lostmoonchild: Thanks for the reviews! Woke up this morning and couldn't remember for the life of me what today was until I checked and it turned into a "Oh hey! It's Friday!" so here we go with this week's chapter!
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto so don't sue.
Chapter Forty Three
He didn't know how he had managed to get himself back to Konoha but he did know that everything hurt like hell and that he was in the hospital. So how bad are the injuries still? Naruto thought.
"Not nearly as bad as they were three days ago. Another two days and you'll be healed." Kyuubi responded. "The kit knows we're back in the village but I've made it clear that she needs to steer clear for a day or two. She's been pumping chakra to us trying to help heal us."
But I want to see my daughter! Naruto huffed in irritation before glancing out the window. "Finally you wake up, Gaki." Tsunade said with an amused smile as she entered the room. "I was beginning to wonder if we'd have to get Inoichi in here to poke through your head."
Naruto grinned slightly at Tsunade, trying to make his injuries seem unimportant. "My girl behaving herself?" Naruto questioned.
For a moment, the blonde could see irritation cross Tsunade's features. "I don't know what stories you've been telling her, Naruto, but you need to hold back on your prank stories. She painted the Hokage Monument then proceeded to shout, "I'm a booger!" while hanging from Yondaime's nose." Tsunade told him.
Naruto started laughing at his daughter's antics, praying that somebody had actually recorded that one. While that was perhaps one of his favorite and most epic pranks he had ever pulled, he had the feeling that his daughter was working on out-pranking him. Gods he loved that girl and was looking forward to polishing up her techniques. "I'm not teaching her half the stuff I know." Naruto laughed. "So you can rest easy, Baa-chan."
Tsunade looked irritated for a moment before answering, "If I tell you what she did to ANBU the one day Neji brought her with him, am I safe in assuming that you'll find it hilarious?"
"Possibly. What'd she do?"
"Hid the masks and by the time they were all found, they were all painted neon colors."
Impressive but maybe he should consider telling his daughter that she needed to back off. Pissing off ANBU wasn't a smart idea even if it was possible to outrun them. Harder than hell, but still possible. "That's mild compared to what I've done." Naruto chuckled. "But I'll tell her to back off on pranking ANBU."
That wasn't exactly what she wanted but Tsunade supposed that was about as much as she was going to get with Naruto. "Good. Now let's take a look at your injuries." Tsunade sighed as she began inspecting the blonde. "Why hadn't the Kyuubi healed your injuries already?"
"I don't know. We fought against Madara Uchiha."
"'We' as you and the Kyuubi?" "No. Sasuke and me."
Tsunade listened as Naruto told her everything that had happened that he could consciously remember. Apparently the Kyuubi had its own bone to pick with Madara Uchiha and it had been a fight between demon and human for control. When the blonde was done, Tsunade wondered just what exactly Sasuke was playing at. "Well, in a couple days you should be good enough to go home. Do you want Hisoka to be brought here?"
"Meh, better wait a day. I know she's gonna get hyper about it and I wanna see her again but we'd better hold off a day."
"Smart choice. Two days and she'll practically tear the hospital apart just to get in here. At least tomorrow she'll be excited but not to the point where damage will be done." Naruto ignored the fox's comment in favor of studying the look of surprise on Tsunade's face.
"Don't you want to see your daughter immediately?" Tsunade asked with surprise.
"Of course I do! I just want to figure out how I'm gonna tell her that Uchiha Madara's dead."
Tsunade nodded in understanding knowing that the blonde would probably feel a little a bit worried about explaining that aspect of a shinobi's life. "I'll let Neji know then." Tsunade told him. "I'm glad you're safe, Naruto. Your injuries look like they're healing fairly well so in a couple days you should be able to go home."
Sighing softly when Tsunade left the room, Naruto stared out the window. He didn't know why, but he had the feeling that Gaara would need to have a head's up about Hisoka's fascination with messing with Kage monuments. While he was at it, he thought he'd better respond to Akina's letter and let her know that he was home safe and sound.
(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)
He was beyond exhausted and it wasn't even lunch yet.
Neji watched warily as Hisoka played on the living room floor with her doll and San, clearly enthralled with her game. He had spent a good two hours chasing after the girl around the Hyuuga compound, finally catching her just as she was about to run headfirst into his uncle. Naturally Neji had apologized but had felt terror when the girl simply stared before sticking her tongue out at Hiashi.
He had barely managed to grab her again before she took off running, sighing when she began laughing when he held her upside down by her ankle. Hiashi had simply looked amused before commenting, "You're too much like your grandmother. Uchiha Fugaku would be turning in his grave if he knew your grandmother's spirit lived on in you."
Almost immediately Hisoka had stopped and twisted so she could watch as Hiashi walked way. It had been quiet ever since but Neji could almost hear the questions that were burning in the girl. "Neji?" Hisoka questioned softly.
"Hmm?"
"Was Grandma Kushina a lot like me?"
"I don't know. I've never met her."
Hisoka frowned softly before answering, "What's it mean if someone's turning in their grave? Dead people don't move unless someone makes them. Kabuto made dead people walk around but only after the snake bastard showed him how."
