CH 15
Land of Waves: End
Naruto - New, Yet So Old - Naruto - New, Yet So Old
Zabuza and Haku walked the boys back to the Bridge Builder's village. In doing so they walked through several towns, where a blond man named 'Kitsune Naoya', introduced them as the Guardians or Enforcers of various contracts that some businesses had. The man then handed out his company's business card, which would allow the population to submit their complaints, get aid as needed or advise the company when something has gone wrong with someone or some business.
The blond man was personable and he had three body guards at all times. No more, no less and this was a vast improvement over Gato, who'd always had too many. Having too many, also meant that more people got hurt depending on the guards' boredom factor.
These three were perfect in manners and attitude. Not once did Naoya-san's guards shove, toss, hurt, damage or take any other action, besides guarding the man they were hired to guard. The people in the Land of Waves noticed this and truly appreciated it, despite the fact that one guy was scary looking because he didn't have any eyebrows.
As they approached the clearing where Haku had met Naruto, in order to obtain the location for a private meeting, they noted that there was a female fox in the middle of it feeding three kits. Naruto looked at the others who nodded that they were in the clear, which allowed them to remove their disguises. Then he approached the female slowly.
She looked at him and said, "You made a scroll. It is now occupied."
"A snow-fox with two-tails came to me seven days ago," Naruto agreed.
"I would join, but my kits..." She paused and looked at the blond, wondering what he'd say.
"By choice alone," Naruto said. "I'll not force any to join the scroll. A parent's choice will never automate that of the child's or children."
"Wonderful," she stood. "Open it up."
The blond pulled out his scroll and asked, "Do you have a name or do you want me to name you?"
"Name me," she said.
"Well, since we're currently in the Land of Waves," he asked. "How about... Nami?" (Wave)
"It's lovely," she said and agreed to it.
They all watched him add the name in Fujin script as part of the scroll. She used her paw to put add her print. Her nose was on the paper and she sounded amused as she read the name of the first fox into the scroll. "Uncle," she paused. "...Whitey?"
"Kita and Sasuke named him," Naruto said with a grin. She nodded and ushered her kits to touch her, as she activated the reverse summons that would allow her to go to the place where 'Uncle Whitey' had settled in the dimension reserved for animal summon creatures.
The blond rolled up the scroll and put it away. He gave his remaining disguise patches to Zabuza and Sasuke gave the ones he had to Haku. "These will allow you to hide well if you need to," Naruto told them, as they were taking their leave. "They'll last through a few activations before getting too worn to use again. They were not meant for long-term use."
"Can we obtain more," Haku asked.
"Sure," Naruto said. "Just call Kitsune Company Limited," he gave them a business card, different from the ones he'd handed out. "They'll make sure that some D or C Rank mission is set up for delivery of the items."
"Thanks kid," Zabuza said. "Come on Haku. We have a lot of work to do."
"Yes, Zabuza-sama," Haku said waving to the two boys. "We'll keep in touch."
The two boys of Team Seven waited until the other two ninja were gone before starting their walk back to the village where their sensei and last teammate was waiting for them.
"Neh, Naruto," Sasuke said. "Will you show me how to make one?"
"A summon scroll. You need to learn Fuuinjitsu writing," Naruto said. He noticed that the other boy wasn't really interested in that part of it. "I could give you a blank summon scroll and help you to write most of the requirements, without closing the spell until you find the animal you want to add to it. Your primary animal will dictate the type."
"What do you mean," he asked.
"Foxes are dog types," he paused and said. "Kind of... I could add a dog or wolf to the Fox scroll, but I couldn't add a reptile or a bird because they're too dissimilar. Do you understand?"
"Okay, so if my first creature is an eagle," Sasuke said. "Technically I could add another bird, like a sparrow, but not a cat or dog."
"Yeah," Naruto said. "However, it's usually best to not do that anyway because of animal family groupings and all have different territory requirements."
"Interesting," Sasuke said. "I'm still interested in making one."
"Okay, I'll get you to improve your writing until you can copy the primary spell without any flaws," the blond told him. The dark haired boy just shrugged, as they walked up to Tazuna's house.
"Welcome back boys," Kakashi-sensei said. The two boys looked around and then looked up. They used the Shunsin no Jutsu, a D-Level ninjutsu technique, (...i...) to flicker up to the roof to join their sensei. The passing was only noted by the misty sense of water in the air. "That's a good grasp of the technique."
"Haku taught us that one," Naruto said. "We needed it in order to get to a blacksmith shop."
