stomach since she laid eyes on him. Now, it crawled up her throat and refused to move from its position.
It didn't even matter to her that she couldn't speak anymore, no words would be able to justify her actions, justify her for leaving her first and only child alone in the cold world of constant fighting and war. Knowing the kind of life a jinchuuriki had, having experienced it herself, she guessed that Naruto had little to no friends and probably no one to look out for him. Tears swelled in her eyes as she imagined all the cold nights he probably spent crying over his unknown heritage, wondering if his parents left because of the beast sealed inside him or just because of him, or if they were alive or dead. Maybe even going so far as to think he was the beast he contained inside. She wasn't sure if he was consciously aware of the beast that was sealed inside him or that was when he was alive but either way, he would feel like an outsider in his own village.
He looked so much like Minato but considering how he was acting, he was a perfect blend of Minato's self-control and cleverness and her impatience and lust for a good battle. She wiped a tear from her eyes and shook her head. She still had no idea what she was going to say to him but whatever came out of her mouth, she hoped it would be fitting.
"I didn't know you were soft, Uzumaki." Kenpachi said, making Naruto growled at him because he thought Kenpachi was talking about him. Before he could retort, however, Kushina kicked Kenpachi in his sternum and drop kicked him in the face. She landed with a graceful back-flip and stood a few feet in front of Naruto. He stared at the back of her head as the momentum her red hair had came to a halt.
"Why do you keep defending me?" Naruto asked in irritation. "I've perfectly fine standing up for myself. I've been doing it my entire life!" Naruto shouted. Kushina turned to face Naruto and Naruto expected to see an angry face but shocked when he saw her tears. He could barely breath when she dropped her zanpakutō, fell to her knees and hugged him. His cobalt eyes widened in shock at feeling this woman hug him. She smelled like peaches and her skin was soft. He felt her tighten the hug and also bring him closer to her. His now moist shoulder remained ignored as he processed the situation he was in.
'Spirit, what's happening?' Naruto asked his zanpakutō's spirit but he received no reply. Inside his mindscape, the blond man was holding back his tears. While he did fuse with the Kyūbi to become this new entity living in Naruto's zanpakutō, Minato's memories and emotions have remained. In fact, because of the Kyūbi really only being a mass of chakra with an animalistic brain that retained some intelligence while in its former jinchuuriki, Minato was able to retain control of the brain. The upgraded body and power was all thanks to the Kyūbi but all the thinking going on was his doing.
Once in a while he could feel the anger and frustration the Kyūbi obtained during his life span inside the Uzumaki clan's multiple jinchuuriki but with a little meditation and will power, he was able to subdue it for another time. He had wandered in Naruto's mind before, to make sure the Kyūbi would not be a problem in the future but he couldn't help but feel like the Kyūbi would rear its ugly head again. Not soon but someday.
'We failed him Kushina.' The man thought, having seen Naruto's memories during his exploration of Naruto's mind. A single tear escaped and slithered down his left cheek.
Outside his mindscape, Naruto gently pushed the woman off his so he could see her face. Studying her face, Naruto couldn't help but feel some sort of connection to her. He wasn't sure what it was, whether good or bad, but he knew he had a connection with this woman and was familiar with her. Still, he couldn't help but feel sorry for her.
She pulled away from the hug and surprised him again by smiling warmly at him; the kind of smile that mothers usually reserve for thier child.
"Naruto. You're so big." Kushina finally said and Naruto's eyes narrowed.
"How do you know my name?" Naruto asked her, her smile never wavering.
"Because... I'm your mother." Naruto's eyes widened and stared at Kushina with his mouth agape. Spirit shook his head.
'Wrong move, Kushina.' Expecting Naruto to tear up and hug her back, she was disappointed and shocked when he slumped his head and shoulders forward and began to chuckle.
'Did I miss something?' She thought, a bit hurt by his spontaneous laughter. Naruto wiped of a tear and took a step back from the woman. He brushed off her hands and let out a sigh.
"That was a good one." Naruto said with a smile. He shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest. "As far as jokes go, that was a good one." Kushina felt more tears fill her eyes.
"This isn't a joke." She said, her temper starting to get the better of her. Naruto blinked.
"Calm down, lady. Jokes over. It's a bit of a touchy subject but no harm, no foul." Naruto told her but she shook her head.
"We should leave." Nemu said and Yachiru nodded her head slowly.
"You going to move?" Yachiru asked and Nemu said nothing as they and others stayed and watched Naruto try to calm the crying Kushina.
"Why don't you believe me?" Kushina asked him and Naruto frowned.
"Just drop the subject." Naruto said as he tried to turn and walk away but couldn't when Kushina held on to his right arm.
"Tell me!" Kushina shouted in anger. Naruto kept looking away, refusing to meet with her eyes. He held back his tears as his mind wandered to a memory. His fist clenched and his stomach turning, Naruto felt like lashing out at someone. He never would hurt a woman if he could help it but Kushina was pushing his buttons like no other.
"What do you care?" Naruto asked, his head leaning forward. His eyes were covered by his bangs but Kushina knew he was looking at him.
"Because I'm your mother an-"
"SHUT UP!" Naruto yelled loudly, interrupting Kushina. Everyone contained their breaths in their throats as an awkward silence shrouded the room. Naruto raised his head and glared at his mother. She gasped at seeing his pupil become a slit and his beautiful cobalt eyes shift to a stormy crimson color. His slit pupils thickened as he barred his teeth and tried to contain his anger.
"Don't ever joke around like that!" Naruto warned her. "I have no mother." Naruto said as he looked away.
"W-Wh-"
"Even if I had a mother... she abandoned me years ago. That goes double for my father." Naruto told her before snatching his arm away from Kushina's grip. Spirit flinched. "Wherever she is, she and my father are having a great life without me and that's fine with me." Naruto started to walk away. He stopped at the edge of the crowd and waited for them to part. When they shifted out of his way, he walked out of the barracks. Suki saw him walk out of barracks and ran into the dojo. She saw Kushina still on her knees and ran to her side.
