Chapter Eight: Mei a Kage in turmoil,
The group had continued far down the many roads the Mizukage's group had led them down into the night, when they stopped to make camp for the night, the jobs had been divided between them equally and then set off into their own routines, Yamato wandered off to a lake he said was nearby, saying he had an idea to make their group much stronger,
Ino seemed too awkwardly speak too those around her usually with Klara Or Chojuro, but spoke with Tazuna and Aoi too, Klara either busied herself setting up tents, or sharpening her equipment,
Aoi commandeered first watch, pretty much just stated it was his and just started despite the fact no one had even started sleeping yet,
As for Naruto and the Mizukage... well she demanded that he was her bodyguard and dragged him off into the woods,
Which is where they were right now, deep in the woods sat facing each other on two different rocks separated by a small pond that Mei had made, "Show me again," she said,
Naruto nodded, he was clearly frustrated already but if it took her a long time to learn something as simple as boiling water with her chakra she figured she'd be mad too, "Okay," he said and placed his feet on either side of the pond, after a few seconds the pond glowed red,
Mei didn't need Aoi's Byakugan to tell her what was wrong,
The way to boil water with your chakra was simple yet complex at the same time, every Chunin got stumped doing it many times while first learning, the way to do it was first you send chakra into the water you want to boil, after that you find the centre and focus on mimicking a fire jutsu, not using one though, but forcing your chakra to mimic the fire like properties without actually making fire with it, this causes the chakra in the water to heat up,
The second step is always where people have the most trouble, but not him, before he had those bracers he had very little control over how much chakra he used and usually sent eighty percent everywhere, which if it was 80 of a normal person would've been bad sure,
But he was working with eighty percent of nine tailed beasts and an Uzumaki's natural reserves, he'd likely never learn anything about controlling his chakra, without those bracers she was wondering if she could actually teach him anything, but she made a promise, and this would help out her village in the long run, since she got to keep him for a few months, she lamented acting as pathetic as she had during their little her and Itachi's 'date'/mission discussion, but after seeing him lift that pillar she knew the boy would be a massive help rebuilding her village,
She also hated herself for accepting,
She let out a deep breath, 'The five Kage had gathered recently,' she remembered, shortly before her summon from Itachi the five Kage had been summoned to the land of Iron, one of them had called a meeting,
The chunin exams were coming around this year, normally there was an argument about who got to host the event but this time it had been passed around to the youngest Kage, Itachi who gratefully accepted the role,
Afterwards a proposal was drafted, something to increase village competitivity and trust, upon hearing about it, it was obvious why three Kage had voted for it,
An exchange of Ninja, the terms were if a Genin in the Chunin exams was sought after by one the Kage they could talk to the Genin about swapping villages, if that Genin agreed the two Kage would discus what Ninja could be traded,
Mei was herself ashamed that her own thoughts, much like those of her fellow Kage had gone to one boy, one that now sat across from her,
'I knew Itachi was desperate,' Mei thought, 'but surely he knows I could use this to my advantage,' Trust that's all she needed from the albino boy, and then during the Chunin exams she could try to convince him to join her at Mizu,
Her struggling village, her struggling people, just by exchanging one Genin she could become an instant powerhouse, and she'd been given an advantage, she'd already thought of a plan, a plan she hated to admit would betray all trust Itachi had hesitantly placed in her,
First she'd teach Naruto how to use steam, use the month or two he was with her to make herself and her village look absolutely ruined, far more then it already was and play on his pity, she'd be his sensei at that time so he'd already trust her a lot, by the time the Chunin exams rolled round she could grovel before him, sobbing her eyes out and he'd agree to come with her,
She even had another advantage, he was stupid and naïve so she could just trick him into marrying her making him unable to be traded with another village since she was his wife now, she already knew he had no idea what marriage was, she could just tell him it's when a woman 'the wife' wants to make a certain man 'the groom' cake every year, and it's a special bond between two trusted parties,
