AN: So, I've finally finished this chapter. Hopefully you all enjoy it. Also, just to let everyone know I will be going back over this story and Uzu no Musume for any spelling and grammar errors so I may fix them. Eventually I'll do the same for my other stories.
Now, enjoy the chapter!
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Return to Konoha Arc.
Eternal Spiral.
Chapter 14: Everyone Has A Bad Day (Except the Uchiha).
Sasuke stared wide eyed as Itachi appeared behind Naruto, who had turned around at his yelling her name.
He couldn't take his eyes from Itachi's red ones, the Mangekyō Sharingan as his brothers blade flashed and blood splattered. Naruto crumbled to the ground and Sasuke couldn't help but scream the blondes name.
"Foolish little brother," Itachi said, and his eyes seemed to flash.
Sasuke was only aware of his body falling over Naruto's, in a position similar to his parents (seeing as he'd darted to Naruto's side, despite Itachi being feet in front of him).
Then his nightmares came to life...
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Sasuke clinched his chokutō, never pulling it from his side as he waited.
The plan had been put together by him and his wife – something he still felt surreal even after months of being married – before Menma was even born.
They had to wait for the opportune time to use it though. Not to mention the poison was something Naruto had to be careful with, when she mixed it, creating the perfect poison that Orochimaru would be unable to survive, and that Kabuto would be unable to heal from.
The poison was a combination of the most poisonous plants, venom's and a paralysis solution. It would basically act as a paralysis not only to the body but the tenketsu making it near impossible to use chakra for a limited amount of time.
The poison was something Naruto herself had thought up, a side project from everything else she'd trained in the last few years. Most of the ingredients for the poison were from plants found on Uzu no Kuni, and rare ones at that.
Kusagakure would probably be envious of it. It was a slow killer, it's main purpose was to leave the one who ingested it helpless to attack. It actually took up to three days to actually kill someone, and was painful.
Though, Naruto hadn't exactly liked it when he'd suggested they test it on a missing-nin that had attacked on one of the occasions Sasuke just happened to be with her.
A necessary evil, they couldn't chance a mistake. One wrong move and he could end up dead, even now, as powerful as Sasuke had become he was no fool. Orochimaru had survived this long or become a sannin without having power behind himself.
With Kabuto he became even more a threat, because Sasuke knew the medic-nin enough to know he was just as much a threat as Orochimaru was, if not more given time.
It was why he wanted to get rid of him along with Orochimaru. Tie up all loose ends. As for Otogakure... well he figured they would do what they wanted. It wasn't his concern, his concern was finishing everything and returning home to his family.
"You're up to something."
Sasuke's eyes narrowed, and he looked out the corner of his eye and sighed mentally at the teenager that came up beside him. He had odd coloring, and almost seemed feminine at first glance.
"Suigetsu," Sasuke said, severely regretting his decision to free the boy nearly the year before. "Don't get involved with this... or I'll kill you."
Suigetsu snorted.
"Probably, but I want in," he said. "Those two bastards won't get away with experimenting on me. I'll cut them into pieces!"
Sasuke sighed, shaking his head.
"Just don't get in my way," he said, and excited to the hallway which led towards Orochimaru's room where he was sure Kabuto would also be.
Orochimaru would undoubtedly be feeling the poisons affects, as would Kabuto, by now.
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"What is wrong with me, Kabuto?" Orochimaru demanded, looking quite ill and weak in his bed.
Kabuto himself wasn't looking to good, but better than Orochimaru himself, as he worked at Orochimaru's bedside.
"I'm not entirely sure," Kabuto had to admit. "It seems to be some form of poison, but I've never seen it before..."
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed. He had assumed it was because he needed to take a new body, seeing as he was pushing it now with the body he'd taken three years ago.
"Can you heal it?"
Kabuto seemed to shake, but not from any emotion, it was his body trying to get rid of the same poison his master had been poisoned with. It was causing him trouble though, and he couldn't mold chakra quite like he could before. He was beginning to get a picture of what the poison did.
"No, not right now in any case."
