So, before we get started, I need to mention something in regards to a review I got. Someone was annoyed at the fact that kunoichi was not used to describe a female shinobi and the fact that I made shinobi the term for chakra empowered ninja. Mostly the annoyance from this person came from the usage or lack of kunoichi. Now, there are two ways to understand this term from what I have found.
Several sources online have multiple ways of interpreting it, but they all agree on the same thing, that kunoichi is a female ninja. The only thing is that this term only gained popularity after being used in multiple novels after World War II.
But, if you look at the Bansenshukai, one of the only remaining shinobi manuals, it clearly states the kunoichi is actually a technique, kunoichi-no-jutsu, the art of using a woman for a shinobi mission, most likely through the use of sex.
So, there you have it. According to the second meaning, men and women are both shinobi. Either way, I will still be referring to female shinobi as such. This is not meant as a rant, or to point someone out. I am not annoyed with this person and I hope they aren't annoyed with me. But I find it important that we all understand our reasons for our actions, one way or another.
Now that we have that out of the way, I hope you enjoy the changes to this part of the comics, we're getting into some good stuff now. I had two endings for this chapter, I hope you enjoy the one I settled on.
Chapter 23
Britanny silently entered her home, a workout towel draped over her shoulders as she dabbed at the damp fur on her face. A content sound escaped the were-cheetah's lips as she made her way towards the kitchen, the usual smells of early morning food strangely absent. 'If Naruto's playing another prank...' Britanny's gaze narrowed as the hair on the back of her neck slowly rose, the now nervous woman swallowing slowly as she inched towards the kitchen. Taking a deep breath, Britanny decided to bite the bullet and entered the room, the sight before her causing the young woman to cock her head in surprise
"Sis?"
Gina looked up from the pair of flood lamps she was tinkering with, the massive grin she was sending Britanny's way making the were-cheetah feel even more cautious than usual around her increasingly erratic sister. "Brit! Hey, you're just in time for breakfast!" Britanny raised a carefully trimmed eyebrow, the were-cheetah sitting at the kitchen table as she studied the large room. 'Something is seriously wrong here...' Britanny's eyes widened slightly as she noticed the lack of any food awaiting her arrival, or any food within the last few hours by the smell of the kitchen.
"Really? Then where's Naruto? He hasn't missed a single breakfast since we met him and he's never late."
Gina placed her hands behind her back, her head cocked to the side as she smiled innocently at her younger sister.
Meanwhile, Naruto's bedroom
A soft giggle was heard as Naruto pinned Jaliera to the bed, the Kryn woman biting back a loud moan as Naruto ran his hands over her impressive breasts. Naruto leaned forward, capturing Jaliera's lips with a passionate kiss, the woman's arms wrapping around the shinobi and pulling him flush against her body.
Back in the kitchen
"Naruto's... indisposed. So, I took the liberty of preparing your favourite breakfast, Cocoa Crunchies in chocolate milk, cinnamon toast and juice!" Britanny looked at Gina skeptically, her internal bullshit-o-meter blatantly warning her not to walk into whatever Gina was scheming.
"Thanks... sis. So tell me, why is there a camera in the kitchen?" Gina glanced at her video equipment nervously, a chuckle escaping her lips as she placed a glass of juice and a plate of toast in front of Britanny.
"Oh, no reason, I just wanted to try my hand at... family videos, yeah! After all, we can't have too many memories about all the time we spend together, right?" Britanny crossed her arms under her breasts, her suspicious gaze forcing a weak chuckle out of the young genius.
"Right... well, where is my cereal then?" Gina raised a finger, her other hand reaching out and activating the camera.
"No worries sis, here's your cereal, Cocoa Crunchies in chocolate milk... served in the iron pot we recovered from Muthia!"
In Naruto's bedroom
Naruto sat up, his eyes narrowing as he looked towards the closed door. "Wait, what was that?" A pair of furry arms reached out, wrapping around the distracted shinobi and pulled him back into bed.
Back in the kitchen
"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND SIS?! Wait, never mind, I know you are if you actually think I'm gonna eat anything out of that damned pot! What the hell is wrong with you?"
Gina swallowed loudly, her hand's occupied with a portable scanner as she looked at her ranting sister. "But Brit, we need to know what it does! This could be the greatest scientific discovery of the century, I'm sure of it!"
"Scientific discovery? Gina, you gave up 60 BILLION TONS of GOLD for a damn iron pot!"
"But... but Britanny, I'm positive there's something more to this artifact! My instincts tell me..." Gina's voice trailed off as she studied the condescending expression on Britanny's face.
"Instincts? HAH! Don't even get me started! Your so called 'scientific insight' and 'honed archeological instincts' have been slipping so bad you could use them as ice skates! I hate to admit it sis... no, I have to admit it! You've lost your touch, Gina!" Britanny's tirade finally stopped once she noted the blank stare on Gina's face, the were-cheetah having the sinking feeling that she had crossed a line. "Uhm... aheh, just kidding! Sorry... did I... cross the line?"
Gina closed her eyes as she turned away from Britanny, her hands quickly grabbing the equipment she had setup. "Arrest your concerns, dearest sibling. My psyche and ego are far too resilient to be bruised by such an immature paroxysm! However, I deduce that your preoccupation with the 'What may have been' is, and will be, a definite liability for this research undertaking. My apologies, but I shall have to seek out another who might assist me."
Gina stopped at the kitchen doorway, her furious gaze focusing on a nervously sweating Britanny. "However, it is tremendously refreshing to hear how you truly feel about my life's work! And let's not forget your so called 'confidence' in me! This conversation has been truly refreshing!" Gina swiftly exited the kitchen, Britanny's knees giving out on her as she landed heavily in her chair.
"Translation... Yes, now fuck off sis. Dammit, nice job Brit, real smooth how you're kicking Gina when she's down."