"Are you ok?" Suki asked but Kushina just stood and used shunpo to leave the dojo. Kenpachi scoffed and walked away.
"That was troublesome." He stated. Yachiru blinked before smiling and running after Kenpachi.
"Wait up Kenny!" Suki watched as everyone else started to leave and decided to go look for Kushina.
Not watching where he was going, Naruto bumped into someone and fell back. He rubbed his butt and mumbled incoherent words before looking up and seeing a Shinigami pick up papers he dropped.
"Watch where you're going." Naruto said as he stood and glared at the Shinigami, taking in his appearance. He appeared as a mild-featured man with brown scholarly hair enhanced by square glasses. He wore the standard Shinigami uniform with a captain's haori. The Shinigami looked up at Naruto and smiled. Naruto felt Spirit's discomfort and paranoia of the man in front of them but he moved it to the back of his mind.
"I'm sorry but I'm sort of in a hurry." He said and Naruto scoffed.
"Me too." Naruto said and the man blinked.
"What's wrong?" He asked and Naruto shook his head.
"It's nothing." Naruto told him but the man smiled.
"It's good to let somethings out, even if you don't know the person." Naruto blinked.
"What's your name?" He asked and the man closed his eyes and Naruto saw that his smile was sincere.
"Sōsuke Aizen, captain of the 5th Division in the Gotei 13." He answered and Naruto eyed him again.
"Nice to meet you." Naruto put up a fake smile and walked past Aizen, not bothering to back at him.
"I would like some help with this." He said and Naruto sighed.
"Sorry, too busy." Naruto replied back and stopped when Aizen appeared in front of him using shunpo.
"I would really appreciate your help." Naruto cocked an eyebrow but Aizen never stopped smiling. "Don't make me use the captain card." Naruto sweat dropped.
*.*
"Thanks again for helping me." Aizen told Naruto as he stepped into his office in the Fifth Division's barracks. Naruto walked behind him with a huge stack of papers that easily overshadowed him.
"Yeah well..." Naruto said as he dropped the papers on Aizen's desk and panted. For pieces of paper, they were pretty heavy.
"I'll be honest with you, Uzumaki-san, there is another reason I asked for your help." Naruto nodded his head, letting Aizen know he was listening. "I wanted to help you." Aizen told him and Naruto sighed.
"Look, I appreciate it but I don't need it." Naruto said and bowed. "Now if you don't need anything else..."
"Pardon my intrusion but why were you so harsh to that woman?" Aizen asked and Naruto stared at him oddly.
"How-?"
"I could hear from outside the barracks." Aizen informed him and Naruto felt an odd feeling about Aizen. His instincts told him to be careful with this man and Naruto was going to do just that.
"I just had some issues before I... died." He answered Aizen's questions with some hesitance.
"What happened?" Aizen asked.
"I... I lived alone. I don't know what happened to my mom or dad and I don't care." Naruto said as he crossed his arms over his chest. No matter how many times Spirit had heard that, he would always feel a pang of remorse hit his heart.
"I'm sorry to hear that. It must have been a lonely life." Aizen consoled and Naruto shrugged his shoulders.
"Yeah but not completely." He replied nonchalantly and Aizen raised a eyebrow.
"So you had some companionship?" He asked and Naruto nodded his head. "Anyone special?" He asked again and Naruto blushed.
'Well, there was Hinata-chan...' Spirit chuckled, having seen that memory.
"I can see by your blush that you had a significant other." Naruto's blush darkened and spread from his ears to his neck.
"N-N-No." Naruto denied and Aizen blinked, obviously confused.
"Oh? Then what is it that makes you blush?" Naruto shook away his blush.
"It was a friend I had. She was very nice to me." Naruto smiled fondly at the memory. "She means a lot to me."
"What was she like?" Aizen asked. Naruto would've normally found this question suspicious but he was too enthralled by his memory of Hinata.
"She had short indigo hair and pretty lavender eyes. She was nice, shy and I could tell she'd never leave a friend behind." Naruto smiled goofily. "In short, she was the best!" Naruto cheered and Aizen's eyes narrowed slightly as he smirked.
"I see." Not a second later, the door open and another captain entered the room. Naruto turned and saw that this captain had dark skin and dark brown braids. He had pupil-less eyes that were a pale lavender – almost white in comparison to Hinata's in Naruto's opinion – and were behind a pair of goggle-looking glasses.
"I'm sorry, I hope I'm not interrupting anything." The captain said and Naruto shook his head.
"I was just leaving." Naruto said as he walked towards the door.
"Uzumaki-san." Naruto stopped at the threshold on the door. He turned and saw the smile Aizen had on. For some reason, Naruto felt disturbed by it. "If you'd like to talk again, you know where my office is." Naruto gulped and nodded his head before leaving. He closed the door behind him and the dark skinned captain faced Aizen.
"Was that the Namikaze?" Aizen nodded. "What was he doing here?"
"I needed his help and he offered his services." Aizen answered and the man cocked an eyebrow. "By the way, Tōsen, I need your help in something." Tōsen nodded his head obediently.
"What is it, Aizen-sama?" He asked and Aizen smirked as he removed his glasses to wipe the lenses with his shirt.
"I need you to go get someone for me."
*.*
Naruto sat with his knees in his chest and his arms wrapped around his legs under a white tree not too far away from the hill he fell off of a year ago. Surrounded by the serene white trees and occasional soft breeze, Naruto was able to calm himself before he burst into tears after thinking about his mostly lonely life in Konoha. A couple of tears strayed from his eyes but it wasn't a lot.
"That's wasn't funny. She pushed it too far. What do you think, Spirit?" Naruto asked Spirit as he could feel his zanpakutō pulse and suddenly, in front of him sat Spirit. His blond hair seemed brighter out in the real world. His black hakama pants and trench coat didn't seem affected by the wind but for some reason, his hair shifted once in a while from the breeze.