"So be it, bring me Sasuke-kun..." Orochimaru didn't get to finished as the door creaked open and the raven haired boy entered with his usual stoic expression.
"No need, I'm here already," Sasuke said.
Orochimaru grinned, and he painfully lifted his hands.
"Ah, good Sasuke-kun... now it's time," Orochimaru said but he grunted when he noticed his chakra not reacting as sit should and Sasuke smirked, chuckling lowly.
"Having a problem?" he asked. "I'll be sure to thank her for this when I return, the poison works better than we anticipated."
Orochimaru's eyes widened fractionally.
"You?"
Sasuke smirked wider, nodding. "Me."
Kabuto sneered. "I knew you couldn't be trusted... now suffer..."
Kabuto coated his hand in all the chakra he could force out and darted towards Sasuke, but it only lasted seconds before failing him and he was slower than usual because of the poison. Sasuke had already disappeared with his own speed, and Kabuto grunted at the blade that penetrated his chest.
"Ah, you started without me," Suigetsu whined as he entered, a murderous grin on his face, showing his sharp teeth and a sword in hand. "Does that mean I get snake-face?"
Sasuke raised an eyebrow, wondering where Suigetsu's fear of Orochimaru had gone? Since he'd been freed he'd stayed as far from Orochimaru as he humanly could. If the sannin was in once place he was at the other end of the room and eying him wearily.
He chalked it up to the fact Orochimaru wouldn't be going far if he was able to get out of bed. Sasuke wasn't taking any chances, he'd uses up every bit of the poison he'd had on him, most going in Orochimaru's food and drink. The fact it was traceless unless looking for it helped.
"Finish Kabuto. With his healing abilities that won't kill him, leave nothing left," Sasuke said kicking the medic-nin off his chokutō and turning to Orochimaru who had gotten out of bed by some miracle.
Sasuke fought the urge to roll his eyes and attacked with a fire jutsu and the battle – which was rather one sided with both Kabuto and Orochimaru majorly impaired – began.
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Two Days later;
Konohagakure no Sato:
Naruto smiled as she watched the twins play on the playground, sitting on one of the benches in the park, with Menma snuggled up in her arms. She remembered when she was their age, playing in this same playground yet she was usually alone.
At least for the longest time, until she finally became friends with Sasuke. Then a few years later she spent most her time alone once again, other than trying to get Sasuke to be something other than anti-social, and to be her friend, the one she remembered, once again.
She was thankful that her children didn't seem to have that problem. Though they were shy at first, more so Kiyoshi than Nariko, they had no trouble finding someone to play with. Of course Naruto noticed there were some adults around that seemed to send glances, and steer their children away from Kiyoshi and Nariko.
It annoyed Naruto that they were pushing their views of her on her children. She saw how they scrutinized the whisker marks Kiyo-chan and Nari-chan had inherited from her, as if that condemned them in their eyes. Thankfully there was no outright scorn or attacks like when she was their age.
Kami knows Naru wouldn't have stood for that, she could over look the few parents steering their children away from the twins, or even the looks – though she wouldn't like it – but if anyone tried to harm them it would be the last thing they did.
Civilian or shinobi be damned, she might had took the mobs and hate done to herself as a child, but she wouldn't stand for it directed towards her children.
They'd learn quickly not to anger a mother fox (seeing as that was how they saw her, as the Kyuubi, she thought it was an accurate metaphor).
"Kaachan!" Nariko called hopping onto one of the swings beside Kiyoshi and Naruto chuckled.
Looking down at Menma she stood, gently tucking him safely in the sling across her chest and walked over behind the twins.
"Let me guess, you need a push?" she asked, amused at the grins the raven haired children gave her. "Only a push you two, I don't want to wake your brother up."
the two pouted slightly, though she was sure they'd denied it if they had any of their father's pride (which she knew they did). Naruto looked at the two, sighed and shook her head, but happy to see them happy. She gave them one big push each, taking care not to jostle Menma.
"You're a good mother," Shizune said, coming up beside Naruto.
Still with one hand supporting Menma in his sling across her chest, the blonde turned to look at the Hokage's first apprentice.