"Yeah, I think that conversation could have gone a little better. You don't hold anything back when your pissed, do you Cheets?" Britanny's eyes widened as she looked over her shoulder, a stony faced Naruto perched on the kitchen counter caused the were-cheetah to tremble softly.
"N-n-naruto... I...I'm..." A swift hand gesture cut off the stammering woman, her expression falling as she looked at her still shaking hands.
"Maybe you should think about things before you open your mouth, Cheets. Kirei's been having a rough time for a while now, you know that as well as I do. I think you seriously need to have a little time to yourself to think about what you did. Go for a run, come back in a few hours. I'll see what I can do to help Kirei with her little... project." Brittany swiped at her eyes as she rose from her seat, a loud sniff attracting Naruto's attention, the shinobi focusing on the retreating woman's back. Naruto watched as Britanny paused for a moment, her hand resting on the doorknob as she looked back at the shinobi.
Naruto watched the tears soaking into Britanny's furry cheeks, his gaze softening slightly as he walked towards the crying woman. "Hey, it's ok, Cheets. Yes, I'm annoyed, but I'm not mad at you. Siblings fight, usually over stupid things. Go cool off a bit, come back in a few hours, then talk with her again, alright? I'll go do the boyfriend thing and run damage control, she can use me as a punching bag. And just for the record, I agree with Kirei. That pot is more than it seems. Now shoo, and remember that's twice you owe me!" Britanny sniffled loudly as she pulled Naruto into a bone crushing hug, the shinobi returning the gesture before he disappeared in a burst of smoke.
Naruto's bedroom
Naruto had been lazily running his hands up and down Jaliera's back when the clone's memories hit him, a sigh escaping his lips. Looking at the woman stretched over his chest, Naruto smiled fondly as he gently kissed her furry cheek. Rising from the bed, Naruto grinned when Jaliera reached out to pull the shinobi down beside her. Naruto kissed the woman's forehead and stood up, his hands quickly grabbing his gear as he dressed.
"What's wrong, koibito?" Naruto grinned softly at the term or endearment, his palm cupping her cheek gently as she leaned into his touch.
"Nothing, just a small disagreement between sisters." Kissing the tired woman gently, Naruto rose form the bed and exited the room, a final backwards glance catching Jaliera as she curled up under a blanket. Closing the door gently, Naruto turned around and nearly ran into a smirking Sheila, the petite jagwere giving her sensei an appraising look as she cocked a hip to the side.
"My, my, sensei. Seems like you had a busy morning, I could hear the both of you through the room's sound proofing." Naruto laughed softly as he walked down the stairs, his student trailing after him. Sheila passed the blonde once they reached the bottom of the stairs, her tail flicking upwards and brushing against the shinobi's cheek. Naruto paused for a moment, his eyes focusing on the coy expression his student was sending him, a long suffering sigh escaping his lips as he walked towards the door.
"I'll be back later. A clone is waiting for you in the backyard, he'll help you practice and refine the techniques I showed you last week. If you're a good girl, I'll show you a few new tricks. " Naruto closed his eyes as he exited the Diggers house, the morning sun warming his face as he locked onto Gina's Hiraishin marker. Sheila watched her sensei disappear in a flash of light, her coy expression never faltering as she moved towards the backyard.
Diggers Mansion
Naruto crouched on the mansion's rooftop, his sensitive ears catching the tail end of Theo's lecture about irresponsible spell casting... and the peril of trying to trick an archmage. Naruto smiled at the pouting Gina, the irate woman stomping down the driveway as she headed back towards her house. Naruto leaping off of the rooftop, landing softly beside his friend. "Kinda hard on her, weren't you?"
Theo cocked an eyebrow at the shinobi, the mage's hands gripping a potted plant as he studied the garden that was spread out before him. "Possibly, but I have seen what can happen when someone tries to apply magic to an item that is completely opposed to the arcane. Need I remind you what happened when we tried to add ethereal energy to increase the yield of your explosive tags?"
Naruto chuckled nervously, his hand rising upwards as he scratched his cheek.
Flashback
Naruto grimaced as he held onto Theo, the shinobi's feet glowing brightly as he anchored himself to the concrete floor. Powerful winds had thrown the room into chaos as any loose items were being pulled into a scintillating orb of energy. Naruto ducked under a flying desk, the shinobi leaning close to the archmage as he yelled over the sound of rushing wind that was growing even stronger around the pair. "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THING?"
Theo growled as he gathered ethereal energy in his palm, a complex web of energy slowly forming around the steadily growing orb. "IT'S AN ETHER WELL! IT'LL KEEP GROWING AS IT ABSORBS MATTER, EVENTUALLY IT'LL GROW SO LARGE THAT IT COULD DESTROY THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE!"
"OH... THAT'S BAD."
"YES, VERY BAD! I CAN STOP IT, YOU JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE NOTHING KNOCKS US INTO IT WHILE I'M CONCENTRATING ON THE CONTAINMENT WEB!"
"DEAL!"
End flashback
Theo nodded distractedly as he placed his newest plant in the ground, his hands gathering the earth and patting it down gently around flower's roots and stem. "Now, I suggest you go and see how my daughter is doing, I have a feeling that she could use some help." Naruto gave a sloppy salute, this shinobi disappearing in a burst of light once more.
Back at the Diggers House
Naruto pulled up the video feed from Gina's lab, a snicker escaping his lips at the sight of Ryan strapped to the examination table. "On one hand, no one deserves what Gina is about to do to him... on the other hand, it is Ryan..." Naruto weighed the pros and cons of interrupting the experiment as he continued to watch the feed, a groan escaping his lips as the visibly frightened martial artist managed to free himself from the locks that had restrained him. Once Ryan exited the lab, Naruto watched Gina's expression fall once more, but before long this expression was replaced with one of shock. Gina began looking around her lab wildly before focusing on the iron pot, her wide eyed stare causing Naruto's own gaze to narrow.