"I think you were a little harsh, to be honest." He answered and Naruto scoffed. Naruto wasn't worried about anyone overhearing them; they'd only be able to hear his voice. As far as everyone was concerned, Naruto was just being a little kid and talking to his imaginary friend.
"Who asked you anyway?" Naruto grumbled and Spirit chuckled. Naruto stared at the ground somberly. Spirit noticed his solemn mood and shifted his body to the left of Naruto.
"What's on your mind?" Spirit asked and Naruto sighed.
"What... what if she's really my mom? What should I do?" He asked and looked up at Spirit. He only looked away.
"I don't know. I can't answer that." He then stared into Naruto's cerulean eyes. "Only you can truly answer that. What would you do if you found out she really is your mother?" Naruto looked at his feet, finding a sudden interest in them. He shook his head after thinking it over.
"I don't know. Can I really forgive her?" Naruto said and looked at Spirit for guidance. Alas, his blue eyes were covered by his eyelids; thinking passively. Naruto decided to do as his spirit and closed his eyes, taking deep, even breaths. He evened out his breathing and felt his body relax.
"Clear your mind." Naruto heard a rough voice say. "Let your mind wander; forget about the trivial things and relax." Naruto did as he was told, feeling his mind wander into the depths of his consciousness.
Silence.
Nothing was heard except for the soft sounds of leaves rustling from the wind. The day blushed; red tint painted over the once blue sky. The opposite side of the sky was shaded a beautiful indigo color with the stars decorating its unique and intriguing beauty. Whatever animal resided in the white forest remained silent, also admiring the transition from day to night in silence. The moon had yet to make its appearance but soon enough it would take center stage once more.
Naruto sniffed the air and smelled the pleasant aroma of peaches and nature mixed into his nose. Naruto sighed.
"You found me." He said as Kushina walked up to him, watching him carefully.
"It wasn't that easy; you're pretty fast." She told him and Naruto smirked, his eyes still closed.
"I get that a lot." Naruto stated. "So what do you want?" He asked somberly.
"I just wanted to talk to you." She said as she stood a few feet in front of him. She stared down at him, watching him, taking in his image.
'He looks so much like Minato, it's scary.' She thought and Naruto popped open his left eye. His cobalt eyes moved up and connected with Kushina's gray-violet eyes.
"A picture lasts longer, ttebayo." Naruto said and Kushina sweat dropped.
'But he acts like me. And that catchphrase.' Kushina smiled softly. 'He's definitely my kid.'
"So, what's on your mind?" Naruto asked as he leaned back and let his back rest on the tree. Kushina sat in the lotus position, facing him.
"Why don't you believe me?" She asked, knowing subtlety wasn't her strongest suit so she decided not to beat around the bush. Naruto sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck with his right hand.
"This again. Look, I don't believe you for many reasons. Don't take it personally, I just have the horrible habit of not completely trusting strangers." Naruto told her.
"But I am your mother." Kushina insisted and Naruto groaned.
"Look... uhm...?"
"Kushina."
"Right. I find it hard to believe that after nine years of living on my own, I'd run into my own mother in this place. Whatever this place is. My mind is still having trouble accepting all this new stuff." Naruto said calmly, hoping to drive the insane woman away but she was a lot more hardheaded than most.
"How can I prove to you that I'm your mother?" Kushina asked and Naruto hummed to himself after considering her question.
"What's my name?" He asked.
"Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze." Kushina answered right away.
'Why does everyone keep saying that?' He angrily thought. "What's my favorite food?"
Kushina hesitated.
"Ramen?" Naruto eyed her suspiciously.
"...lucky guess..." He said and Kushina giggled. For some reason, Naruto liked the sound of Kushina giggling. It gave him a fuzzy feeling but he decided to investigate it later. "What's my favorite flavor?" He asked and watched as Kushina took more time to answer this question.
"Miso... miso." Spirit chanted and Naruto glared at him.
"Who's side are you on?" Naruto asked and Spirit smiled and shrugged his shoulders.
"Not like she can here me." He retorted and Naruto scoffed. Lucky for him, Kushina was too busy thinking to notice Naruto talking to the air.
"I like salt ramen the most so... salt ramen?" She answered, a little unsure. Naruto smirked.
"Nope, miso." Kushina sighed and hung her head in disappointment.
'He has Minato's taste.' She thought.
"Looks like you got that one wrong." Kushina looked back up and glared.
"I'm only human." She said and Naruto shrugged his shoulders. "Ask me another question." She demanded and Naruto searched his mind for another question.
"Alright, alright, hold on." He put his left hand over his mouth and hummed. "If you really are my mom, you'd know my favorite hobby." Kushina pouted.
"Well that's not really fair. It's not like I've known you all my life. All I know is that you're my kid." She informed him and Naruto scoffed.
"If I was really your kid, you'd know my favorite hobby. What was your favorite hobby?" He asked and Kushina beamed.
"Pulling pranks, of course." Naruto stared at her incredulously. She closed her left eye and grabbed her right bicep with her left hand while keeping her right hand up. "No one could pull a prank better than I could." She told him with pride and Naruto couldn't stop the smile from gracing his lips.
"I bet I could." He challenged and he saw that she was intrigued by his challenge. He frowned and shook his head.
"Next question: where was I born?" He asked and Kushina blinked.
"Konohagakure." She answered easily.
"When was I born?" He asked again.
"October the tenth."
"Day or night?"
"Night."
"Really?" He asked and she nodded. He shook his head again; he had no solid reason to believe this woman. Well... she did know the answers to most of his questions and she did seem sincere.
"How did I get these?" He pointed to the three whisker marks on his cheeks.
"Birthmark." She answered and Naruto could see no reason not to believe this woman. His instincts told him to trust her, she showed no deception in her words or body language and she acted just like he did. If she was his mother, then her reaction should be predictable by his next question. His heart weakened at the question and he honestly didn't want to ask because he felt vulnerable for asking but he knew he had to.