"Shizune-nee," Naruto said. "Did Baa-chan send you?"
Shizune smiled.
"She's called together the council," Shizune said. "It's time."
Naruto released a deep breath, settling her nerves as she nodded. She knew this was coming, and Tsunade had stalled as long as she could – a total of nearly three weeks - but it still became more real now that it was time to confront the council.
She didn't have anything to fear from them, she could handle herself, but it didn't mean she wasn't slightly nervous about the whole ordeal. After all, a majority saw her as a demon, she knew she could at least trust the shinobi council somewhat.
The clan heads had never outright discriminated against her. They had at least had some sense of the difference between the jailor and the thing sealed within it.
"Alright... and my kids?" she asked.
Shizune gave her a apologetic look.
"I'm sorry, Naru, but Tsunade thinks it would be best for them to come as well..."
Naruto frowned, not sure how she felt about that.
"Uchiha-dono."
Naruto turned around at the voice, which was rather softly spoken and smiled slightly at the man. He wore a black high collared shirt, under a cream colored trench coat. A pair of dark pants as well, similar to the standard jōnin uniform.
Around his left arm was a sash, designed almost identically to the Fire Guardians waist sashes in it's triangular shape. Unlike the Fire Guardians this fabric was a dark orange, and there was a circle in the center with a Uchiha fan and Uzumaki swirl overlaying each other in the light blue fabric.
The most prominent thing was the kanji for Whirlpool in the center of the circle and clan symbols.
They served a similar purpose to the Twelve Fire Guardians, as the guardians of her and her family who, with her being the Daimyo of Uzu no Kuni – though few people knew the identity of the Daimyo of the rebuilt Uzu no Kuni - would gain dangerous attention.
Though, Uzu no Kuni was still under construction. There was a lot of damage, and though the majority was fixed there was still some things to be done before it was inhabitable again.
"It's Uzumaki when in public, Mamoru," Naruto said. "Though I've told you to call me Naruto haven't I?"
"You have, Naru-dono," another voice said, popping up behind the red-haired man.
"Akiko," Naruto greeted.
Akiko was a petite girl, very youthful in appearance. She didn't look older than twenty, if that and wore clothes similar to a Miko, but the hakama pants were black and not red. Her hair was long, slightly wavy and a deep purple. Around her mid-thigh was the same orange sash as Mamoru wore. That all the Nanatsu Uzu Gādianzu (The Seven Whirlpool Guardians) wore.
They were the best Ninja, warriors, samurai, even monks and or Miko's that Whirlpool would have to offer. Similar to the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, or the Kinkaku force of Kumogakure. Their job wasn't just to protect the Daimyo, but Whirlpool in general.
"Where is Masahiro?" Naruto asked.
Though she hadn't really wanted to have guards, she had given in when Sasuke had forced her to think of all the dangers that would come their way when Uzu no Kuni was back on it's feet and people returned to live there.
It had taken a lot of time and thought for Naruto to even decide to open Uzu no Kuni and Uzushiogakure back up to being inhabitable by more than just the Uzumaki clan, or what remained of it. Which wasn't much. Other than herself, the only others she knew of were distant.
Like Mamoru himself. He was a Yukimura through adoption, but his grandfather had been an Uzumaki refugee to a village in Mizu no Kuni. His name before his adoption had only been Ishikawa because that was what his father's was, but his mother had told him a little about his Uzumaki roots.
Unfortunately, his parents had been killed during Kiri's civil war, despite being from a village miles away from Kirigakure and he'd been found by the Yukimura clan close to the Water Temple.
Masahiro was his older, adopted, brother. Akiko on the other hand had been suggested to her by the Fire Daimyo who had thought of bringing her into his Fire Guardians, but felt another candidate more experienced for the title. He had thought she would be a good choice, since it had been a few years since he'd passed her by for another, and she'd had more training.
Akiko was raised by the Fire Temple, one of the Miko Shrines, but had always been more of a fighter unlike most the other shrine maidens.