"Hmmm..." Before Naruto could move, the doorbell rang, the shinobi blinking as he went to open the door. A blonde haired teen looked up at the shinobi, her eyes widening as she studied his face.
"Whiskers..." Naruto snickered, a blush flaring to life as the embarrassed teen began babbling. Raising his hands in a calming manner, Naruto studied the girl before him.
'Short, pigtails, Big ol'G on her t-shirt... oh yeah, I remember Kirei mentioning her.'
"Pini Gahjat, right? Gina mentioned you before, the name's Naruto." Pini blushed brightly, her eyes lifting upwards as she bashfully glanced at the shinobi before her.
"U-u-um...I'm sor..." Naruto laughed loudly, his hand waving off the stammered apology.
"Please, I've been called worse. You here to see Kirei?"
"Who?" Naruto laughed as he motioned for Pini to enter the home.
"Sorry, I forget that some people don't know that word. In my language, Kirei means beautiful. It's a nickname I gave Gina." Pini nodded slowly, a devilish smirk appearing as she studied the grinning man before her.
"Oh I see, a nickname for Gina... then you'd have to be pretty close I take it?" Naruto shrugged nonchalantly as he motioned for Pini to enter the house.
"You could say that. I was just about to go see her, wanna come with me?" Pini laughed lightly as she made her way towards the elevator, the inquisitive girl already knowing where she could find Gina at this time of day. Naruto followed after the young girl sedately, the shinobi whistling softly as he waited for the elevator to arrive at Gina's lab. Just as the door opened, Naruto and Pini both stared at the scene before them in surprise.
'What in the...' Pini looked on in surprise at the multiple microphones suspended above an iron pot, the sight of Gina talking into a microphone causing the girl to shake her head in confusion.
Naruto, on the other hand... 'Oh, Kurama, this is just perfect, heheheh.'
"Well kit, we need all the blackmail we can get! You never know when it'll come in handy!' Naruto stepped out of the elevator, his hand reaching forward as he closed in behind the preoccupied Gina. Ginning evilly at Pini, Naruto slapped his hand down roughly on Gina's shoulder, an action that caused the preoccupied genius to shriek loudly, her hands flying up towards her face as she turned around. Once Gina caught a glimpse of her 'assailant', her terrified expression quickly morphed to anger as she slapped Naruto's arm.
"Naruto... DON'T DO THAT!" Naruto leaned forward, ignoring the blonde's angry tone as he kissed her deeply, the genius pausing in mid-tirade as she leaned into the kiss. Pini whistled appreciatively, her digital camera capturing the moment for further 'study'.
"Yes, I see the two of you are VERY close to each other. Shame on you Gina, hiding a boyfriend from me." Gina's eyes narrowed at the light ribbing she was receiving from Pini before turning back towards the... empty scanning table?
"So, figured out what this yet, Kirei?" Said genius spun around, her eyes flashing dangerously as she advanced on a grinning Naruto.
"Naruto..."
"Ohhh, you are so SEXY when you say my name in such an angry tone, do it again!"
"NARUTO..."
"Yeah baby, that one sent chills down my spine!" Gina leaped at the grinning shinobi, her arm snaking around Naruto's neck as the genius tried to put her boyfriend into a headlock. After several moments of struggling, Naruto went limp, his head getting mashed against Gina's breast as she growled at the trapped blonde.
"Kinda hard to see how this is a punishment," Naruto said, his voice muffled by Gina's substantial breasts. "And by the way, they're as perky and firm as always!"
Pini clutched at her stomach as she rolled on the floor, tears sliding down her cheeks as she watched the squabbling couple before her. Naruto snickered loudly as Gina ineffectively tried to give Naruto a noogie, the shinobi slipping free and tickling the young genius until she cried out for mercy. As Naruto straightened up, he looked at the iron pot in his hands intently, his normally happy expression shifting towards a more serious gaze. Gina watched her lover studying the ancient item intently, hoping that he agreed that there was more than meets the eye to the old container.
"So are you here to tell me that I'm wasting my time? That it's nothing but an old iron pot?"
"Well, they're right, it is just an old iron pot."
Gina's expression fell, the young archeologist sinking to her knees as tears threatened to fall from her eyes. Naruto looked over at his crushed girlfriend, his expression swiftly changing to apologetic.
"GAH! Wait, don't cry, lemme finish! Lemme finish!" Gina sniffed loudly as she looked up at Naruto hopefully, a silent Pini watching the scene as it unfolded before her. "I said that yes. it is an old pot. But my first squad leader, Hatake Kakashi, always had a saying, "A Shinobi must be able to see what's underneath the underneath." Gina blinked slowly, her gaze becoming hopeful while Pini looked at the blonde haired man in confusion.
'Shinobi?'
Naruto's eyes widened as he bit back a curse, the shinobi realizing that he had let his cover slip, but soon the shinobi soldiered on with his explanation. "Yeah, ol'Kakashi-sensei wasn't any kinda poet or writer, but he knew what he was talking about with that saying. Sometimes, the truth you're looking for is hidden right below the surface of the thing you're looking at. Kirei, notice anything funny about these markings?" Gina quickly stood up, her hands placing her glasses on her face once more as she peered intently at the various markings that encircled the pot.
"Now that you mention it, it looks similar to when you were working on the Hiraishin... oh my god, they're seals!" Naruto grinned brightly as he nodded, his hand swiftly tossing the pot between his hands.
"That's what I was thinking! Now, I don't see any seal that would act like a release, so whatever is inside is probably the only thing that has access to whatever this is. Now, how do we get whatever this is to come out... AH HAH!" Naruto walked towards the sink, filling the pot with water before he approached the familiar sight of Gina's Bunsen burner, the shinobi having seen the device produce a large flame several times during his visits to his girlfriend's lab. Naruto happily placed the iron pot on the stand as he fished a match out of a drawer. Pausing a moment, Naruto looked at the two women watching him intently, his expression becoming sheepish as he scratched his head.