"...why did you leave me alone?" He asked seriously and Kushina was thrown off by its suddenness. She frowned sadly and looked down.
"I didn't want to." She said and felt herself biting her tongue to fight back the tears.
"If you were really my mom, why did you leave me in Konoha... alone?" Naruto asked sadly, almost desperate. His needy blue eyes broke Kushina down and she let a tear fall.
"I didn't have a choice." She told him and wiped away the tear. "You were in danger and if it wasn't for your father, all three of us would be dead." Naruto's eyes widened.
"I sacrificed myself, your father sacrificed himself as well to make sure you lived on." She said as she moved closer and gently held his left cheek. She smiled warmly as more tears accumulated in her eyes. "You look so much like him but you act like me." She reclaimed her hand and clenched it tightly, placing it over her chest. "I'm so sorry."
"I..." Naruto stopped as he watched his mother sob. She looked away, she didn't want her son to see her cry. She felt embarrassed for crying in front of him; he deserved a stronger mom, something she couldn't be at the moment. Her eyes sprang open when she felt Naruto hug her. Tears moistened her left shoulder when he rested his head on her shoulder.
"I believe you." He said and Kushina smiled and hugged him back.
"My baby boy." Naruto chuckled through his tears.
"That's embarrassing." He said and Kushina giggled.
"Get used to it." She ordered and Naruto shook his head.
"Eventually." They laughed once more and after holding each other for a moment longer, they wiped their tears and Naruto eagerly asked her about her life. As she told him her stories, he kept a goofy smile laced in his mouth that reminded her of Minato.
'I wish you were here with us, Minato-kun.' She thought.
'After all these years... I finally have a mom.' Naruto said to himself as he laughed at a joke Kushina told him. After talking throughout the night, Naruto laid his head against Kushina's shoulder and slept soundlessly. Kushina sleepily watched him and smiled. She was glad to have her child back in her arms and to have a chance to be in his life. She had nine years to make up for and she wasn't about to let a single moment go to waste.
Finally, her eyes become to heavy to keep up and she allowed sleep to consume her.
[*.*.*.*]
On top of the Yondaimes's head, Jiraiya stared down at the village as it slept soundlessly. The night air was fresh and smelled of trees. Not a single soul wandered the village at this time and it was exactly what Jiraiya was hoping for.
He was only in the village to make sure they didn't make another stupid mistake that would potential make him consider his loyalty. He sighed and closed his eyes, taking in the night air.
"If I had done something... if anyone had done anything, maybe he would be alive today." Jiraiya said to no one.
"You think so?" He wasn't surprised when he heard the smooth and sultry voice of Konoha's Hokage. It's been an hour since he's been in Konoha, he was more surprised she hadn't found him earlier.
"I honestly do." He assured her and Tsunade scoffed. He turned and met her gaze. "We could've protected him."
"Tch, maybe. Considering that I'm a drunken gambler with the worst luck in the world and you're a lecherous perv that's always chasing tail, I doubt there's much we could've protected him from."
"Orochimaru wouldn't have touched him." He mumbled and Tsunade sighed.
"That's the past; you should learn how to let go." She advised him and he stood and faced her.
"Me? Let go of the past? That's a laugh coming from you." He barked and Tsunade glared at him.
"I'm just saying-"
"And I'm just saying that you should take your own advice." Jiraiya said coldly and Tsunade looked away.
"I know. I'm working on that." Jiraiya scoffed. "But you know I'm right." He looked away, not acknowledging her statement.
"I just feel like we let Minato and Kushina down." Tsunade frowned and stood a few inches away from him.
"You're not Jiraiya." Jiraiya blinked. "You're not the same Jiraiya I knew when we were kids. You're too pessimistic." Jiraiya shook his head at her statement. "What happened to him?" She asked sadly.
"He died... along with Naruto." He told her.
"He can't die. As long as he has someone to care for, he can't die." She insisted. She had to get through to him; sadness and sorrow didn't look good on him in her opinion.
"Who do I have to care for that's still alive?" He shouted, meeting her eyes with his and soon regretting it. He saw pain shroud over her beautiful brown eyes and he wished he could take his words back.
"I see." She took a step back.
"I didn't mean it like that." He reached out for her arms but she pulled them back. "You know I care about you. I'm crazy about you." He told her with a sincere smile.
"So what did you mean?" She asked him, her eyes pleading for his answer.
"I... I don't know." He grabbed her waist and pulled her closer. "All I know is that I care for you."
"Really?" She asked and he nodded his head. She smirked as she tilted her head back and leaned on him. Her lips only a hair's length away from him. "Then show me." She whispered, sending chills down his spine. His lips faintly touched hers before he he pulled them back.
"I'm sorry... I'm not good enough." Tsunade looked crestfallen. "Not yet. But soon, I'll come back and make you mine." His arm lingered at her waist before letting her go and walking to the edge of the Yondaime's head. He turned and smiled at her. "Will you wait for me?" He asked.
"I don't know... my heart's been through a lot as it is." She answered honestly. Besides the Sandaime, Jiraiya was the only person alive she cared for and if anything happened to him...
"Fair enough." He turned and faced the village again. "When I come back, I'll have hopefully redeemed myself. And then I could make you mine forever." He waved at her without turning.
"So long, Tsunade-hime." He jumped off the ledge and after landing gracefully, he headed for the gates. While on his way, he noticed a young girl practicing on her taijutsu. He knew her from Naruto's funeral, the Hyūga heiress. He wanted to help her but he wanted to leave the village more and he whispered a soft 'good luck' and left.
Tsunade watched him leave with a smile and a tear trickling down her cheek.
"Baka, I already belong to you." She walked back to the office without hurry. Leisurely, she walked down the steps and wiped away her tears. "We were just to stupid to see that."
As she saw the Hokage's tower come into view, she heard a faint and soft grunt come from somewhere in the training grounds. Normally, she wouldn't have cared who was out there but for some reason, she was curious. She walked into the forest and followed the sound of someone grunting until she stood at the edge of training grounds thirteen, watching a young girl continuously hitting a log. If Tsunade didn't know any better, she'd say she was using the Hyūga clan's trademark fighting style.