Now though, she was sat here wondering if she was evil for merely thinking of the strategy, 'It's not like I'd actually. . .' Mei bit her lip as her village came to mind, even now it was struggling without her, because she'd left,
Why? because Itachi had requested her, she'd planned on asking him for some ninja to borrow, making the trip worthwhile in the first place but he drops the solution right in her lap,
She felt like scum,
'But is it really all that bad?' she wondered, 'It isn't like I hadn't planned on doing whatever I could, to get what my village needs,' she's assumed Itachi had originally summoned her because he wanted to lord some power over her, his village was fine and hers wasn't, which was why when she'd left she'd made sure to put on some lacy underwear,
She was a Kunoichi first and her body was a weapon, she expected their meeting to end with her on her knees and naked telling him whatever he wanted to hear, just for even the promise of even a few Ninja,
That was simply what she was willing to do as Kage, she was just glad at first It was Itachi, he was pretty handsome so she wouldn't have minded it as much as she should have,
From that perspective she felt her plan wasn't really all that bad, she'd actually care for the boy, maybe even they'd have a sort of aunty and nephew relationship, she wouldn't even have any objections to anyone from the leaf visiting him or taking him to go visit them,
Her village would of course treat him with the utmost respect too, since he'd have a massive part in saving it,
He was an orphan too, so maybe he'd even start a family, she wouldn't be against that, even if he didn't start one with her, though she supposed she probably wouldn't mind siring his children either, though she hoped he'd choose someone his own age,
'My thoughts only confirm one thing,' she noted, 'I'm desperate, I need him to help my village, and I'd give him anything he wanted in return, so why do I feel horrible for even considering it?'
She took a deep breath and shook her head, 'way to get off topic Mei' she chided herself,
She opened her eyes and stared deep into the red glowing pool, 'Considering Naruto likely couldn't make jutsu considering what Itachi said about him, I can't just teach him a fire jutsu and have him learn that way,' she imagined him burning a hole on his stomach with the massive flames his chakra would inevitably make, 'but Itachi's Anbu had said they'd seen him actually use a steam jutsu before at least once or twice so he somehow managed to do it by accident so there must to be a way to explain it to him,' she concluded,
"Okay," she smiled gently at him, "That's the first step to boiling water down," she said, "Now we just have to bring it to a boil," she rubbed her head, 'We're only on the first step and I already want to take a break,'
"You've boiled water before right?" she asked,
"Yiss," he said with a nod, "But I can never get it done every time,"
"That's great, and what were you feeling then?" she asked, 'Maybe his emotions are the key to this,' she thought,
Naruto tilted his head and crossed his arms, 'What was I feeling?' his eyes lit up, "I'll bet K-," then his expression fell, "oh,"
Mei raised her brow at him, "Is... something wrong?" she asked,
Naruto nodded, "Miss Mei-," he covered his mouth, "I mean- "
"Miss Mei is fine," She said,
Naruto smiled sadly at her, "Thanks," and then he clasped his hands together nervously, "You seem really smart and all and I just wanted to know... h-how do you apologise to someone really important? like is there anything you can say to make them forgive you?"
Mei thought about what Naruto was asking, and quickly came to one conclusion that made sense in her mind, 'Now I get it!' she thought, 'this is the real reason you asked me to take him Itachi, Naruto made the fire Damiyo or his wife angry didn't he? that's the real reason for this mission, you want to wait a few months so it all blows over,' then she smirked, 'But I'll make him love Mist by then so you'll-,' she shook her head, 'No Mei,' she took a breath, "Oh, well it all depends on who you're trying to apologise to,"
Naruto looked up at her eyes brimming with hope, "R-really!" he asked, "Please miss Mei, how do I apologise to Kaa-chan?" he asked,
'Oh it's his... mother?' Mei frowned, 'Isn't he an orphan? does he mean The Uchiha clan head?'
"Kokuo-chan hasn't spoken to me since I got mad the other night and I'm getting really worried," He stated,
"Kokuo-chan?!" Mei asked with a cry, "You mean the five tails!?"