"Hehehehe... um, could one of you light this? I haven't quiet figured out how everything works in the future yet." Gina smiled wryly, her hand pulling the unlit match from Naruto's hands as she shook her head.
"A fifteen thousand year old shinobi, who can destroy an entire army with his bare hands and whatever he has in his pockets, a man that laughs at the sight of any and all danger... that can't even work a Bunsen burner. And, he sucks at maintaining his cover with the locals, I swear we should just put out an ad in the paper that your a living legend and be done with it..." Pini blinked slowly as she looked at the crestfallen Naruto, a pout having formed at the backhanded comments from his girlfriend, before looking at Gina in shock at the information that she had just revealed. Gina smirked at Pini, giving the girl a wink as she lit the match. As Gina lit the Bunsen burner, she watched intently as the iron pot began to heat up, it's dull grey surface slowly shifting to a dull red as the heat steadily increased.
Naruto pulled Gina back as an angry roar exploded out of the pot, a massive bronze coloured being bursting out from the small vessel amid boiling water. Gina and Pini watched in wide eyed wonder at the man before them as he swiped at the water that clung to him, a grinning Naruto folding his arms over his chest as he studied the being before them.
"Dammit, that was hot! What the hell... oh..." Naruto looked at the two silent women that flanked him, his gaze turning back towards the nervous looking being that hovered over the old pot.
"So, feel like talking now?" A loud thump on Naruto's right caught his attention, the shinobi shaking his head in disappointment as he looked down at Pini's still form. "Kids these days, can't handle any excitement."
Britanny panted heavily as she arrived at her home once again, her breathing slowly coming under control as she sat on the porch swing for a few moments.
"Britanny? I haven't seen you out of breath for years, what happened?" Britanny opened her eyes, seeing the concerned gaze of her father as he waited for her response. Britanny sighed as she rested her head in her hands, a sniffle causing Theo to draw closer in concern.
"I...I screwed up, Dad. Gina was trying to get me to help her with the old pot she found and I... well, I kinda blew her off... and told her that she was losing her touch." Theo sighed as sat beside his adopted daughter, his arm wrapping around her shoulder.
"Well, I know how that feels, I pretty much did the same thing. I sent Naruto after her to see if she needed any help, but it's been a while since I heard form either of them so I wanted to check up on all of you, just in case." Britanny's head rose, tears welling up as she looked at Theo's smiling face. "Come on now, dry your tears, lets go see your sister."
Britanny sniffed loudly, her hand dashing the gathering tears as the two Diggers entered the home. After travelling towards Gina's lab in silence, the pair slowed at the faint arguing coming from the lab.
"Second greatest discovery? I think not, I'm millions of years old!"
"BAH! Age has nothing to do with greatness! I can demolish armies on my own, ARMIES."
"Feh, with the correct spells, I would have no trouble dealing with a simpleton such as yourself! And it's your turn now, stop wasting time."
"Simpleton?! I'll have you know I saved the world! Damn, that was a good move... AH HAH! TAKE THAT!"
Britanny and Theo both stared at each other for a moment, their confused expressions mirroring each other as they approached the lab. Gina was standing at the doorway, her lithe body leaning against the doorjamb as she giggled loudly at the pair of voices inside the lab.
"Ok you two, stop arguing and finish the game!" Gina paused for a moment, the blonde looking over her shoulder at her approaching sister and father. Grinning broadly, Gina spun around and grabbed both Theo's and Britanny's hands, pulling the confused pair towards the lab.
"Dad! Brit! You've got to see this! You've got to meet my new friend, I want you two to meet Dao..." Theo's eyes narrowed as he studied the scene before him, his mind not believing what he was seeing. Naruto was crouching on top of a foldout table, his eyes glaring at a shogi board laid out before him. And sitting across from the irate shinobi, a bronzed coloured, six armed being studied his own side of the board. Britanny's jaw dropped as she pointed at the seated being, her voice failing her as Gina smirked at the pair. "...The greatest archeological discovery ever! Here we have proof of my strong scientific instincts and honed archeological skill, the both of which have led us to this meeting with a living, breathing Djinni. So, sis, who's lost their touch now?"
Naruto looked up at Gina in annoyance, his hand slapping a shogi tile onto the board as he stared at Gina. "Oi, I thought I was your greatest archeological discovery! I'm the freaking link to a missing civilization of super powered humans!" Gina stuck her tongue out at Naruto, the shinobi growling as he looked down at the board in rage. "Oh ho, you cock bite! You moved the pieces when I looked away! I was miles away from being put into checkmate!"
Gina giggled as she walked towards Naruto, dragging the protesting shinobi off of the table and kissing him on the cheek. "Behave."
"Even I thought the stories of Djinni were just myths and legends... and I'm an archmage." Theo stepped closer, his gaze rising as Dao rose form his seat.
"Alas, even a shinobi cannot match the infinite wisdom of a djinni... that or you're just a terrible player." Naruto growled softly, his gaze promising pain if Gina wasn't forcibly holding him back. Turning towards the new arrivals, Dao bowed politely before offering the pair a smile. "Forgive me, where have my manners gone? My name is Dao, and as Gina said I am a Djinni, a pleasure to meet you...?"
"Theo Diggers, and this is my other daughter, Bri... where did she go? Britanny?" Gina looked over at the scanning table, shaking her head as Britanny grabbed the iron pot and began to rub it lovingly.
"Awesome, now I've got your pot! We're gonna get me sum wishes, now! First, I wish for a magic credit card!" Britanny's hands blurred over the surface of the old pot, a manic grin plastered on her face as she waited for her wish to be granted.
Dao blushed at this action, one of his hands rubbing his forehead in embarrassment. "Gina? Umm... could you please stop her from buffing my focus? It's getting a little... distracting." Gina giggled as she crossed the room and pulled the iron pot from Britanny's grasp.