Now he was grateful Naruto didn't have her at the moment. "It's a saying that's used if something happens that someone that's passed on won't like." Neji responded.
"Oh."
He watched as she returned to her game, jumping when he heard somebody knock on the door. "Lady Hokage." Neji said with surprise. "Come in."
Tsunade thanked the young man before entering the house, watching as Hisoka continued her game. "Hi, Granny Tsunade. I'm being good today." Hisoka told the older woman, not looking up from her game.
"That's good. I just got done checking your father's injuries and thought I'd stop by to let you know how he's doing."
Hisoka nodded slightly, finally putting her doll and San down to stare at the woman. "Kyuu-chan said I need to stay away from the hospital for a day or two." Hisoka reported.
"Your father said you can visit him tomorrow. He's feeling a lot better than when was first brought in."
"Okay." Gray eyes focused on Neji. "Can we see Daddy tomorrow, Neji?"
Neji nodded slightly before looking at Tsunade. "I take it that Naruto's injuries weren't as severe as I was led to believe." Neji said patiently.
She didn't want to say in front of the girl but as Tsunade glanced at Hisoka, the girl's eyes said plainly she already knew how bad they were. "If it had been anybody else," Tsunade sighed, "a funeral would be planned and arrangements would be made."
"I'm going to go lay down, Neji. Kyuu-chan needs more chakra and it's making me tired." Hisoka told the Hyuuga. "Thank you for telling me, Granny Tsunade."
They watched as the girl picked up her toys before retreating to her room. After Tsunade had left, Neji slipped back to the girl's room to check on her. A small smile spread across his lips as he watched the girl sleep curled up in the fetal position with her thumb in her mouth. Silently activating his Byakuugan, Neji watched as the demonic chakra moved throughout her entire system with small amounts leaving her body. He'd have to grab those scrolls later so she could replenish her supply of chakra but for now he'd let her sleep. "Pleasant dreams, little one." Neji told her softly.
Keeping an eye on her, the Hyuuga quietly closed the door hoping that the girl would sleep long enough for him to take a nap.
(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)
"Daddy!"
Naruto laughed as he hugged his daughter, feeling her lips pressing against his cheeks. "There's my girl! Gods, you've grown up so much!" Naruto exclaimed with a laugh. "You sure I've only been gone a couple weeks?"
Hisoka giggled as Naruto began tickling her before he hugged her tightly. "I missed you." Hisoka told him before looking confused. "Daddy, is something wrong? Daddy?"
Naruto closed his eyes tightly as he hugged his daughter, just wanting to hold her. He tried to keep his entire demeanor calm but was unable to stop a couple of tears from falling. "It's okay, Daddy. Whatever happened, it's okay. Please don't cry." Her voice was growing softer as she hugged her father back before wiping his tears away. "Daddy, why are you crying? It's okay. I'm not mad cause you got hurt. It happens, right? That's what happens sometimes."
He was grateful that everybody had chosen to let the two catch up in private, although he was furious at himself for not being able to hold back his feelings. "I'm sorry, honey. You're right. It's okay." Naruto forced a smile.
"You can keep hugging me if you want to."
He laughed softly as he hugged his daughter again, softly breathing in her soft scent. "I got something to tell you that might make you a little happy." Naruto told her.
"What? Is Akina-chan and Kenji-kun coming to visit?"
"No, but they can if it's okay with everybody."
"I'd like that. So what is it then?"
Naruto adjusted his daughter on his lap before answering, "Do you remember that Uchiha Madara guy?"
Slowly Hisoka nodded. "I don't like him. He hurt the Bijuu." Hisoka reported. "He even killed the people that were protecting them."
"Well, I ran into him and Sasuke during my mission and we got into it. Madara's dead."
She knew what 'dead' was seeing as it was impossible not to know what it was when being kept prisoner by Orochimaru. "You're sure? He can't hurt anybody again?" Hisoka asked. "What about Sasuke-teme? What'll happen with him? Did he die too?"
"Sorry, honey, but he got away and I was too hurt to hunt him down."
He half expected her to start crying at the news that Sasuke was still out there somewhere but he wasn't expecting her to suddenly say, "It's okay."
Blue eyes stared in surprise at the girl before softening. "So, little girl, I heard this interesting story about you redecorating the Hokage Monument." Naruto said with a stern look.
Hisoka fidgeted slightly before answering, "Granny Tsunade already yelled at me for an hour straight."
Suddenly Naruto grinned before answering, "I'm not gonna yell at you. I just wanna know how you got everything thrown together and decorated it before people noticed."
Giving him that famous Uzumaki grin, Hisoka began explaining in great detail every step of her decorating process. As Naruto listened to his daughter's explanation, he knew for absolute certain he'd need to give Gaara a heads up.
lostmoonchild: It's hard to go without having a kid trying to comfort their parent when they see/sense that their parent's upset about something. While Naruto isn't upset over what happened with Madara, he understandably would be upset over the knowledge that Sasuke's still running around. Anyway, a familiar enemy will return and I'm already bracing myself for the flames that may come around with next week's chapter. Anyway, read and review!