Naruto had quickly accepted her as one of her guardians, and like all her guardians they had to be prepared to leave their birth homes for Uzu no Kuni. That wasn't as difficult as it seemed, there were actually quite a few traveling ninja with no affiliation to a previous village, or they'd cut ties with that village.
Becoming citizens of Uzu no Kuni and affiliating with Uzushiogakure when it was inhabitable would cause any missing-nin to loose the price on their heads, at least in a way. It was entirely possible their former village would keep them in the Bingo books and likewise for the other villages but they weren't considered missing-nin any longer.
Currently it was only the three, Mamoru, Masahiro and Akiko. The point though was that the entire reason she'd gone ahead with the suggestion of forming the Nanatsu Uzu Gādianzu was further protection for the children.
"He's around, you know how Hiro is," Akiko said, shrugging. "He doesn't necessarily like being out in the open, ya know."
Naruto nodded.
"Shizune, these are two of my ninja... I guess," Naruto said, trying to find the words to explain to the slightly confused and on guard Shizune.
"We're her guardians, like the Fire Daimyo has the Twelve Fire Guardians," Akiko assisted, smiling cheerfully. "Except we also protect Uzu no Kuni itself, not just the Uchiha-Uzumaki clan."
Naruto nodded, chuckling slightly at the other girl. Akiko had a bubbly personality at most times, very cheerful and outgoing, but in a fight she did a complete one-eighty. Becoming focused and a force to be reckoned with. She had been trained well, though she was mostly a hand-to-hand and weapons specialist she did know some ninjutsu, but mostly her knowledge was of Medical Ninjutsu.
As for the Uchiha-Uzumaki part of her statement, it was simply how some called them. Despite the fact all her children had the Uchiha name and she herself had taken the Uchiha name when she and Sasuke married.
As stated before, Naruto had taken her husbands clan name, even if her own clan was just as old and important (the Uzumaki that is, the Namikaze wasn't quite as old, but still rather prominent).
Naruto knew Sasuke's dream, or one of them, was to rebuild his clan, and had happily taken his name as her own. Fully intending to leave her clan name in the past.
To her surprise he'd said it would be alright if she wanted to give on of their children, if they had anymore, the Uzumaki name to continue the clan.
Naruto wasn't too sure about it. She was somewhat hesitant to let the Uzumaki clan die with her, but she also didn't have the same attachments that clan children who grew up in their clan did.
She supposed that decision would wait, because she had no intentions of having more children for a long while, especially since she was sure things with Akatsuki were going to get worse before they got better.
"Oh," Shizune said. "I didn't think you one for bodyguards, Naru."
Naruto snorted.
"It wasn't for me I created the Nanatsu Uzu Gādianzu, though it's just the three of them right now," Naruto said. "I just happen to have a very protective and persuasive husband. It's not really for my sake either, they also act as Uzu no Kuni's protectors, along with myself as daimyo. They know I can take care of myself in most situations, they're mostly here for the children."
"I see. Anyways, we should get going. We don't want to leave Tsunade and the council waiting long," Shizune said and Naruto nodded, called the children to her and they headed towards the council meeting.
Akiko and Mamoru following behind at a bit a distance. Masahiro at an unknown location, followed after them as well, but completely unseen.
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Not for the first time in history the Council was in complete silence and shock, staring at the people in front of them.
More so the returned Jinchūriki of the Kyuubi no Yoko and the three small children she had returned with. Two of which looked about three or four at the most. There was also a baby in her arms, settled in a baby sling across her chest, who couldn't be much older than a few months or weeks.
She had changed in the nearly four years she'd been gone.
Her hair was longer and tied in nine tight french braids – Tsunade and others couldn't help but wonder if she'd done that to make a statement – but with bangs framing her face as always, one side held back by two black clips which was something she'd always kept constant about her changing hair styles.
Her clothing style was also different and she'd definitely grown up from the genin she once was.
She wore a high collared, sleeveless, dark blue crop top (which stopped about her ribcage), and a black mesh armor shirt which had elbow length sleeves and stopped an inch above her navel, leaving a bit of her midriff bare. Orange fingerless gloves with metal plates on the back.
