I DO NOT OWN NARUTO. IF I DID NARUTO WOULD NOT BE A CHILD ABUSING MAN AND WOULD HAVE CERTAINLY MARRIED SAKURA. SAKURA WOULD NOT BE DUSTING BOOKSHELVES BUT WORKING IN THE HOSPITAL.
With Naruto and Sakura:
The night time in the forests surrounding Konoha was peaceful with the occasional breach of silence from the wildlife. There was a gentle breeze flowing rustling the leaves. The two original members of team seven were walking down the road headed towards Konoha. The blonde member of the team held his hands behind his head in a relaxed posture with his eyes closed. His teammate observed his posture as she walked beside him with her hands held behind her.
Some things never change. Sakura thought smiling at her companion's posture.
The silence between them as they walked down the road wasn't uncomfortable but a little unusual. The thirteen year old blonde hyperactive ninja would have announced his presence to the whole population of Konoha by then, but the boy beside her was quite enjoying the breeze.
I guess some things do change. Sakura thought again.
"It feels good to be back, Sakura-chan…" Naruto finally spoke up, his eyes still closed as he enjoyed the peaceful night.
"Welcome back, Baka." Sakura said now looking at the road ahead with a smile on her face. Naruto chuckled hearing the rosette's old nickname for him.
After a brief pause the silence of the night was interrupted again by the blonde's voice.
"Um… Sakura-chan…?" Naruto spoke up finally opening his eyes, now looking at his teammate.
"What?"
"When we met in the morning today, do you remember the first thing I said to you?" Naruto asked carefully choosing his words, wary of his companion's reaction.
Sakura immediately developed a bulging vein on her forehead, "How could I forget?" Sakura spoke in an irritated manner, "You told me that I haven't changed at all." Sakura finished looking at her teammate with a frown.
Naruto gave a nervous chuckle, all the while trying his best not to freak out seeing the frown.
"Well… I think it came out a little wrong." Naruto sheepishly scratched the back of his head as he continued, "What I meant to say was that you look as… um… as beautiful as the last time I saw you." Naruto finished with a slight blush. Since, morning Sakura's reaction to his words had been bugging him, and if Jiraya's opinion on his knowledge about women's hearts was anything to go by then it was probably because he had said something disastrous. To top it all up his mistake hit him after seeing one of Sakura's enhanced punches during the test.
Sakura looked away from Naruto, trying her best to hide the blush on her cheeks similar to the one adorning Naruto's. Naruto, not being able to see her face, was frightened. He was really hoping for his health that they were past the stage where remarks like this earned him bumps on his head, especially considering the craters spread across training ground seven.
Wow. He noticed that I was upset. Sakura thought pleasantly surprised by the new Naruto walking beside her.
IS THIS THE SAME BAKA…? Inner Sakura seemed surprised too.
"Thank you…" Sakura spoke quietly still not facing him.
"You are welcome.", Naruto paused before continuing," I have not forgotten my promise, Sakura-chan. I will bring Sasuke back home." 'back to you' Naruto added in his mind.
Sakura's face fell a little before looking toward Naruto and speaking," No, Naruto. We will bring Sasuke-kun back home together. I promised to help too, remember?"
"Yeah. We will.", Naruto replied smiling softly. She still loves you so much teme. I will bring him back to you Sakura-chan and you won't have to be sad anymore.
And what of your happiness, Naruto? Kurama's deep voice asked from the recesses of Naruto
I know it sounds a little too sappy but her happiness is more important to me. Naruto's sad chuckles echoed in the dungeons of his mind only for the Nine tails to listen.
The atmosphere felt heavy between the two on the mention of their wayward teammate. Sakura decided it would be better to change the subject.
"You have become very strong Naruto. You outsmarted and took out me and Kakashi-sensei both." Sakura spoke with a smile.
"Yeah, yeah dattebayo." Naruto grinned," but not strong enough because Kakashi-sensei was holding back."
"Eeh…?! What do you mean he was holding back?" Sakura asked not attempting to hide her surprise.
"Sensei's primary affinity is lightning, and he did not use it even once. Besides if I was his enemy I would have had a Chidori in my chest before I could even say ready." Naruto mentally winced on recollecting the time when he really did have one in his chest," I may have improved but he is still a Jounin. He is still stronger." At least without me using Kurama,"His entire purpose was to test me. Tell me Sakura-chan, who planned the entire attack against me?" Naruto asked the now intrigued Sakura.