Naruto nodded, "Yiss," he said so seriously Mei almost laughed,
Mei rubbed her chin mostly just to hide her mouth from the young boy, 'Previous users of the five tails did agree that it was nice and friendly,' he looked over at the boy, 'but... could he really hav-,' Mei's eyes widened, 'No, it couldn't be... could it?' she moved her hand, "Naruto, do you like the tailed beasts?"
"They're my family," he said happily,
Mei's eye twitched, "And hypothetically if say I called any of them, say... giant destructive monsters with no empathy and a lust for deceit and devastation you'd think. . .?"
"That you were a bad person and then I'd only listen to you because Tachi-kun told me too," Naruto stated, "But I know you're a good person miss Mei, you'd never treat tailed beasts like that," he smiled,
"I see," she said, 'I've underestimated you Itachi, you know your brother and the Kage well,' She'd nearly ruined any chance she had of ever convincing him anything about joining her village, 'If he hadn't asked me about apologising I'd have just assumed he hated the tailed beasts like everyone else,' she smiled back at him, "Yep I totally love the tailed beasts, no monsters among them, they're all entirely misunderstood as far as I think,"
Naruto stared off into space for a second and frowned, "People can be nice," he said out of nowhere, Mei stared at him as he crossed his arms and said, "Maybe she's different,"
'He isn't-'
"Miss Mei is being really nice and you're being super rude Seiken," he said crossing his arms, "Well maybe she wants to help? or understand you all or- something,"
Mei leaned away from him, 'He is talking to them,' she thought, 'I doubt he even realises he's saying this out loud,'
Suddenly Naruto seemed to remember she was there, "Uh sorry I just got uh distracted?" he asked himself, "It is?" he whispered without covering his mouth, "Yiss, distracted, sorry miss Mei,"
'He's a really bad liar,' she thought, "It's fine," she stated more to herself then anyone else, quickly realising that any reason the Kage would convince Naruto to leave and join them would fail, if not due to how he was, then due to the tailed beasts themselves, 'Or would they?' she wondered, 'It's possible they're only looking after their best interest, so maybe I could still convince them all to join Mizu,' she smiled wider, "Anyway you were talking earlier about apologising to someone?"
"Oh yeah," He clasped his hands together, "please miss Mei can you help me?"
Mei asked him what happened before Kokuo stopped talking to them, and Naruto told her about Han, Kokuo's former host, about how she gushed on and on about his skill and strategy, how Han completing what Naruto was still learning before Naruto was even capable of coherent speech, (Again) She was also horrified to learn that Naruto had actually smashed his head against a tree and lost his memories, and possibly some of his higher thought process,
"And so I went home after Itachi told me I couldn't join the Ninja program," he said, "Then I was back in the mindscape and I was staring at-," Naruto's eyes flashed for a second and he almost robotically covered his mouth, "Mmm?" he looked surprised, after a few seconds he moved his hands and said, "and after all that Kokuo offered to teach me steam and I've been stuck trying to learn about it ever since,"
Mei... didn't know Naruto very well, but it was very obvious he hadn't been thinking and almost let something slip out, and one of the tailed beats inside him had shut him up, 'Can they control him?'
"Uh," she raised a finger at him, "What was that?" she asked,
Naruto's eyes were wide, "Uh," he turned away from her, "W-what was what miss Mei?"
"You covered your own mouth, and you didn't realise it," She stated,
"W-well," he sweated nervously, "Uh no it's uh... rigor mortis?"
"No it wasn't and you'd have to be dead for that," Mei stated,
Naruto flinched, "I uh-," then he turned back to her, "miss Mei!" he cried,
"Y-yes?!" She flinched at the change in his mood,
Naruto slid closer to her, looking very nervous, "I. . .," he clenched his fist, "I want to know that you're really a good person for sure before anything," he said, He looked up at her, "So I'm going to test you,"
"S-sure?,"
He nodded, like six times and seemed to psyche himself up for something, then he reached up to his fringe, and parted it,
Mei had no words, her jaw dropped, upon the sight of two small horns on either side of his head, and a third lavender eye,
"W-well?" He asked, and looked... incredibly self conscious, "what do you think?"