She wore a dark colored shirt and pants with blue shinobi shoes. She seemed to be breathing hard and was close to fainting from exhaustion. Tsunade leaned against a tree as she watched the girl stop to take a break and pick up a bottle from the side of the log. From under the moonlight, Tsunade saw a dark liquid on the girl's knuckles and on her palm.
Soon, the girl turned her head slightly and Tsunade saw her lavender, pupil-less eyes and knew she was looking at the Hyūga heiress. She cocked and eyebrow as saw Hinata hang her head forward with her eyes closed. Unbeknownst to either of the women, a second pair of eyes were watching Hinata.
"I still miss you, Naruto-kun." She said and Tsunade was surprised to here this and smiled softly."It's hard to get stronger for you but I'm not giving up."
Tsunade smiled and walked away, deciding to call the girl up tomorrow and have the girl train under her so she could help her become stronger. Unknown to her, Hinata would soon become stronger than anyone had ever imagined because lurking in the shadows, a creature watched the Hyūga girl and smirked. It snapped its fingers and the indigo sky cracked until a piece fell. From the missing piece, a white mask looked through the piece and stretched it open and cried out. It forced the opening wider to allow its body to enter the new world.
Hinata flinched and looked around, wondering what on Earth could create such a horrible and terrifying cry. Her eyes landed on the humongous beast a few yards to her left. It was at least five stories high and had a white mask with an elongated nose. It was covered from head to toe with a black covering reminiscent of a cloak. Around its neck its was a row of thin white spikes. It had large, pointed feet wrapped in white bandages and all in all, Hinata was terrified.
Half a mile away from her spot, two Shinigami froze as they saw a Menos pop out of nowhere and cry into the night.
"A Menos?" One of the two shouted in fear. The second almost dropped his zanpakutō.
"Call for back up!" The first shouted before running towards the Menos. The second nodded and took out his phone.
[*.*.*.*]
Kushina opened her eyes when she sensed someone near. She turned slightly to the left and soon saw Ikkaku appear.
"What do you want?" She asked and looked at the sky. "Dawn's not supposed to come up for about another hour or so."
"A mission's come up." He said and she scoffed.
"I don't care, ask someone else to do it." She answered and Ikkaku smirked.
"I've been told it involves your old home." Kushina's eyes widened.
"Konoha?" She asked and Ikkaku nodded his head. She bit her bottom lip before looking at her son who was still asleep.
"Come on." She said as she got up with Naruto in her arms. They used shunpo to leave the forest and end up outside the Eleventh Division's barracks. There, she saw Yumichika waiting for them.
"We're going to be late." He said and Kushina scowled at him.
"Let me put my son to bed and then we'll go." She said but before she could move, Naruto jumped out of her arms and stretched.
"I don't think so." He said and yawned. "I miss Konoha." He told her. "I'm going." His blue eyes connected to hers to show he was serious.
"It's too risky." She said and Naruto raised an eyebrow.
"You don't even know what the mission is." Naruto said and Kusihna sweat dropped and looked at Ikkaku. He just sighed.
"We got a call from team 10 saying that there was a Menos attacking." Kushina's eyes widened.
"A Menos? Well there you go, too dangerous." Ikkaku grunted.
"There's something else." Yumichika added and Kushina blinked.
"Apparently, there's another Hollow with it... however..." Ikkaku paused as he thought over his next words. "The second Hollow... is no ordinary Hollow." Kushina raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean?"
"Come on, we don't have much time!" Ikkaku shouted impatiently as he stabbed the air with his zanpakutō, causing a vertical line to appear and spread out, causing a sliding door to appear. Summoning three Hell Butterflies, Yumichika and Ikkaku jumped through the Senkaimon. Before Kushina could tell him anything, Naruto jumped through the door, his chuckle could be heard echoing.
"Damn it, Naruto." She mumbled as she followed after them.
[*.*.*.*]
Hinata looked up at the beast with wide eyes and felt her body shake with fear. The beast, sensing something under it, looked down and saw a small meal. Hinata tried to run but her body refused to listen; she tried to scream but her throat was clogged by her fear. The Menos bent down with its mouth open, ready to devour her and finally, Hinata felt her legs respond to her brain's commands as she jumped out of the way.
She rolled and stopped to see the Menos growl at not having its meal in its mouth. Relocating its prey, the Menos dove in for its second attempt. It moved faster than Hinata could and she knew she was doomed. Closing her eyes, she hoped her death would be painless.
'Naruto-kun... I'm coming, Naruto-kun...' She thought. After a few second, she felt nothing and when she opened her eyes, she was surprised to see that the beast was being held back by a man in a white shitagi, a black kosode, a black hakama, a white hakama-himo, white tabi, and waraji. He was using a katana to hold the beast back but he was struggling.
"A-Are you ok?" The man tensed and looked back.
"You... You can see me?" He asked and Hinata nodded his head. "Well if you can hear me too, run!" He shouted and Hinata nodded before hesitantly running off. Her legs gave away before she left the clearing and she fell on her right side. She looked back and saw that the man forced the giant beast to the side and let it hit the ground while he jumped in the opposite direction.
A second later, a second man in the same uniform appeared by the first's side.
"We should end this quickly." The first said and the second nodded his head. As the Menos raised it head, the two fell into a fighting position with their katana and jumped high into the sky. Hinata watched in awe-struck silence; never had she seen someone jump that high. They struck the beast multiple times before it bellowed in pain. The first Shinigami jumped over it head and prepared to strike down the Menos but was surprised when a red light shined from its mouth.
"Raiku! Look out!" The second shouted as the Menos opened its mouth and evaporated the Shinigami with a cero. Hinata's eyes widened as she watched the Shinigami get obliterated.