"Why? It was mostly me but sensei helped a little." Sakura replied before continuing," oh! So he was not only testing you but me too. Since, he already knows most of my skills he was there to just push you more to see all your capabilities."
"Exactly."
"But no way Sensei can defeat you that easily, you have five elemental affinities and Hyouton." Sakura argued.
"Brute force doesn't compare to cunning and skill, otherwise I would have won all my battles just by over running my opponents with thousands of shadow." Naruto countered.
"Hmm… I know but I have always wondered how can a pervert like sensei be that strong?" Although Sakura did love her sensei and knew of his exploits and powers, his perverseness and strength seemed to be two unmatched traits.
Naruto chuckled a bit before answering," Alright, Sakura-chan suppose you do not know any of the following people personally then use one word to describe Kakashi sensei, Ero sennin and Baa-chan?"
"Umm… pervert, pervert…" Sakura hesitated a bit before the last answer before continuing," Drunk."
"And that's exactly why all their opponents do not live to tell of their battles." Naruto replied.
"Deception." Sakura mumbled.
"Right. You deceived me by hiding your speed and hence I ended up with a broken arm and rib."
Sakura nodded in acknowledgement before suddenly remembering something," Naruto..?" on receiving his attention she continued," Why didn't my genjutsu work on you?"
Because this twerp has me inside him and even though the seal is still there, I am able to disturb his Chakra flow to release him. Kurama spoke up in Naruto's mind.
That's something she doesn't need to know, yet.
"Heh eh… That's a secret Sakura-chan." Naruto replied with his grin.
"What do you mean secret? Tell me."
"No. A shinobi has his secrets."
"Tell me!"
"N-O!"
The banter between the two continued between the two as they neared the village entrance. Meanwhile, in the forest two shadows trailed the two chunnins. One of them had waist length purple hair with a cat face mask and the other was bald with a boar mask. They were the Leaf's finest ninja, the ANBU.
"I would not have believed it if I had not seen him myself. That little prankster of Konoha has grown to become this person. You really are full of surprises Naruto-kun." A feminine voce spoke from behind cat mask.
Boar nodded bin approval before speaking," Let's go. He is entering the village, we can't let him stay unguarded."
Cat nodded before disappearing with Boar into the night.
Flashback:
The west coast of Uzushiogakure
The toad sage and his young apprentice walked on water to get to the shore. it was mid-day already when they were standing on a beach as Naruto took in his surroundings with awe. The sea was reflected the bright blue colour of the sky and seemed to merge with in the far off horizon, where they could see their ferry steadily moving away. The water was clean and seemed pure, there was also a thick forest beyond the beach. Naruto was brought out of his trance by a deep voice.
"Like the place, brat?" Jiraya asked with a hint of amusement in his voice from observing Naruto's awed look.
"Yeah. This place is awesome dattebayo!" Naruto replied grinning. He felt as if this place was calling out to him and that he had some kind of deep connection with it. On remembering Jiraya's words, however, he regained a little calm.
"What did you mean when you said this is my roots, ero-sennin?"
"Let's sit out there, brat" Jiraya said motioning to a dry place on the beach," There is a lot of things that I have to tell you."
Naruto followed his teacher to sit by his side waiting patiently for him to speak.
Jiraya breathed in deeply before opening his mouth," The name Uzumaki is not a random name picked for you, Naruto. Uzumaki was the name of one of the most prestigious and dangerous clans in the elemental nations, and also the rulers of Uzushiogakure. You, Naruto, are one of that clan."
Naruto listened quietly to the words of his teacher, dumbfounded by the new information. He was not a clan-less orphan, a nobody. He actually had a identity, happiness filled in him momentarily before the anger surfaced. If he had a clan then why did they not take him in? Why was he left to rot in this world? Why did his parents abandon him in the first place?
"If my father was an Uzumaki why was I abandoned by him?! Why was I abandoned by the clan and forced to live all alone?!" Naruto yelled.
"Let me finish, Naruto!" Jiraya raised his voice silencing the blonde's outburst," They did not abandon you, Naruto. There was no clan left to take you in, and your parents died the night the Ky… Kurama attacked. You are the last Uzumaki Konoha is aware of, and it was your mother who was an Uzumaki."
Several questions were whirling in the blonde's head. Why did he get his mother's name? Who was she? Why did his father not give him his name? Did he not want him?