"Sorry Brit, he's not that type of Djinni, he can't grant wishes. Trust me, I've already tried." Brit looked at her still smiling sister, the young scientist returning to Naruto's side as he continued to grumble softly.
"Seriously? A genie that doesn't grant wishes? We got gypped!"
"Wait, wait, I think I'm missing something here." Dao held out a pair of hands for a timeout, halting all conversation as everyone in the room focused on the magical being once more. "Gina, how did you come to be a were-cheetah's sister? Was your mother a were-cheetah as well?"
Britanny folded her arms under her breasts, her disappointed expression shifting a more neutral one. "Don't you think that's a little... private?"
"So you're telling me it's alright to ask me questions about my past but it is unacceptable to do the reverse?"
Britanny blinked in confusion as she stared at Dao. "What? But I never asked you about anything!"
"Um..." Britanny's confused gaze focused on Gina, her expression shifting from confusion to annoyance. "Sorry, Brit, I was the one that asked him some questions... actually, a lot of questions."
Theo nervously cleared his throat, an action that attracted Naruto's attention. As the shinobi discreetly watched his friend, he noticed a small tear trailing down one of his cheeks. 'I get the feeling this isn't a happy tale.'
'No shit, what gave it away? The fact that a 22 year old woman has never been told exactly what happened to her birth family?'
Theo glanced at Britanny for a moment before he added his own two cents to the conversation. "Actually, it's a long story... a long, complicated story..."
Dao nodded his head slowly, one of his hands suddenly snapping it's fingers as another hand rose into the air, the appendage surrounded by a field of ethereal energy. "Well, why not view it as it happened? Come forth, Eye of Sight Beyond Sight!" A floating sheet of crystal appeared out of thin air, floating beside a smiling Dao.
Britanny looked at the amber coloured crystal, her eyes widening in recognition. "Isn't that the weird looking glass we saw in the ruins?" Dao nodded as he looked at the floating object.
"Yes, an invention of mine that I call a 'viewer'. If you ask it to, it can reveal to us your distant past." Naruto sighed as he kissed Gina's cheek, the distracted woman looking at the shinobi in surprise.
"Naru?"
"Well, I think that's my cue to leave." Britanny shook her head, her mouth opening as she tried to ask the shinobi to stay. But a silencing hand from Naruto stopped Britanny from speaking, her eyes shining as she waited for the shinobi to speak. "It's ok Cheets, really. I don't need to know about your past, all I need to know about you is who you are, right here, right now. Besides, I better take Pini home, she may wake up during the show and I doubt you'd want her to know what happened." Britanny blinked slowly, her head scanning the lab as she searched for the named teen.
"Pini? Pini Gahjat? Where is she?" Naruto grinned as he gestured with his thumb over his shoulder at the sleeping teen on the medical examination table. Britanny glanced at her sister for a moment before returning her gaze to the unconscious teen. "Do I really wanna know why she's knocked out in your lab, Gina?"
Naruto laughed softly as he lifted the young girl off of the table, his head shaking as he headed towards the door. "She didn't do much, just revealed how old I am and then Dao appeared, it was just a little too much for her to take. I'll drop her off at home then check on Sheila and Jaliera, let me know if you need me for anything." Naruto nodded at Theo solemnly before he left, hoping to communicate his support to the arch mage. Theo returned the gesture before the door slid shut, hiding the Digger's from sight. "Ok, you can stop pretending to be asleep, Pini."
Pini opened one of her eyes and glared at the shinobi that was holding her. "Jerk, now I'll never know what happened." Naruto grinned as he walked back towards the elevator with the young girl, his hand slapping the button for the main floor.
"Sometimes, there are things you're just not meant to know."
One hour later
Naruto stretched as he monitored his apprentice's progress, the jagwere having progressed to practising her combat jutsu. Naruto laughed loudly as Sheila's head was engulfed in a small fireball, the jagwere growling in annoyance as her accelerated healing factor regrew the scorched fur almost immediately. "Sheila, use your hand to control the flames, at least until you get used to it!" Naruto chuckled as the young woman grumbled loudly, her hands flashing through the same series of hand seals once more, this time she placed a her hand in front of her mouth as she expelled the molded chakra from her chest, a stream of fire lancing across the backyard until it hit the target, the wooden dummy disappearing in a ball of flames. "Nice, good job!"
Sheila happily turned towards her sensei, a beatific grin gracing her features as she bounced towards the ancient shinobi. Naruto slid a tall glass of water towards the sweating girl, a gesture that caused her to sag in relief as she swallowed the cold liquid. "Oh you have no idea how good that feels, I've been dying out in this sun!" Naruto slid a pair of sunglasses over his eyes as he laid back in his lounger, his arms resting beneath his head.
"Well then, I think it's time for you to take a break then. Relax in the backyard, take a shower, anything you want really, but no more training for the day." Sheila was about to protest when Naruto glanced over at his student. "No arguing. Who knows more about being a shinobi, you or me?" Sheila sighed as she flopped back on the lounger, a pout forming as she crossed her arms under her breasts.
"You." Naruto grinned at the petulant tone, various memories of his own stubbornness when he failed to follow instructions flashing before his eyes.
"Now now, you're already making way more progress than anyone else I know. Probably cause your clan did the best that they could to instill the proper exercises to use chakra, even though no one actually had it anymore. That, or it's just natural talent. There'll be plenty of time for you to be gasping on the ground with chakra exhaustion later, for now just relax and master the basics, ok?" Sheila grumbled softly as she closed her eyes, her sensei grinning as he enjoyed the warm summer sun shining down on them. Naruto listened in silence for several minutes, when he heard the distinct sound of a person snoring softly, his eyes shifting towards his student once more.