She also wore a dark orange open-front apron skirt which also had slits up the side, and short black shorts under it. Black shinobi boots, and two forehead protectors.
One was around her forehead as usual with the leaf symbol and black cloth and the other was around her neck with a dark violet-blue cloth with the Uzushio symbol.
Tsunade recognized the outfit from when Naruto had returned to the village weeks ago, and figured it was her new standard ninja outfit. All ninja had one outfit they always one, but multiple copies since it was impossible to just have one set and always have it washed in time.
Over all they nearly didn't recognize her, if it wasn't for the whisker marks, and fact very few people in the village had that shade of blonde hair or blue eyes.
What caused many to break into words of outrage and shock was the news given to them by Tsunade, and the proof standing in front of them. It was hard not to realize who the childrens father was. They looked too much like their parents to not realize.
There was also the fact Naruto wore her Uchiha fan pendant and rings in plain sight for all to see – she'd pulled them into view just before entering the room six minutes before. Adding insult to injury, as far as the council went, was the fact Tsunade had also dropped her heritage on them at the same time.
Only the elders and some of the Shinobi council didn't seem that surprised, but they were looking slightly panicked.
"Silence!" Tsunade finally shouted, having enough of the shouting and noticing how the twins shifted closer to Naruto and Menma stirred unhappily in his mothers arms. "That is enough."
Slowly the council settled down, but Naruto couldn't help the little smirk that broke through her calm at the glares many gave her, mostly the civilian side of the council.
"How do we know she is the daughter of our hero, the Yondaime?" one of the councilmen said, nearly sneering. "Or Uzumaki Kushina, much less these children's blood? She could be tricking us."
Another councilman nodded.
"Yes, Kitsune are known for their magic and tricks..."
Naruto narrowed her eyes at this, but kept her cool, for now.
"I assure you she is who I say," Tsunade snapped, pulling out papers. "These are the proof. Birth certificates, Minato and Kushina's marriage license, along with blood test done by the Sandaime and more recently by myself. There is also the papers showing Naruto's childrens birth and her marriage to Uchiha Sasuke."
The council eagerly stared over the papers for what felt like forever, the civilian council paling as time went by.
"I see," Hyūga Hiashi began, sitting back in his chair. "Welcome home then, Lady Uchiha."
"We can't just accept this!" one of the men on the council shouted. "She obviously used some sort of demonic seduction on the last Uchiha."
There were few, brave or foolish enough, who agreed with the man and spoke up.
"Not to mention those children, they have the same marks as the demon. They must be demons as well, no human has such marks!" a woman with stark pink hair – pinker than Sakura's if possible – and wrinkles said.
Naruto noticed she screeched worse than Sakura on her worse day as she narrowed her eyes, and felt Akiko and Mamoru come from the shadows. It surprised the civilian side, but the others seemed to have already known she'd entered with more than Shizune and Tsunade.
"Uchiha-dono?" Mamoru began, glancing at her, his hand at the sword on his waist. "Are you alright."
"Mama?" the twins small voices questioned, attached to her side like glue. They'd never heard such cruel words towards their mother before, or indirectly or directly, at them before.
"Mamoru, Akiko take the children," she said coldly, face eerily calm along with her voice.
Mamoru and Akiko nodded, and Akiko took Menma who was sniffling, looking ready to cry and Mamoru took one of the twins hands.
"They're in trouble now, Okaasan is upset," Nariko muttered softly, either to her guard or to Kiyoshi was unknown but everyone heard it.
Kiyoshi snickered, turned along with Nariko to smirk at the council. Both looking like a Uchiha who knew something another did not, which was never a good thing.
"They're gonna get it now.." the boy, who looked so much like a younger Sasuke, said as they left the room and some of the council couldn't held the small shiver that ran down their spine.
It got worse when Naruto's eyes flashed red for a second.
"I don't appreciate my children being called demons, I'd watch your tongue if I were you, less you loose it," she said, eyes moving over everyone, but lingering on those who'd spoken up, especially the pink haired older lady.
"Why should I..." the pink haired banshee began but the blondes cold glare stopped her short.