All three eyes stared at her, each waiting for a response, but in them, something shook her, resignation, as if he'd already decided she hated them,
"Uh well, I don't know, they're cute?" she asked, mostly on auto pilot,
"C-cute?" he asked, his cheeks turned red as the smile came back to his face, he moved forward and wrapped his arms around her, "I knew you were a good person Miss Mei!" he cheered,
"Woah," Mei hadn't been hugged, lifted, and spun around in such a long time, "I'm being lifted up now?" she asked, it had been so long since her father had done this, she'd done so much since, she barely even remembered a time when she was a just a little girl, being held up as her father praised her for being a good girl, after she did well on a test, or she'd learned a Justu faster then the other kids,
She stayed then as he spun her around blushing herself, she saw Aoi covertly ask if she needed help, she waved him away and the Ninja nodded, leaving to do. . . Aoi things,
"Oh s-sorry miss Mei," Naruto hastily apologised and placed her down again, "I'm sorry for picking you up, don't be mad," he begged,
Mei shook her head, trying to forget that she'd just enjoyed... being hugged, so much, "Uh, mad?" she asked, "Why would I be mad?"
"Because I hugged you out of nowhere," Naruto said, "I'm sorry," he apologised again,
"It's fine," she said, "I enjoyed it," she said, explaining to the boy about how it reminded her of when she was a little girl,
"Oh," He smiled, "I'm glad,"
"So you have three eyes?" she asked, "That was your big test?"
Naruto nodded, "Yiss,"
"Well how'd I do?" she asked,
"Top three," he smiled, "But I don't remember how Taichi and Aunty Miko reacted so I can't rank you all fairly," he said,
She chuckled, "Oh my, I managed to beat your team though, so that's something,"
"I uh, h-haven't shown them yet though," He admitted, Mei's eyes went wide, "I don't w-want them to think l-less of me," he said, "s-so I haven't shown them ye-,"
Mei flicked water at him,
"What are you doing?" He asked,
"Naruto listen," she said with a sigh, "You're a ninja now, you have to know that there are no secrets between teams,"
"B-but this secret doesn't hurt the-,"
Mei flicked more water at him, "Yes it does Naruto, because you hid something you're so self conscious about, and revealed it to me before them, and then they'll start to wonder why,"
"Because I don't want them to think differently of me," He said,
"Thinking like that can hurt them too Naruto," She said, "like they'd react any differently then I did,"
Naruto opened his mouth, and closed it shortly after,
Mei stood up, "Let's take a break for now," she said, "I'll get your team over here, whatever you show them after words is your choice," she walked towards the tent before she remembered his question from before, "Oh and after that, if you just apologise to Kokuo sincerely, I'm sure she'll forgive you,"
Naruto turned to her and smiled brightly,
Mei's heart warmed at the sight, 'He's so. . . kind,' she thought,
OCTOPUS-Inside Naruto's Mindscape-OCTOPUS
Kaguya gritted her teeth, 'How dare'st thee?' she demanded internally glaring at the image of an old redhaired whore giving Naruto an ugly smile back,
Kaguya had been seething since the training started, it was painfully obvious what the hag wanted, Naruto, 'I bet the hag was even planning on spreading her filthy hole to convince him to remain by her side as well wasn't she?'
