Yo...
Time for another chapter, and boy this is gonna be one of my favorites in this story. Not saying big changes can happen in this chapter, but it is at least a start of something new in Naruto, Mikasa, Rangiku and Kushina's lives.
The title of this chapter has been changed due to obvious reasons...next chapter will be Team 7. Things will still be different from Cannon (for the most parts)
Enjoy the chapter...
Chapter 80
His Redemption
The silver colored moon brightly shined over Konoha, enlightening the historical village with its light. In a small training ground, a person could be seen sitting in the shade of a large tree.
He was currently reading a few files in which pictures, records, notes of 3 kids were written in detail.
Naruto could still remember the dinner which he had with his family. It was nice, pleasant but even then he still didn't feel happy and after spending some time with his mother, he had came to this place in order to engage himself in some work.
Cause only Kami knew he could never sleep at nights.
He slowly took out a small pill from his pocket, a medicine which helped in preventing him from sleeping. And although it was embarrassing, a little powder beneath his eyes was more than enough to hide the dark circles. But before he could take his medicine, or if one could say drug someone grabbed his hand. And it was quite a strong grip...
"Don't"
Naruto was a little surprised when the person turned out to be Kushina. She was dressed in a tight purple colored T-shirt and light colored pants. Her beautiful red hair were freely flowing in the air and the moonlight falling on her face was giving a strange, yet beautiful glow to her.
"Kushina, what are you-"
He didn't get to finish his sentence as she grabbed the entire medicine bottle before throwing it straight towards a tree smashing it into several pieces.
"Hey!" yelled Naruto a little angrily,
"Shut up..."
Surprisingly, he did shut his mouth when she gave him a true menacing glare. And this one was not of a joking or mischievous nature, but of pure anger...
Kushina didn't give him any time to get over his surprise and instead sat down in front of him, and as expected he couldn't meet her gaze since she caught him red handed.
"You know what you're doing?" asked Kushina in a strict voice, barely containing her anger.
"Looking at my team's profile. Look, you live your life and-" said Naruto but was cut off, when she raised her hand. Since when did she get so bold?
"No, Naruto. I'm not talking about your team..." said Kushina flatly,
He didn't utter another word, and she decided to do what she came here to do...she just couldn't see him like this anymore.
"Well, you wouldn't do anything stupid I suppose except for hanging in the past. I'm lucky in that aspect I suppose..." taunted Kushina,
"Hn"
"You've done well so far, and I'm very proud to be your friend. You are sharp and powerful, someone on whom Konoha can depend on..." said Kushina honestly,
And yet again he just sat there and didn't say a single word, sitting in the shade of the tree like a machine...
"But even then, your friends are dead!"
BAM!
Kushina didn't flinch a gaze when Naruto smashed a good portion of the tree with a single punch, as peaces of wood flew in the air his Mangekyo came alive giving her the most threatening glare she had ever seen from any person in her life.
"WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?" screamed Naruto in a frustrated voice,
"Only the acceptance of reality..."
"Will you shut your mouth, woman? All this talking is making me sick, say what you want...I'm still a failure" said Naruto fiercely,
"You're wrong" said Kushina patiently,
"What do you want, Kushina?" asked Naruto again in a very pissed off voice, as she came forward and grabbed his shoulders gently.
Despite the threatening glare of his Mangekyo she still etched forward and just stopped an inch from his face, looking the broken, confused Namikaze straight in the eye.
"Let it out"
CRACK
And right there, the first wall was broken. His glare lost all the menace, and even with his Mangekyo he didn't look intimidating at all...he looked more as a lost boy.
"All of the anger, the sadness, the guilt, the fear, the pain that is burning inside of your heart. You've got to let it go..." said Kushina gently,
His defenses started to crack, as slowly tears started arising in his eyes. His Mangekyo slowly faded back to his original dark colored eye and his legs lost all strength as he collapsed on his knees unable to shoulder his pain any longer.
Naruto's fists clenched tightly as streams of watery tears ran down his cheeks,
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"
That scream which echoed across the entire training ground only showed Kushina the effects of the shinobi world on people. Layers after layers of his defenses crumbled, the mask that he had donned for so many months was finally shattered leaving a completely broken boy behind.
"It all starts from here..." said Kushina sadly,
There was no shame, no hesitation, nothing holding him back any longer. And when she embraced him he clutched her T-shirt so tightly as if his life depended on it. His head was buried deep in her chest, as his nails dug a little into the skin on her back while he couldn't stop the dam of tears breaking away from his heart.
"Remember, I'll be here for you..."
(Morning)
Kushina observed the dark sky turning bright red in color as the sun was just about to rise up. Looking at the exhausted Naruto who was resting in her lap, brought a small satisfied smile on her face. He was awake yet extremely tired at the same time, for the past few hours she had seen a vulnerable side of him which probably no other person had ever seen before.
In these few hours, she learned so much more about him in comparison to all the time she had spent with him in these past few months.
Today, she had truly looked deep inside his heart and discovered who Naruto Namikaze really was behind his mask.
He had cried his heart out and it only made her feel more closer to him, he had opened up to her of all people. It was something nobody could have anticipated...but she was grateful for it nonetheless.
His face mask was lying idly on the ground beside his Konoha headband, and looking at his face and the peaceful expression that could currently be seen on it brought a smile on her face as she gently ruffled his silky blonde hair.
"I know the pain you have suffered, and I'm glad that you showed me your heart" said Kushina in a kind and gentle voice,
"Hai"
"Even if I am a Jinchuuriki and have to live in this cursed ninja world, I was still able to find happiness and am able to live a happy life. A life in which you have played an important part..." said Kushina happily, as he just looked at her with an amazed expression on his face.