Sheila had passed out in her lounger, her tail twitching sporadically as she murmured softly in her sleep. Naruto grinned as he shifted the large umbrella over top of his student, the sleeping girl letting out a content sigh as soon as she was out of the sun. Naruto silently rose from his seat, entering the house once more so that Sheila could rest in peace. Just as he closed the sliding door, Naruto felt a pair of furry arms wrap around his waist, a grin appearing as he leaned into Jaliera's embrace.
"Hey." Naruto spun around, his hands resting on the grinning woman's cheeks as he pulled her towards him for a kiss, a content expression gracing her lips as she pulled back. "Hungry?" Naruto grinned as he let the Kryn woman drag him towards the kitchen. Just before the pair sat down, a sad looking Theo exited the elevator. Naruto kissed Jaliera again before he approached the archmage, his eyes studying the magic user's expression. Once he finally reached him, Naruto placed a hand on Theo's shoulder, squeezing gently as a sign of support.
"I'm guessing that whatever happened, it didn't go to whatever plan you had, did it?" Theo shook his head, a sigh escaping Naruto's lips as he nodded. "Welcome to the story of my shinobi career. My first major mission got upgraded from stopping simple bandits, to taking down a jounin level shinobi, after being a genin for only a few months. That one was a real clusterfuck, if I hadn't pulled Kurama's power out of my ass I probably would have died." Theo sighed as he nodded at his friend, the archmage heading for the door. Naruto watched as Theo closed the door, his gaze then focusing on the elevator. "Jaliera, I'll be back, ok?" Jaliera nodded, not knowing what was happening but understanding that it was most likely something important.
In the lab
Gina was holding onto her sister, tears trailing down Britanny's cheeks as she cried out her anguish at seeing her parents deaths. A pair of strong arms encircled both girls, the familiar scent of Naruto causing the pair to relax in his embrace. Naruto looked over at a sombre Dao, the djinni nodding as he returned to his iron pot. 'He didn't want to leave them alone... maybe he's not such a bad guy after all.'
After several minutes of crying, Britanny looked at Naruto, her grateful smile causing the shinobi to wink at her. "S'ok, we'll always stick together, right?" Britanny nodded resolutely, her arms pulling both Gina and Naruto closer to her as more tears soaked into her furry cheeks.
The next day
Britanny growled loudly as she tried balancing the various bags of groceries in her arms, her foot desperately pushing the doorbell as she tried to avoid flashing the neighbourhood. 'This is the last time I go grocery shopping in a skirt!'
"GINA! NARUTO! SHEILA, JALIERA! ANYBODY! PLEASE OPEN THE DOOR! Stick together my ass, WHERE ARE YOU GUYS!" Just as Britanny began to growl again, a crackling sound from the street attracted the were-cheetah's attention. Looking over her shoulder, Britanny saw a portal appear in mid air, a blast of wind scattering leaves and debris in front of the house. A quartet of familiar faces appeared from the portal, the presence of one of them causing Britanny to blink in confusion. "M-mom!" Britanny placed the groceries on the ground, turning towards the group in time to catch the tail end of a whispered conversation.
"...rest and prepare. DO not breath a word to ANYONE about what happened, understand?" Britanny's eyes narrowed as she studied the worried expressions of Genn and Seance, but it was the almost guilty look Brianna wore that tipped the were-cheetah off that something was seriously wrong.
"Hey, I thought you were going to be gone for at least another three weeks, what happened?" Before anyone could answer, Britanny sniffed loudly, her gaze hardening as she stared at her sister. "Blood, I smell blood. Lots of it. Who's hurt, what happened?"
Julia sighed as she placed a calming hand on her daughter's arm, her forced smile not fooling the suspicious were-cheetah at all. "It's alright dear, your old mom just had an accident while I was visiting Jade. Speaking of which, do you think I c-could borrow your car? I'm a little... worn out." Britanny handed her keys over to her mother, her eyes hardening as she saw Julia wincing in pain when she reached for the keyring. "Thank you, I'll return it tomorrow." Britanny watched her mother gingerly sit in her car before she drove it down the street, the were-cheetah's focus switching to the remaining arrivals from Jade.
"Alright you three. Spill, now." Brianna laughed nervously as she grabbed several bags from the ground, Britanny watched as Genn and Seance repeated the same actions and entered the house.
"Sorry Brit, but we better get your groceries inside before everything spoils!" Britanny glared at the retreating trio, a smirk forming as she slid a fingertip along the back of her palm. Moments later a flash of light signalled the arrival of Naruto, the shinobi scanning the area for anything dangerous.
"Cheets?"
"Naruto, we've got a problem."
Diggers Mansion
Julia groaned loudly as she tried to stand, her battered body screaming at her as she continued to push past her limits. A strong arm wrapped around her waist, the panting woman looking up into the concerned gaze of Naruto. "Well, Red, it looks like you got the shit beaten out of you. Now, you gonna tell me what happened, or do I have to interrogate Genn and Seance?" Julia closed her eyes once more as she leaned against Naruto's body, allowing the shinobi to drag/carry the injured woman to her home.
"Neither of them will tell you anything, they promised me that they would keep it a secret."
"Hah! Gimme five seconds with Genn and I'll have her begging to tell me what i want to know, you know how much she loves my chakra." Julia glared at the grinning shinobi, realizing the truth of his words. Sighing in resignation, Julia allowed Naruto to enter her home and place her on a comfortable couch.
"Fine, I'll talk. But no one else, promise me."
"Yeah, yeah."
"No, I need to hear you say it, I know you don't go back on promises, so promise me." Naruto sighed as he looked at his injured friend once more.
"Fine, I promise. Now, talk."
Back at the House
Naruto entered the kitchen, the shinobi kissing Brianna deeply as a welcome home. After he let her girlfriend go, a nod at Britanny allowed the young woman to breath a sigh of relief.
"Brit, something wrong?" Britanny looked over at Genn, a grin appearing as she shook her head.
"Nope, it's fine, everything has been taken care of." As the last of the groceries were put away, Gina exited the elevator, a grin appearing as she raced towards Brianna.