"Bastard!" The second shouted in anger as he raised his Spiritual Pressure and swung at the Menos's mask. The Menos roared in pain again before moving back and grabbing the sky like a blanket. It wrapped it around its body before disappearing. The surviving Shinigami clenched his teeth in anger in losing his friend. He wished he had the strength to completely annihilate the Menos but he knew he had to settle with hurting it.
He turned to look at Hinata and sighed. Hinata was about to say something when she saw another man suddenly appear behind the Shinigami. The Shinigami realized there was someone behind him and when he turned, he received a hand through his chest.
"AH!" Hinata shouted as she watched the Shinigami stare at the man with vacant eyes before collapsing and hitting the ground with a dull thud. The man shook his head, removing the Shinigami's blood from his right hand.
The man remind Hinata of a prowling jackal, with his attentive eyes and sharp posture. He had slanted black eyes that were like two drops of oil. His thick, wavy, brick-red hair was worn in a style that reminded her of a fluttering flag. He was about the size of an average man and had a graceful build. His skin was deeply-tanned but on his forehead was something that looked like a fragment of a skull. He turned his onyx eyes towards Hinata and smiled.
Hiding in the trees, a figure frowned and took out a small bottle from its pocket.
'I have no choice but to use it.' The figure thought as it drank the contents of the small bottle.
"You." He raised his hand and pointed his bloody finger at her. Hinata, still frozen stiff from the man's kill, showed no outward expression except for shock and fear. "Hey!" Hinata blinked repeatedly and locked eyes with the man. "You're coming with me." Hinata gasped and watched as some kind of energy bolted from his open palm and entered her mouth. The blue stream felt like a sort of liquid as it traveled own her throat and she then lost consciousness. Her body fell to the ground as the blue stream of energy suddenly enveloped her. He chuckled as he closed his hand and the blue stream pulled something from her mouth.
Hinata slowly opened her eyes as she felt herself start to wake up. She sprang up as she saw the man have both hands on his side, smirking at her. She was confused, remembering that he had done something to her but she didn't feel any different. She looked around.
"W-Wha-?" She was surprised to see her body laying unconscious next to her. She raised her hands to her chest and felt something cold. She shifted her gaze down and saw a chain connected to her chest.
"Don't make this anymore diff-" The man stopped short when he felt a presence near.
"Hadō #31: Shakkahō." The man frowned and jumped back, avoiding getting hit by a red ball of energy. Both looked in the directing in which the attack came from and saw a figure standing in the darkness. Hinata noticed the figure was wearing the same attire the now dead men once wore.
"Leave her alone" The person said and Hinata's eyes widened.
'That voice... it can't be.' Her heart ran at a thousand miles per hour as the person stepped out of the darkness. The man scoffed and put his hands in his pockets.
"And what if I don't?" He asked, challenging the person who interrupted his mission. He saw that it was a woman and felt his worry lessen. He wanted to laugh for actually worrying about having to fight a tough opponent but it just ended up being a female. The woman glared at the man as her long, purple hair was pulled into a ponytail. Her white eyes glared daggers at man. The woman took out her dual zanpakutō and held it with both hands.
"I'll kill you." She said expressionlessly and the man involuntarily shook.
"M-M..." Hinata stuttered and the woman looked at Hinata sadly.
"Hinata-chan." The woman said affectionately.
"M... Mother." She whispered and the man made a sound that ruined the moment.
"Blech!" Hikari turned her eyes to the man and shook her head. "If you two are done, I wanna go back home."
"No one's making you stay." Hikari suggested and the man pointed to Hinata.
"But my master wishes to have this girl." Hikari's glare intensified as she slowly moved in front of her daughter.
"You can't have her. As long as I'm around, she's staying here." Her white eyes stared coldly at the stranger but it didn't faze him. The sound of wind being disrupted was heard and he disappeared. Hikari shifted her two zanpakutō to the left and blocked the man's right arm. She was surprised when he had more force behind his attack than expected and even more when the blade didn't puncture his skin.
"You know, you're actually very pretty." The man taunted and Hikari sneered and pushed him back with a kick to his abdomen. He jumped back and landed on his feet with a smirk. She looked at Hinata and Hinata looked up with fear in her eyes.
"Run away Hinata-chan." She said and Hinata just stared at her before hesitantly standing and running. Hikari turned her attention back on the man, not seeing Hinata hide behind a tree.
"What's wrong?" The man continued to taunt and Hikari ran at him, swing both zanpakutō down and having it stopped by the man's left forearm. Her eyes sprang open.
'What the-' Her thoughts were interrupted when the man sent his knee crashing into her stomach. She gasped as the air was knocked out of her and was sent back by a punch to the face. She rolled and used the momentum to jump to her feet. She wiped the blood from her lips and panted.
"You don't stand a chance against me." The man mocked. She cursed under her breath and closed her eyes, meditating.
'I know it's been a while but please... still be there.' Hikari thought as started to glow a bright white light. Her eyes opened and pure white eyes locked onto the man. He was surprised when the ground under them was suddenly buried under snow.
"Dance Across the Arctic Plains, Yukihime." Hikari shouted as her zanpakutō lit up and morphed into dual dao blades with an elegant lavender ribbon tied on each of the handles and hung off the pommel. The curved blades were as white as the snow that surrounded it with the kanji for 'Hime' written on both sides of the blades. Hikari ran at the man and stabbed his arm when he put it over his chest. He smirked when it did nothing but it disappeared when his arm was encased in ice. He frowned and tried to kick her stomach again but was shocked when it just went through her, as if she was made of the snow surrounding them. She smirked and elbowed him in the face.
He recoiled back and Hikari dropped and spun her feet to kick the legs from under him. He fell with his eyes closed and when he opened them, he quickly turned his head to the left, avoiding one of the dao blades from being buried into his right eye. Hikari jumped back just as the man spun and extended his legs to kick her. He jumped to his feet and smirked.