"It looks like I'll be testing the two of you soon," the Jounin told them. He looked them over and noted that they seemed healthy enough. "We're leaving in the morning. Make sure that you have all of your gear packed. I suggest letting Tsunami wash the clothing you took with you and that you wear something else for the remainder of the day."
"Yes sensei," Naruto said, hopping down to the room that the boys had been sharing. He pulled out his pack from the corner and began to look over his things.
Sasuke stayed behind to ask, "Did she improve or change?"
"Judge that for yourself," Kakashi-sensei said. "I'll support whatever decision Team Seven makes."
"Thank you for that Kaka-sensei," the black haired boy said. He hopped down to do the same as his blond counterpart. They sorted clothing for washing and decided to go to a bathhouse in order to scrub themselves clean before putting on clean clothing.
When they came back, Tsunami said, "You boys go find us some of those tubers you'd brought back the last time you were in the forest and we'll add them to the meal. If you find any seasonal fruit, pick some up and I'll make us something sweet for dessert."
"Yes ma'am," they said and each picked up a wicker basket by the door with a small harvesting sickle.
Sakura came back from her round of the village and noticed that the boys' clothes were hanging on the line drying. She rushed into the house and asked, "Where are they? Where's Sasuke?"
"I sent them to harvest a few things in the woods," Inari's mother said. "They should be back soon. Supper's almost ready, why don't you help me set the table for everyone. I hear that you're leaving tomorrow morning."
"Yes," Sakura said and moved into the room to help her out. The boys came back about twenty minutes later. They hesitated at the door because they both sensed the chakra signature belonging to the pink haired girl.
"You first," Sasuke whispered to the blond boy.
"Okay," Naruto said. He opened the door and called out, "Tsunami-san, we're back." His hair was displaced by a gust of pink wind that completely by-passed him. He moved with Shinobi speed to rescue the herbs, tubers and seasonal ground fruit that they'd been able to find and had been knocked out of the black haired boy's hands when he was pounced on. The blond took both baskets to the woman's kitchen.
"Welcome back," Inari's mother greeted him.
"Thank you," Naruto said. "Is there anything I can do to help? I can peel the tubers, if you like."
"Yes, please," the woman said. "Do five large ones, if you found some?" The blond nodded and sat on the high stool that her son normally sat on when he watched his mom prepared a meal. They conversed about foods and how to prepare them, while ignoring the slight commotion just outside the house.
Sasuke had used the Shunsin technique to flicker away from the girl. He chose to let her complain to empty air, while he sought out the kid, Inari, who'd they noticed fishing, as they'd walked back from the forest. He sat down quietly by the boy and watched as the boy used a simple pole and line.
"You don't talk much, do you," Inari observed. "Can I ask why?"
The last Uchiha, shrugged and then said, "Not many care to listen to what I have to say. My parents and family were kind of elite in the village too, so there's a standard emotional distance to maintain."
"Maintain for whom," the boy asked as he hauled on his rod. There was a fish on the line and he added it to the basket that he was going to bring to his mom. The basked was full, so the two slowly walked up to the house.
"Me, I guess," Sasuke said. "I don't want to forget them."
"I get it," the boy said. Then he called out, "Mom, we're home. I caught five fish, two are big ones."
"Bring them in here," the woman called back. "We'll add them to the stew."
Naruto - New, Yet So Old - Naruto - New, Yet So Old
The following morning, Team Seven with Hyuga Tokuma and Inuzuka Risa were standing at the start of the bridge that would lead them to the mainland. Tazuna stood there with a few of the men that helped with the construction of the bridge. His daughter and the boy, Inari were there too.
"Thanks to all of you our bridge has finally been completed," the old man said. "But you know it's going to be awfully quiet and dull without you guys around."
Kakashi-sensei said, "We enjoyed your hospitality."
"That's right," Naruto said. "Thank you, Tsunami-san for all those cooking tips. Inari we'll come back to visit you some time."
He scratched the whisker mark on his right cheek when he heard the kid say, "You'd better."
The kid was getting emotional and that was affecting the blond Jinchuriki who had very few people in the world actually care about him. "Aw, Inari, don't let it get you down," Naruto said. "Good-byes are part of life as much as laughter is, so you can cry if you want to."
"No way," the boy whimpered. "B..but...y...you can if you want to...N..Naruto onii-san..." (big brother)
"Me," Naruto said. He patted the boy on his head and then turned to walk down the bridge. "No way," he replied, although he had tears falling down his face and knew that he'd be feeling it for a while.
'That damn kid got to me again,' he thought. 'Big brother, huh,... I've only been called that by two people in my past life and he's the first again in this life. (sniffle) Damn brat!'
Naruto - New, Yet So Old - Naruto - New, Yet So Old
TBC...
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