But deep down Kaguya knew her anger was from Mei and Naruto sharing a nice moment together, 'T'was even better then thy own attempt' she thought bitterly, she watched as her beloveds friends had accepted his eye, not because Kaguya had told him to, but because Mei had told him too, "This harlot vexes me without even the slightest knowledge of my very existence!" she spat,
"Who dost she believe herself to be?" Kaguya demanded, "For a Goddess she certainly is not,"
She watched as his friends left, "I'll bring him here and confirm that I am still the only woman he-,"
"Miss Mei was right," Naruto said, his stomach filling with a pleasant feeling at the thought of the Mizukage,
Kaguya took a deep breath, conjured a pillow, and held it firmly against her face as she screamed,
When she was done she tossed the pillow away, "That was my feeling!" she growled, "you hear me you wretch? MINE!" she rose from her throne and lifted it up, she was just about ready to throw it at... anything,
But being a goddess, Kaguya wrestled her feelings down, placed the throne down and flopped onto it, all with the elegance of a spoilt child being told she couldn't have desert because she hadn't done her homework or eaten her veggies,
And though on the outside she looked undignified and pouty, inside she plotted and schemed, Naruto was her man, she'd been the one to witness his kindness, she'd been the one who was around the longest, and she was more attractive that. that... that foul harlot, that man stealing shrew!, that disgusting red haired creature who likely smelled of the semen of every single man she'd ever passed in her entire life,
"He is mine," Kaguya stated, "Mine," she reiterated, she conjured up a double of Mei, and just stared at it,
'Loathe as I am to admit it,' she thought having calmed down, 'she is rather attractive,' she was rather pleased to see the Mizukage before her, originally she'd intended to scratch her face, claw it all up, as a form of revenge, but now Kaguya only felt bad for her,
"T'is not truly her fault," Kaguya admitted returning to her throne, "T'is his," she smiled, "He's so kind and friendly even a deceased man's heart would again beat upon the mere sight of that smile,"
Kaguya linked her fingers, and smiled, "Yes," she moved the Mei double into her lap, so she could admire her body more... personally, "T'is not as if she'd be thy first bride," she said groping her chest, "but," she smirked staring into the double's lone uncovered eye, "Though thy am rather selfish, thus," she captured Mei's lips, "He shall be my husband, and you may be my pet," she stated,
She looked over the limp doll in her arms, studying it, "Indeed, thou will look rather fetching adorned with a leash," she conjured one around the double's neck, yanked it hard, and just enjoyed the look of it upon her,
"I might even permit you to pleasure my husband," she stated, "Not often of course, you'll have trouble keeping up with me,"
She attached the double's leash to her throne, "Now, I just need to remind my beloved that I am the most enchanting woman he's encountered, and of course regain a body," She already had her mind on a suitable replacement, it was nearby, following the group,
Kaguya had already checked it matched her specifications during one of her appropriations of Shukaku's night time rampages, she went over them again, 'Female? yes, virgin? yes, older then my beloved? yes, bloodline limit? yes, and of course the most important, will she be missed?' Kaguya's smirk would've chilled any who saw it, 'no,'
Her looks didn't matter, though again Kaguya thought she was rather attractive herself, but they mattered not because of course Kaguya was going to take her own form, unfortunately she'd have but a fraction of her power, but she'd be able to draw on Naruto's as long as he stayed close to her, which of course he would,
"Perhaps this might even be a great time to elope?" Kaguya wondered, then her eyes turned back to the double, "Perhaps even start training that dog?" she asked,
Her vision was drawn back to the screen showing what her beloved saw, he'd returned back to camp, and was settling in for a 'nap,'
'I suppose he's going to see the horse,' she thought,
She raised her hand, "Time for a little trick,"
She watched as he appeared before her and opened his eyes, "Whe-," he paused and blushed upon seeing her, the same warmth that she'd felt from the dog's smile filled the mindscape again, "Wh-what am I doing here?" he asked, quickly he hid himself behind his hair, "I haven't mentally prepared myself to see you,"
Kaguya smiled at that, but schooled her expression, "Indeed? how odd," she said, "I didn't summon you," she lied, "Perhaps you were drawn back into my throne room because deep down, you wanted to see me," She waved her hand sending the Mei double into her bedroom before Naruto could see it,
Naruto turned around, "Maybe," Naruto said looking back at her
Those kind eyes all fell on her face, and on que her cheeks became warm, 'Perhaps I should have him wear a blindfold whenever he speaks to others,' she thought, 'I'd rather he did not charm too many people,'
"Your face is red," Naruto said,
"T'is because I love you,"
Naruto's entire face turned scarlet, he spun and covered his face, "Th-that's too much for me right now!"
She chuckled, "My why ist thou avoiding my gaze?" she moved forward and wrapped her arms around him,
"Y-you're hugging me?" Naruto asked, "Wh-why?"