'Just who is he?' Hikari thought as she took in his appearance. His outfit looked like the inverse of her's; where a Shinigami's outfit was mostly black with some white, his was mostly white with some black. He also had some sort of skull fragment on his skull on his forehead which deeply worried her. It reminded her of a Hollow's mask.
"This is fun and all but I got a schedule to follow." He said as appeared behind her and shoved his right arm through her neck. Her eyes sprang open before she dissolved into snow. He cursed and tried to free his hand but was stopped when the snow wouldn't release him. Behind him, Hikari rose from the snow and shoved both blades into his stomach. He gasped and blood rushed out of his mouth. She retracted her blades from his body and jumped away.
'You're asking for a lot.' Yukihime said as her spirit stood next to Hikari. She wore an elegant white kimono with a light purple obi tied to her waist. Hikari nodded her head. 'What you have planned is crazy.' She continued with a smirk as she brushed a stray strand of her white hair back, Hikari nodded again.
"Aren't they always?' Hikari heard Yukihime laugh and she smirked. They both noticed that the man was still trying to catch a breather from her last attack and didn't face them.
'It's been great working with you.' Hikari smiled sadly.
'Same here. Hopefully, I'll still be able to communicate with you.'
'I guess we'll see, won't we?' Hikari then bent down with her hands out, her blades parallel to the ground and then stood up and raised her hands. The snow lifted with her and shifted into a human-sized snow-wolf. She fell into a stance as her feet sunk into the snow, keeping her steady. The wolf then ran to the man and she swung down, about to decapitate the man that threatened her child.
However, it wasn't his blood that painted the white snow under him.
At the last second, the man ducked, turned and drove his right hand through her chest. She gasped and fell off the wolf and the man's hand. She hit the ground and rolled as the snow started to melt. She coughed up blood as she tried to stand again. Her vision blurred and she shook her head.
"Mother!" Hinata shouted in sadness and tears. She looked at her and smiled with a little blood dripping from the corner of her mouth.
"It's the end for you." He said and as he stood in front of her, the melted snow shot up and skewered him when it froze into ice. He grunted in pain. He cursed as he sensed more people coming.
"Bitch." He cursed at her and she smirked as she melted into the snow. The man broke the ice that was going through his stomach and took in a deep breath.
Hikari appeared in front of Hinata. Hinata was surprised her mother wasn't bleeding more but when she saw that she closed the wound with ice, she was glad.
"Mother." Hikari smiled weakly.
"Hinata-chan... You've grown up so much..." She stated weakly and Hinata cried and hugged her mother.
"I missed you so much." Hinata said as she cried into her mother's shoulder.
"You whore!" Both females looked up in fear when the man was slowly walking toward them, holding his stomach. The wound Hikari had left in his stomach was closed so he had no reason to worry about it.
"R-Run, Hinata-chan." Hikari said as tried to stand. By now, all the snow had melted away and Hikari knew she was too weak to summon any more.
"I... I won't leave you." Hinata retorted and Hikari smiled mirthlessly.
"You're so brave." Hikari commented as she stood in front of Hinata. She swayed but Hinata didn't let her fall.
"Time to die!" The man shouted but was stopped when a knee smashed into his right cheek and sent him flying across the clearing. Hinata and Hikari's eyes widened when they saw Naruto land in front of them with his eyes burning with passion. They glowed a crimson red and his teeth were clenched and bared.
"Stay away from them... or I'll kill you." Naruto shouted as the stranger stood.
"Naruto-kun." Both women whispered and Naruto looked at them and blinked. They were surprised again when they returned to their normal cobalt color. His pupils were once again circular.
"Hikari-san..." Naruto smiled and it widened when he looked at Hinata who stared at him with wide eyes. His eyes softened as they connected with hers. "Hinata-chan." He was given little time to reminisce as the man laughed.
"You think you can kill me, brat? I am Tikao! I am unbeatable!" He shouted and ran at him, ready to tear Naruto to pieces until he remembered his master giving him direct orders not to harm the blond. From a distance, a man stood, aware of everything that was going on and ready to strike down Tikao if he needed to. Tikao had hesitated for a second but it was long enough for Kushina to appear between them and shove her zanpakutō through his neck. He coughed and stared into Kushina's eyes before she kicked his chest and cut him down the middle.
"Bastard." Kushina spat as she walked away. The frown on Tikao's face changed to a smirk as he snapped his fingers. Kushina, Naruto, Hikari and Hinata were suddenly surrounded by Hollows of different shapes and sizes.
"Damn it." Naruto said and Kushina and Hikari looked at the man.
"It's rude to cuss, young man." They both said simultaneously and after looking at each other, they laughed.
"We're surrounded by Hollows and you still found the time to laugh?" Ikkaku said as he and Yumichika appeared next to them and Kushina rubbed the back of her head sheepishly.
"Get those two to a safe place, we got this covered." Ikkaku stated and Kushina and Naruto nodded as Kushina took Hikari and Naruto grabbed Hinata. She blushed at the contact and Naruto blushed a little at having his hands hold on to Hinata's waist. The two picked them up and ran to safety as Ikkaku and Yumichika started to easily defeat the Hollows.
After making sure none of the Hollows followed them, Kushina placed her hands over Hikari's wounds and her hands began to glow a light green color.
"This is certainly a surprise." Hikari said and Kushina laughed.
"Tell me about it. I didn't know you were a Shinigami." Kushina said and Hikari winced in pain. "Sorry."
"When did you become one?" She asked as she started to feel the pain go away.
"Nine years ago." She answered as sweat started to travel down her brow.
"You mean when you...?"
"Yeah." Kushina answered quickly, not really wanting to discuss her death, and Hikari nodded her head. She sat up with a bit of a struggle and looked at her friend. "What's your story?" Kushina asked with a smile, knowing that Hikari was done healing. There wasn't any more she could. She knew Hikari didn't have much time left in this world and was sure the woman knew it as well.
"I was tired of the Shinigami life. I came here to look for a calm life but instead I came into a world that's just as violent." She said and Kushina smiled.