Seeing Nauto's far off look Jiraya guessed the questions that were probably running around in his head," Your father did not abandon you Naruto." Naruto was brought out of his dazed state by the statement," He was no ordinary ninja and giving you his name would have probably made you the biggest target for foreign and even some domestic parties."
"Who was he?"
"Not yet Naruto. I cannot tell you about him yet." Jiraya replied.
"Why can't you tell me about my own Father?!" Naruto yelled angry at Jiraya's reply.
Jiraya did not lose his calm instead he simply replied," Because you are not ready"
You are not ready to forgive your father yet Naruto…
"You are not ready or strong enough to protect yourself yet, let alone the people close to you and they will definitely be a target. Believe me on this Naruto, when the time is right I will tell you." Jiraya finished observing Naruto who seemed to have accepted it.
Naruto sat quietly contemplating the recent revelations. He was hoping to ask the Fox for some answers but he seemed to have retreated to the deep recesses of his mind cutting off all communications. His thoughts were interrupted when Jiraya spoke up again.
Jiraya started speaking to him about the origins about the village of Uzushiogakure. He explained to him about the Senju and the Uzumaki being sibling clans and how they had refused the offer to join Konohagakure during its foundation and had instead found their own village on this island. He continued to tell him how the Shodaime had married Uzumaki Mito, the daughter of the then Uzumaki clan leader, to further strengthen the bonds between the two hidden villages.
"Now, the reason why Konoha wanted Uzushio as their ally was because of their mastery in Kenjutsu and Fuinjutsu, especially Fuinjutsu. In the First and Second Shinobi world war the other ninja villages were shocked to see the prowess of the Uzumakis and they probably were the reason why Konoha even after losing their Hokage in both the wars ended up victorious." Jiraya told.
"If they were so strong how were their village annihilated like that?" Naruto asked genuinely confused.
"Even the strongest Shinobi falls in the face of overwhelming odds Naruto. A few years after the second war tensions between the nations rose again and secret alliances were formed. Uzushio was identified as the biggest threat by Iwa and Kumo. So, they decided to destroy the village itself. Iwa sent a part of its shinobi forces to our borders and while we were distracted, the joint forces of Iwa and Kumo landed on this island and razed it to the ground. By the time I arrived with reinforcements there was nothing left but ruins and dead bodies…" Jiraya trailed off at the end remembering that horrid day.
Naruto was left speechless after hearing such terrible tale of his world's cruelty. When he finally broke out of his trance he had only one question," How did my mother survive?"
"She was in Konoha when the massacre took place. She was royalty and a few years prior to the event she had immigrated to Konoha." For reasons I cannot tell you yet.
"Who was she, Jiraya-sensei?"
"She was from the main house of the Uzumaki royal family. Her name was Uzumaki Kushina."
FLASHBACK ENDS
"So, is he ready Jiraya?" Tsunade asked.
"I think he is. Kurama can help to make him understand the circumstances, he spoke to me once after taking control of Naruto momentarily and assured me not to speak of his heritage until we do. But I think it will be better to let him get settled again." Jiraya replied.
"Alright, we will tell him when you are ready." Tsunade said. Kakashi and Shizune nodded in approval before joining the Sannin in the journey back to the village.
A/N: ALRIGHT I KNOW I AM LATE SO IAM SORRY BUT I AM IN COLLEGE SO PLEASE UNDERSTAND. MOREOVER KISHIMOTO'S STUNT REALLY DISAPPOINTED ME. THE LAST TWO CHAPTERS FELT ALMOST LIKE THEY WERE FORCED.
ALL MY FELLOW NARUSAKU FIC WRITERS I KNOW ITS DEPRESSING BUT PLEASE DON'T GIVE UP ON YOUR OWN STORIES. I REALLY LIKE TO READ THEM.
ALTHOUGH I AM CERTAINLY NOT WATCHING THE LAST. HOPEFULLY PLUMETTING OF MOVIE SELLS WILL SHOW KISHI HOW MUCH HE MESSED UP. AGAIN PLEASE DON'T GIVE UP ON YOUR STORIES.
AND SALAD?! REALLY?! FIC WRITERS CAME UP WITH BETTER NAMES.
AND GUYS I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IF SOMEONE COULD GET ME A COVER PHOTO FOR THE STORY. PLEASEEEE...!