"You can say what you want about me to me, but bring my children into it and I'll kill you," Naruto warned, and everyone could tell she being completely honest.
She was like Minato in that way, when he was angry he didn't shout or scream but in the end they wished he had and he was always honest with his words. If he said he was going to kill you in that tone of voice than he meant it.
He hadn't been quite as scary, but Naruto was also her mother's daughter, and the Red Hot Habanero wasn't someone to mess with. Her temper made Tsunade look tame in comparison.
"My apologies, for Haruno-san's words," Koharu said, trying to defuse the situation. "Of course we accept what has been said here, after all all the paperwork is in order and authentic. There is also no denying your childrens appearances."
there were many nods, the more fearful by the civilian council who knew they had lost. Some looked ashamed, while others silently fumed but wisely kept quiet.
"Yes, it is quite a welcome surprise to have the Uchiha clan returning to Konoha," Danzo said, and Naruto narrowed her eyes.
Recently she'd been looking into things, mainly about Itachi. She had known him when she was younger of course, and he'd been one of her ANBU guard before the Massacre. She'd always had a hard time believing he'd done what he had, and he'd even had the opportunity to kill her the day of the Massacre but instead he'd simply injured her.
Not enough to kill her, but than again she was a jinchūriki and Uzumaki, he knew this so he probably knew she'd survive something usually fatal for other people. She honestly hadn't thought of that night much, not in a while at least.
It was recently when she was helping Tsunade, and also snooping for anything on the Uchiha Massacre, that she'd found some files left behind by Hokage-jiji before he'd died.
They were in the vault where he'd kept some of her father's special kunai and a letter from her parents. She'd known where it was because Jiji had shown her when she was younger – though she wondered if that was on purpose.
Needless to say she knew about why the Uchiha were massacred. It made her weary of trusting Konoha with her family's safety if they were willing to slaughter one of their prized clans down to the last person instead of trying other methods.
Surely not every Uchiha had been involved, not all of them were even shinobi, and even then not all could have been involved. Some weren't even jōnin, but genin and chūnin. There were few Sasuke's age back then if she recalled correctly.
"I'm sure," Naruto said.
"There is the question of your... husband?" Homura began. "He is a missing-nin after all..."
"He was never officially listed in the bingo book or as a missing-nin. Simply MIA, Homura," Tsunade corrected.
"Ah, but the question remains. He still remains with Orochimaru, does he even know of his children?" Danzo asked. "I've said it before, I believe Uchiha Sasuke to be a risk, he did turn traitor for power..."
"It matters not," Naruto spoke up, interrupting Danzo with her chin raised, looking towards Danzo as if he were beneath her.
"He is my husband, and I assure you he will be returning before long. I expect him back any day now. As for his... crimes, well other than fighting me during the retrieval mission, he has done nothing other than desert Konoha. Even so, there is nothing to be done, other than Tsunade having the right to punish him as she sees fit when he returns."
"I don't see your logic, Lady Uchiha," the Akimichi clan head, Chōji's father, began. "Despite that, Uchiha Sasuke did leave the village for another, and put his comrades in danger!"
"That was not his intention, and as for my logic? I'm sure you've heard of something called diplomatic immunity."
At the surprised faces she continued.
"My mother was the heiress to the Uzumaki clan, and as some of you might know the Uzumaki didn't just create Uzushiogakure, they had lived on Uzu no Kuni for a long time before. They owned the island, and though back then there was no set daimyo the Uzumaki head was looked at as such. This was before daimyo's became the norm for countries. Seeing as I am the last of the main house, and my mother was once the heiress, before Uzumaki Mito requested her here and the title was passed to one of my mother's sisters who died in the destruction, I am the heiress and Uzu no Kuni belongs to me. As of last year I am the first official daimyo of The Land of Whirlpools."
"I see, so the worse that could be done is suspension from the Shinobi forces, and probation," Nara Shikaku said, smiling slightly. "Very smart, Uchiha-Uzumaki-dono."
That was a new one, Naruto thought. Usually she was called Uchiha-dono or Naru-dono; though she wasn't really one for titles.