"You're not sad that you were made a Jinchuuriki?" asked Naruto in a low surprised voice, and was mesmerized by her cheerful smile.
"I'm not, if I had not been a Jinchuuriki I would have never met you..." said Kushina honestly, completely surprising Naruto.
"Kushina..."
"You can find such happiness too..." encouraged Kushina, as she remembered what Mito had told her that day when she was in a different yet similar emotional state like him.
"How can I do that?" asked Naruto curiously,
"By filling your heart with love, only then you can live a happy life. Be the person you were before the war, the boy who loved his family and village..." advised Kushina, as a look of realization could be seen on Naruto's face.
Naruto became silent for a few moments, but after a minute something happened which completely surprised Kushina...
He slowly grasped her shoulder and came forward delivering a soft tender kiss on her lips as the morning sun rays hit their faces. Unknowingly her hands moved to keep him still as she leaned closer and deepened the kiss. Soft lips. Warm mouth. She felt herself slow down but it was in a completely different way. She was falling into an intimacy which she had never experienced in her entire life and simply the feeling of throwing everything out the window and focusing on him was running through her heart.
And this amazing feeling came to an end after a minute, when Naruto broke the kiss and just settled for looking at her. There was no shame, or grief, or pain in his eyes anymore...he was,
Free
"Thank you, Kushina"
With those simple words, he slowly got up from her lap and walked in the open field. A true bright smile could be seen on his face, one devoid of any pain, remorse, anger, or suffering. But Kushina was just too stunned with what had just happened between them, although Naruto seemed completely relaxed.
"I'm grateful that you believed in me, for understanding me" said Naruto happily,
"Naruto, I..."
"Besides, it shows that you truly like me, just as I like you..." teased Naruto, as her cheeks went bright red as she ran after him.
Although he had anticipated such a reaction and had already started running even before she moved...
"Get back here, dattabane!" said Kushina childishly, but he just waved his hand while giving her a small smile.
"Don't worry, Kushina. Maybe we're finally starting to understand each other..."
And the only thing Kushina could do was just smile, her life had just turned much more happier.
(Blacklight Cemetery)
A smiling Naruto could be seen standing in front of two graves, he slowly bent down and placed a few flowers on the graves while offering a short prayer for the people.
Private Kotetsu Hagane
Lieutenant Armin Arlert
A few days back these names were the source of his pain and guilt, but now that he had been freed from the pain- thanks to a certain red head. He was finally able to understand the importance of these two shinobi in his life.
He slowly knelt in front of Armin's grave, while resting one of his hands on Kotetsu's grave...
"Forgive me, I know I'm late..." began Naruto in a calm voice,
"I got a little lost, but I'm good now. Armin, Kotetsu...I'm about to start something crazy from this day, so please keep an eye on me" requested Naruto with a small eye smile,
His eyes shifted towards the other graves on whom names like Yugao, Commander Fox, Aoba, Hisana, Eagle, Bird, and many others could be seen.
"I'll never forget any of you..."
For a moment he saw all his deceased friend's reflection standing behind him. Armin was there with his bright smile, Kotetsu still had that mischievous glint in his eyes, Hisana and Commander Fox were looking at him proudly along with all his other comrades.
"Naruto"
"Naruto"
"Naruto"
"I think I'm going to move forward with some new comrades..." said Naruto in a satisfied voice, gaining another round of smiles from his comrades.
His eyes shifted towards the 3 pictures which he was holding in his hand, bringing a smile on his face...
"Itachi, Hinata, Sakura...I'm going to believe in you" promised Naruto,
He saw his friends giving him one last smile before disappearing in the morning sun rays, as he peacefully looked at Armin and Kotetsu's grave.
"And Armin, Kotetsu...I'll make a promise...
...I'll believe in my comrades and I'll never let them die"
The adventures of Team 7 had just began...
Author's Notes: End of chapter.
So, the moment finally arrived. And not too soon, but chapter 80 will always be an important turning point in this story. It not just began NaruKushi, but also started a new point in Naruto's life.
I'm thankful to all the NaruKushi fans who have been so patient throughout this story, and I believe it has finally paid off. The moment which you all were waiting for has finally happened. Not to say, it was a sudden arrival...Naruto already had an attraction towards Kushina from the start (Thanks to accepting Ikiryo), then she stopped him from going on a suicide run against Akatsuki and guided him towards the light side.
And now she has helped him in redeeming himself (According to Naruto) or forgiving himself and moving on (According to us).
About the people still complaining about Kushina being too old for Naruto. She's 29, while Naruto will be reaching 16 very very soon. So that makes a difference of 13 years, but I don't FUCKING care about such stupid thing.
Love doesn't see age, color, race, or anything else. From the start I have portrayed that there is a connection between those two which has finally blossomed in this chapter. This is my story and my point of views towards life and people, and if you still have a problem with this beautiful pairing then I have only 3 words for you- DEAL WITH IT.
Now that's off my chest, I'd also like to state that Naruto promising of never letting his comrades die is a reference to Itachi, Sakura and Hinata...and not each and every character. So don't be mad on him, he has his flaws but I love his character and in some way so do you.
Every pairing has its own plot and developments, and will get equal treatment. You just have to wait for the right moment, so this chapter is for you NaruKushi fans...
So let me know your thoughts about this chapter, about NaruKushi, Naruto's redemption, anything if you want.
Next chapter: Team 7
Until next time,
Blackwolf501