"Can a goddess no longer do as she pleases?" Kaguya asked as she leaned into him, "Your hair is so soft,"
Naruto who felt as awkward as ever "Th-thanks, I grew it myself,"
OCTOPUS-The end-OCTOPUS
Bit of a short chapter, was going to be much longer and ended with the crew getting to wave but I figured you guys have waited long enough for a chapter, so I'll post it now,
Review corner:VVV
Primarx (first comment): Yeah there hasn't been much going on so it's mostly defaulted to comedy, when we get to Wave the tone will expand,
Primarx (Second comment): Yeah but I spent too long with it how it was so It had to be a quick change,
Guest: A woman goes through a lot during the months leading up to her child's birth, take all that and add getting a C-section(Where the doctor can't get the baby out of a woman's vagina, (usually because the baby is too big) and therefore they cut open the mother's stomach to try and get the baby out that way,) being batted around by a mountain sized fox, that was a few hours prior in her own body,(also in cannon Kushina survived the extraction process so I don't really have to answer that one, because even in cannon Kushina is one tough mother,) and of course losing her husband and then watching in horror as the baby you birthed and now has the demon you were cursed with for most of your life sealed inside it, starts changing it's appearance, Like if anyone thinks one bad day could drive people mad, that in essence is one really bad day.
As for who released Kurama, well I'd tell you, really I would but I have a medical condition, I'm deathly afraid of spoilers, The best I could do was give you all a small piece of what Kushina actually went through that terrible day, (yes it's cannon to this story, no I don't know what Omake means) Peace.
Jonahtapper1228: Aw thanks pal, hope you're enjoying so far,
Omake: Kushina's Fall
Kushina growled as pain wracked her entire body, she didn't have time to feel pain, she needed to find Minato and put that stupid fox back in it's cage, she forced herself to her feet using her Kanobo to prop herself up, "Oof," she groaned, her body was still messed up from the c-section she had to get her baby out, and now she had a concussion,
She stared out from the mountain she'd landed on, she could see Kurama still fighting the leaf, "When I find that woody bastard who did this to you Kurama," she promised limping forward, "I'll use their bones to make my next Kanobo,"
Quickly she forced herself to slide down the mountain and rushed as quickly as one could with a fractured ribcage and twisted leg toward the massive fox, suddenly Gammabunta appeared and managed to fight the fox, "Never thought I'd be happy to see that frog," she said,
Her heart sank as soon as she felt something massive behind her, "What the hell?," she asked turning to see as a massive amount of red chakra seemed to fly past her, "What was tha-," Kurama vanished.
"No," Kushina shook her head, he wouldn't have, he promised he wouldn't, she rushed forward, the pain in her body ignored as she closed the distance between her and Gammabunta,
When she got there He noticed her and lowered his hands to her placing something in front of her, Her husband's corpse, and in his arms was their son, Kushina couldn't breath, she dropped to her knees as tears streamed down her face, "Why?," she asked, she grabbed Minato and pulled him closer, "Why did you do that?, you promised you would seal her back inside me," she asked, "Why give your own life?, why force our baby to go through what I did!?," she demanded, "WHY?, WHY?!, WHY?!, WHY?!," She demanded, raged, and finally begged as she pulled her son and husband into her arms, "I still need you," she sobbed, "I can't raise a kid alone Minato, I'm useless with kids,"
Gammabunta looked down at the sobbing woman, "He wanted me to tell you how sorry he was, and that his biggest regret is that he'll never see you again," With Minato's request to him completed, Gammabunta vanished leaving the sobbing woman alone,
The new picture was drawn by my cousin, she made a few for me,
Hey guys, you know what I realised recently, I need food to live, I know right? it's real tragic, look at those robots lording their lack of a need for foodstuffs over us, but good news you can help me, by going to pa-t-reon/OurheroFanWriterHaverOfDumbIdeas you'll find a page made by me to help me get my hands on some sweet sweet foodstuff, if you don't want to support me that's fine too, (tiers are £2 for tea money, as I am a filthy redcoat who enjoys many a cup of delicious tea, and £3 for me to write a one shot story for you,) that's pat-r-eon/OurheroFanWriterHaverOfDumbIdeas