"Does that mean you plan to leave Konohagakure and The Land of Fire?" Danzo asked, hiding his concern on the matter.
He wasn't the only one who knew that if she left Konoha for Uzu no Kuni, which many knew had been under construction for nearly four years now, that they'd loose the Uchiha clan entirely. Not to mention powerful shinobi, as no one denied the fact Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke were powerful ninja.
Naruto smirked slightly before shaking her head.
"You might or might not have heard that Uzu no Kuni had been under the process of construction and a bridge was finished that connects Uzu to Nami no Kuni," Naruto said. "It still has some work to be done before it is inhabitable, and I am able to be the Daimyo while remaining in Konoha. Unless my family feels threatened we will remain here for the majority of the time, but we will eventually travel between the two frequently since I will have more duties in Uzu once it is home to people once more, and of course Uzushio is revived."
It wasn't an answer to the question, per say, many realized, but put many peoples fears to rest with the way she'd worded it.
What the more intelligent realized was that it was very possible she and her family would relocated to Uzu no Kuni in the future. It was unheard of for a daimyo of another country to reside in a country other than the one they ruled.
"Yes, on the topic of Uchiha Sasuke, since he is the Lord of Uzu no Kuni beside Naruto-dono, there is only so much that can be done for his crimes of leaving the village without permission," Tsunade began. "I intend to place Uchiha Sasuke on three month suspension from anything above C-rank, and on probation for five months. Circumstance will decide if his punishment will be lessened or worsened as time goes on. Depending on his behavior he could be cleared completely within a few months."
"You agree with this, Uchiha-dono?" Hiashi asked, eyebrow raised the only emotion he gave away.
Naruto smiled.
"I do not condone what my husband did nearly four years ago, Hiashi-sama, and I know many clan heirs were put in harms way by his actions. He may not be thrilled with this, but I think it'll serve to deflate some of his ego. Lord knows it's too large for his own good," she said, making light of the situation.
Some of the shinobi council, and even civilian council let out quiet chuckles.
"If that is all, I believe this meeting is over. Let us all convene for the evening, I after all still have the village to tell of Naruto's status and heritage," Tsunade said and Naruto looked over at Tsunade.
"Tsunade-sama, if I may?" Naruto began, surprising them at her manners. Many were used to her flippant attitude in dealing with Tsunade. Calling her Baa-chan for instance. "I don't think we should tell the Villagers quite yet my status as Daimyo of Uzu no Kuni. No one knows who the new ruler is yet, and with Akatsuki, and me unaware if Sasuke has taken care of Orochimaru yet, I believe it's best to leave it unknown."
"I think Uchiha-dono is correct in this, Hokage-sama," Shikaku said.
"Agreed," Inuzuka Tsume said.
The rest of the council nodded, as did Tsunade.
"I see, it will be left out them. For Naruto and her families safety."
"One more question," Homura began as everyone began to rise. "What of Uchiha Sasuke? Do we know when he will arrive?"
"No," Naruto answered, "We have no contact right now. You must understand our time together over the last four years has been for only week or two at a time, if that. Sasuke was allowed to come and go from Sound as he pleased, but if he was gone too long there was no doubt Orochimaru would become suspicious. This became even more of a dangerous notion when the twins were born and later Menma. While he does hold the snake contract, we dare not use our summons to contact one another, especially not the snakes in fear of something being leaked out or intercepted in some way. The last time I spoke to him was a month ago."
"Then how do you know he'll return soon?" Inoichi asked.
"Because we've planned the death of Orochimaru down to the last detail. It wasn't easy either, but we knew there could be no mistakes. It wasn't just Sasuke's soul at risk, but his body and our family," Naruto said. "If things went as planned he's already killed Orochimaru, as for when he'll arrive? That depends on Sasuke. I do know it'll be within the next few day or the next few months. He gave me his word of that."
"And how is he to get into the village?" a civilian asked. "You seriously don't expect him to walk in during the middle of the day as if he owned the place?"
Naruto's smile grew into a mischievous, fox-like smirk-grin hybrid.
"That's exactly what I expect, councilman."