"Bri! You're back! Wait, you're early? Did something happen?" Naruto shook his head minutely, the young genius narrowing her gaze as she dropped the subject. 'Naruto wouldn't wave me off of something unless he had it in hand. He'll tell me what's going on, eventually.' Gina leaned against the kitchen counter, a smirk appearing as she thought about what was going to happen tonight. "Well, now that everyone is back, we can go out and have some fun! And I have just the thing, it's the annual Explorer's Society's Banquet tonight! All the top explorers will be there, we can make a night of it!"
Genn looked at Gina in surprise, the rakashasa cocking her head to the side as she looked at the beaming genius. "An Explorer's Society Banquet? But... you never go to those. You said those are just for 'braggarts and showoffs!'. You hate that banquet!"
Gina grinned diabolically as she held a fist before her. "Yes, I do. BUT! This time, I'VE got something to showoff and brag about."
That evening
Naruto held out his arm for Gina, her normal casual clothing having been thrown out for the evening. A shimmering blue silk dress hugged her curves, a short jacket covering her bare shoulders as she handed her keys to the attendant. Naruto's normal shinobi garb had been replaced with dress slacks, a burnt orange dress shirt and his customary black trench coat with red flames. The only thing that indicated he was a shinobi was his trusty forehead protector, the polished metal plate gleaming brightly under a multitude of lights. "So, Hime, are you ready for this?"
Gina grinned as she held onto her boyfriend's arm, a smile appearing as she felt his warm body pressing up against her. "Of course I am, the question is if everyone else is ready to lose?" Naruto chuckled softly, the pair entering the main hall that had been constructed specifically for this occasion. As a pair of attendants opened the hall doors, Naruto whistled softly at the large hall stretched out before him. As the pair of young adults entered the hall, many of the explorers halted their conversations and turned towards them. Gina fidgeted slightly as Naruto pulled her towards their table, many of the staring guests tracking the pairs progress across the floor. "Naruto, what the heck is going on?"
Naruto smiled lightly as the pair reached their table, the shinobi pulling Gina's chair out for her. Looking up, the shinobi winked at a small cluster of staring explorers, the group quickly returning to their previous conversation. Sitting at the table, Naruto smiled at an already seated Jaliera and Brianna before turning back towards Gina. Sheila winked at her sensei, while Genn smiled at him in greeting. "Well, Kirei, it's like this. When a group of predators senses the approach of something more powerful than themselves, they study the new arrival. They want to see if it's really as dangerous as it seems. Most likely none of them can sense chakra, but a warrior can recognize a warrior." Naruto leaned back in his chair, his head swivelling back and forth as he took in the room around him.
"It surprises me to see someone such as yourself here, Diggers." Naruto's head paused for a moment, the shinobi slowly turning towards the smug voice. Gina also glared at the pompous ass standing before her, a hand from Naruto calming her before she said anything rash. Brianna rose from her chair, her mood turning sour from the insult to her boyfriend and her sister. Both Sheila and Jaliera began to glow ominously, the impromptu light show causing multiple people to slowly back away from the Diggers table. Naruto laughed as he leaned back in his chair, his hand waving away the annoying man as he turned towards his table mates.
"Yes, yes, I've heard it before, you're trash and I am better than you, I will be the victorious one, blah blah blah... hell, I don't even know your name and already I don't like you." Genn and Seance both giggled softly, while Brianna laughed uproariously at Naruto's casual dismissal of the man. The rest of the girls held their laughter in, but the damage was done as the insulted man leaned towards Naruto.
"My name is Fauntleroy, boy. And I think that it is unwise to mock those that are your betters. Number 38, make sure to add him to my list." Naruto looked over his shoulder at a woman that made a note on a clipboard, a smile appearing as he turned back to his friends and family.
"Ooooh, a list. Well, that's a first. Usually the bad guy bypasses that and just tries to kill me... or bore me to death with cliched lines. So nice to meet you, enjoy the show!" As the pair walked off, the lights dimmed as the Explorers Society's chairman, Monty, took the stage.
"All 'ight y' bloody blokes! Time t'start th' meet'n, eh wot? Then we can start th' REAL fun! First tho, we get the wussy, candy-ass presentation finished, eh? BLOODY 'ELL, GET ON WITH 'EM!" Gina rose from her seat, a confident grin showing as she looked at the rest of her table.
"That's my cue! I'm up!" But as Gina turned towards the podium, she saw that someone had decided that they deserved to go first.
"FAUNTLEROY?! GET YOUR ASS OFF THE STAGE, IT'S MY TURN FIRST!" Naruto sighed in annoyance before he discreetly launched a kunai at the podium, the shinobi disappearing in a flash of light while Gina tried to get Fauntleroy to get off the stage.
"WHO CARES, SIDDOWN AND SHHADUP! YOU'LL GET YOUR TURN!"
"Yeah!"
"Quiet so we can hear!"
When the other explorer's voiced their opinions, Gina sat down heavily, as sigh passing her lips as Fauntleroy smirked at the defeated woman. "I hate these things."
Fauntleroy buffed his fingernails as he looked towards the crowded floor, his hands gripping the podium as he cleared his throat. "Well, I think it best we skip the... 'boring' presentations, what say you all?" A resounding cheer caused Gina to growl once more, her gaze sweeping the room for Naruto.
'Where did he go?'
"Excellent! And now I present to you all, real, live wish granting Djinni! Yes, these mythical beings truly do exist!" A photo of a scantily clad woman appeared on the screen, a pair of wide eyes on her stomach and mystic flames surrounding her voluptuous body. While the crowd ooh'ed and ahhh'ed at the image of the mystical being, a smirking Fauntleroy pulled a brass lamp from his suit jacket. But just as pompous explorer raised the brass lamp above him, Naruto fell from the ceiling, his hand latching onto the back of the blowhard's head, slamming him into the floor.