"It was fun though." Kushina stated, talking about her adventure with Hikari and their friends. Hikari nodded and then looked at Naruto and Hinata who were talking and blushing. Hinata was mostly blushing and Naruto was mostly talking.
"They're so cute together." Hikari commented and Kushina raised an eyebrow.
"Hmm?" Kushina faced the two kids and watched as Naruto made Hinata laugh and then hugged her. She smiled softly and nodded her head. "I guess they are." Both adults turned their head as Ikkaku and Yumichika appeared.
"Well that was fun." Ikkaku said as he cracked his neck. "Wish there was more of them, though." He added.
"There was also something else." Yumichika said. "There was this Hollow..."
"What about the Hollow?" Hikari asked.
"It spoke, saying something about a master giving them orders to bring back a girl or something." Ikkaku said as he cleaned his left ear with his pinky.
"We're guessing he's talking about that little girl there." Yumichika said, pointing at Hinata.
"We found this suspicious but before we could ask any more questions, it blew up." ikkaku finished. Hikari looked at her daughter as she fainted in Naruto's arms, making the boy panic.
"I didn't do anything, I think." Naruto said in defense and Hikari smiled. She motioned Naruto to bring Hinata to her and Naruto picked Hinata up again.
"Hinata-chan, wake up please." Hikari said after Naruto placed the sleeping heiress in front of her and walked back. She gently held her face as Hinata's eye fluttered open. "Good morning, sunshine." Hikari joked and Hinata began to cry again, remembering when she used to say that when she was younger.
"Mother." Hikari hugged Hinata again as she wiped her tears away.
"I'm sorry dear but I can't stay for long." Hinata tensed and cried more. "I'm so sorry." She apologized and Hinata shook her head.
"I love you, mommy." Hinata said loudly and Hikari giggled.
"I love you, Hinata-chan." She said before she looked at Kushina and nodded her head. Understanding the meaning, Kushina nodded her head, a few tears in her eyes. The pain Hikari was going through was the same Kushina went through when she and Minato protected Naruto from the masked fiend. She turned her gaze to her son who was watching with teary eyes; she hoped she'd never feel that pain ever again.
Hikari began to light up and everyone was momentarily blinded by the light. When they could see again, they saw Hinata crying alone. Naruto slowly walked towards Hinata and jumped in surprise when she hugged him tightly. Naruto shook away his surprise and hugged her back.
"I'm sorry Hinata-chan." Naruto said and Hinata just sniffed and cried her eyes out.
"We're gonna head back for Soul Society. I'll let them know you're finishing up some business here." Yumichika said as he and Ikkaku opened the Senkaimon. Kushina nodded her head and they entered it. Kushina just watched in silence as Naruto comforted the crying Hyūga. Kushina turned her head just as the sun started to rise.
'How ironic.' Kushina thought mirthlessly. She brushed a stray strand of hair away from her face. She was hoping that no one she knew would get in harms way but life had once again screwed her over. The pain she felt the day she died had resurfaced with the loss of her friend and she knew it had to be worse for the young Hyūga crying in Naruto's arms.
"Come on, we should probably go." Kushina said and Naruto looked at her like she was crazy.
"I'm not leaving Hinata-chan behind. Not now." Kushina had to smile at her son's dedication to his friends and closed her eyes. She opened them again to see Hinata looking at her with bloodshot eyes.
"I never suggested leaving her behind. She's coming with us." Hinata's eyes widened while Naruto just left his mouth agape.
"Wh-Wh... what?" Naruto asked hysterically.
"I'll explain later but we gotta go." Kushina said as she summoned her Hell Butterfly. The sliding doors opened and Kushina stepped through the threshold. "You guys coming?" Naruto looked down at Hinata and smiled.
"Come on." Naruto said softly and Hinata nodded as she used her right forearm to wipe her tears. Naruto slowly led Hinata through the door and they disappeared into the light coming from the other side.
'I promise to protect her as if she was my own, Hikari. That's a promise of a lifetime.' Kushina thought as she entered Soul Society. Hinata looked around with wide, curious eyes. Naruto looked at her and smiled, guessing that the expression on her face was probably the same look he had when he first saw Soul Society. Both kids had a feeling that this was the beginning of a whole new adventure. They stared into each others eyes; a blush accompanied Hinata's small smile as Naruto smiled back. He stretched his hand out, motion Hinata to stare at Soul Society as a whole.
"This... is Soul Society." He proclaimed loudly.
Hope you enjoyed the chapter...
I'd like to thank Dark Signer for suggesting Aizen's early encounter with Naruto and for Zentary for suggesting that Aizen should take a special interest in Hinata [non-romantically of course...]... Also to MehaandIruka, Zentary and Chewie Cookies for helping me with at least half of the chapter...
Now, I need to explain a few things:
This story is... changing...
After a conversation with Zentary, I've decided to make the main focus of this story on Naruto making a living in Soul Society instead of having him return to Konoha later... I don't really feel like explaining but if you want want, send a PM...
Also, Naruhina will now happen a lot sooner now that I'm having Hinata come to Soul Society... I honestly could've waited to add any Naruhina fluff but because of circumstances and decisions, she's going to stay with Naruto...
That's probably going to be a problem for most of you but too bad... I'm a Naruhina fan and I'm not changing...
Also, in th last chapter, I had Renji and Rukia make cameo as students... I changed that so they're wearing the Shinigami's uniform, not the school's...
As far as the changes are going, I got nothing else...
Hopefully, Naruto's reunion with his mom was realistic and Hinata's small and sad reunion with her mom didn't ruin it with its sadness... Don't worry though, she'll feel better way later into the story...
I got much more planned for this story and I hope I'll keep your interest as it progresses...
What lies in store for Naruto now that he has Hinata and what of hinata going to the new world?
We'll see now, won't we?
Till then...
Next Chapter:...I don't know yet ^^; but I got the beginning typed so there's that...
Good luck with whatever and if you got a problem with me or one of my stories, please feel free to: Deal with it, Get over it or Choke on it...