"Yeah, sorry man, but you're kinda out of order. I'm gonna have to escort you back to your seat so that you can wait till it's your turn to make your presentation." The crowd watched in silence as the pair on stage disappeared in a flash of white light, a screaming Fauntleroy falling from the rafters and landing heavily in the centre of his table. Meanwhile, Naruto appeared beside Gina, grabbed her arm gently and flashed the two of them back to the podium.
"There you go Gina, now you can make your presentation." Gina looked at the now silent crowd, a drop of sweat appearing as she looked back at Naruto.
"Dammit, I can't present the same thing! I've got nothing else!" Naruto smiled as he stood beside Gina, his arms crossing over his chest as he looked towards her expectantly.
"Of course you do. You've always had it, you just didn't want to use it." Gina's eyes widened as she shook her head, her actions confusing the crowd again as they watched the drama unfolding before them.
"Oh hell no! I am not using you as a sideshow pony! Screw the award!" Naruto laughed loudly as he pulled Gina close to him, the woman relaxing in his grip.
"Well I say screw that, you deserve it. Besides, it'll give'em something to be jealous about. Come on, do it!" Gina looked up at her lover once more, his devil may care grin egging her on. Gina sighed loudly as she returned to the podium, the young genius taking a deep breath as she faced her peers.
"Tonight, I was going to announce my own discovery of Djinni, but since that was already taken from me, I've decided to reveal another of the monumental discoveries I have made. As many of you are aware, multiple ruins throughout the world mention an ancient culture that has been lost for millennium, n, it's home land either destroyed or somehow hidden from humanity. I'm speaking about the Elemental Nations, the continent of Mu." The silent crowd responded loudly to the announcement, they even responded how Gina predicted they would. Raucous laughter from the majority of the room greeted her announcement, but Gina noticed several serious gazes focusing on her announcement intently, such as Monty and his partners, Joe and Shinryuken. Gina looked over at Naruto, shrugging helplessly as the laughter continued. Naruto grinned as he stepped forward, a sudden burst of chakra silencing the room as the dense energy washed over them. Sapphire waves of power wrapped around the shinobi, the once laughing audience now watching in awe. Naruto smirked as he let loose Kurama's chakra, a golden nimbus of power banishing the darkness of the room around him. The now silent explorers watched in awe as the energy field surrounding the shinobi formed a long ragged coat, his hair sweeping upwards like a pair of horns. Wisps of energy rising from Naruto's body, dissipating in the air as he studied the men and women arrayed before him.
"Yeah, I'd react the same way too if I heard someone announce a legendary continent actually exists, especially if there was no proof of it. But you see, Gina Diggers does have proof. Tell me, anyone that has found information about the Elemental Nations, did you ever hear the word, Jinchūriki?" Naruto smiled as several people reached for the various weapons that they had brought with them. "Oh ho, I see some of you have. Well then, this'll be easier than I thought. My name, is Uzumaki Naruto. I am a Hokage of Konoha. I am the living container for the Kyubi, the mightiest of the biju. I lived in the Elemental Nations over fifteen thousand years ago. I don't know what happened to them, but I can tell you this, they did exist."
"LIES! YOU CANNOT BE UZUMAKI NARUTO!" Naruto looked shocked as Daishi rose to his feet, his hand trembling as he pointed a finger towards the glowing man before him. "Uzumaki was the pinnacle of what a shinobi could become, but all I see are parlour tricks and a light show. We demand substantial proof of your claim, charlatan."
Naruto looked over at a smiling Gina, shrugging his shoulders as he turned back towards Daishi. "Wow, I'm surprised you know who I am, Daishi. I'd be happy to give you all some proof. Can anyone think of something that would count as such?" Naruto waited for an answer, one that came very quickly. Naruto watched as a masked man beside Monty rose to his feet, his glowing eyes studying the grinning shinobi beside the podium.
"Naruto-dono, ancient proverb say: Actions speak louder than words. My clan kept records of your land for generations. Records say Naruto-dono summoned toads for battle. Perhaps this is enough as proof?" Naruto blinked slowly, his expression going slack as he looked at Gina.
"Naruto? I didn't know you could do that..." Naruto scratched his cheek, a drop of sweat rolling down his forehead as he laughed nervously.
"Um... well, I kinda... forgot... to check on them?" Silence reigned as Naruto sighed loudly before lifting his hands towards his chest.
"Boar, Dog, Bird, Monkey, Ram." Naruto paused for a moment, grinning cheekily as he put out enough power to summon one of the elders. 'I hope whoever replaced Pa is as small as he was.'
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" A blast of smoke obscured the podium, Naruto watching it intently as he waited for it to clear. As the cloud finally began to dissipate, Naruto noticed a shock of familiar white hair, the small toad that he had summoned stirring powerful memories in the ancient shinobi. "Kami... is that you, Pa?"
The diminutive toad sage turned around, his eyes falling on the familiar face of the man that had masters Senjutsu, succeeding where even Jiraiya had failed. "Naruto-chan..."
Naruto wiped at his eyes, the shinobi and toad ignoring the people surrounding them as they laid eyes on each other for the first time in years. Just as Naruto was about to drop down and hug the old Toad, Pa leaped to the air, his hands raised over his head as he trusty staff appeared, his happy expression at seeing his pupil swiftly shifting towards anger just before he struck. "NARUTO-CHAN! I SHOULD KICK YOUR ASS FOR DISAPPEARING LIKE THAT, DO YOU KNOW HOW MISERABLE MA HAS BEEN THIS ENTIRE TIME? BASTARD!"
Naruto's eyes widened as Pa's staff slammed down on his head, the shinobi yelping in pain as he swayed on his feet. "DAMMIT PA! WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM? Screw that, how the hell are you still alive after fifteen thousand years?"
Pa halted his followup attack, the ancient toad staring at Naruto in shock. "Naruto-chan... you've only been gone for 15 years."
There you have it, let me know what you think of the chapter!