I do not own Naruto Shippuden or any of the characters.


Jealous

Naruto walked out of the ramen shop with Hinata as a building exploded. A large machine skidded out of the smoke, chasing a two women, one wearing a white robe to hide herself, and the other with spiked back hair, a red full body suit, a black apron skirt, elbow-length gloves, and a katana on her back. The two stopped turning back to the man and the one without the robe shouted at the man controlling the machine, a puppet master, apparently, to leave them alone. The man stated he was after the man beside her who began to walk toward him.

The girl stopped throwing off her robe and revealed waist-length black hair in a hime-style cut tied in a high ponytail with short bangs and chin-length strands framing her face, a black forehead protector, a black, backless shirt with an opening that reveals some of her sizable cleavage, contained by a very low-cut navy blue leotard-like garment, a maroon sash around her waist tied in a large bow behind her, black pants, black toe-less sandals with bandages around her ankles where the pants and sandals met.

The woman leapt into the air flipping over.

"Nadeshiko Style, Roaring Hurricane Kick!" she shouted smashing the heel of her foot into the machine, Wind Style chakra around her foot smashing through the windshield before carving down through the machine.

After a moment she leapt away and the machine exploded, sending the man flying. The woman landed lightly as the other woman walked over, handing her robe back to her. Naruto whistled, impressed and Hinata nodded a silent agreement before they both turned to walk away.

"Sir, please wait," the woman with the sword called out stopping them both. "From your headbands you're Leaf Village shinobi."

"That's right," Naruto nodded.

"Please, tell me about the Legendary Sannin Jiraiya," the woman requested.

"I am," Naruto blinked in surprise. "Why?"

"You?" She blinked. "Can we go somewhere to talk privately?"

"I suppose," Naruto sighed.

Hinata went to the ship and Naruto followed the woman to an area where there were no passers by and they wouldn't be overheard. Once there, the woman introduced herself as Tokiwa, personal attendant to Shizuka, leader of Nadeshiko Village, where they currently were. She explained that Shizuka had defeated the man she had just defeated again ninety nine times now and that he was fighting her because the village's custom was that a man must first defeat a woman before he could marry her. She explained that the two of them were going to find him. He asked why so the woman told Naruto a story of when Jiraiya had been at the village and had fought Shizuka's mentor. They had eventually called it off and Jiraiya promised that his student would continue the fight with hers, meaning Shizuka. Upon hearing this, Naruto froze.

"You mean..."

"Yes," Tokiwa nodded. "You are to fight Lady Shizuka for her hand in marriage."

"All due respect but I can't," Naruto stated. "I dislike the idea of fighting someone to make them marry you just because you're stronger than them. I prefer the idea of marrying for love. Not to mention that I'm already taken."

"We have no laws against a man having multiple wives, so long as he is strong enough to defeat them both," Tokiwa stated.

"Wha...No!" Naruto sighed. "I'm not fighting Shizuka, I'm not dating Shizuka, I'm not marrying Shizuka. I love Hinata and that's the way it's going to stay. Shizuka will have to find someone else."

And with that, Naruto stood, thanking her for the food she had bought him and returned to the others. Yamato and Aoba didn't seemed phased by the information, Hinata seemed horrified at the thought but relieved he had refused, Honoka blushed but grinned and Fu and Guy flat out laughed their heads off.

"A marriage proposal just like that huh?" Guy laughed. "Well, you're quite popular aren't you?"

"It's not like that!" Naruto snapped. "Just because Pervy Sage made a stupid promise, I now have to pay for it."

"You said no right?" Fu questioned.

"Of course I said no!" Naruto snapped. "I would never do that to Hinata! And even if I wasn't with Hinata I still wouldn't marry someone just because Pervy Sage said I would!"

"What do you think?" Yamato spoke up. "Should we move up our departure?"

"That would be best," Guy nodded. "Luckily we've already restocked from that Sea Route debacle. We should leave as soon as possible."

They all agreed and went to bed early. Everyone except Naruto fell asleep instantly but Naruto couldn't sleep. Sometime around midnight he sensed a familiar chakra.

Tokiwa, Naruto thought. She just doesn't give up.

He stood and left silently, finding Tokiwa near a stream outside he took a seat since he knew it would be a long conversation and then sighed.

"I don't want to marry Shizuka," Naruto stated simply. "It's nothing personal."

"Lady Shizuka doesn't like it either," Tokiwa stated. "A long time ago, she was in love with a trader. He had no fighting ability to speak of and couldn't defeat Lady Shizuka if she simply stood there. They loved each other more than anything. However, one day, he was found dead. It was never proved but it was thought to be a conspiracy by some who were concerned about the future of the village. Ever since then, she has done nothing but train. She hasn't allowed herself to feel. She focused on nothing but training and seeking out the strong. I believe she may be punishing herself for what happened to Sagiri."

"So you want me to fight her because I may be the only one that can end her suffering?" Naruto questioned.

"Yes," Tokiwa nodded kneeling. "Please, will you agree to fight Lady Shizuka?"

"I won't fight Shizuka," Naruto stated. "I'm sorry. But I will meet with her. I want to talk to her before I leave."

"I see," Tokiwa sighed. "I suppose that will have to do for now."

Naruto nodded and returned to the others. When they left, Naruto left a shadow clone in his place as the ship left then grinned and turned to his left.

"I didn't know you knew the Shadow Clone jutsu...Hinata," Naruto grinned as Hinata stepped out from behind a tree.

"You may not be here to fight," Shizuka stated standing. "But I am. Follow me."

They followed in silence until they reached a clearing where Tokiwa created a massive circular wall with an Earth Style jutsu while at the same time, dropping the ground inside the wall. When it was done, Shizuka turned to Naruto.

"I'm not fighting you," Naruto stated.

"Don't fight fate," Shizuka stated throwing off her cloak. "Allow me to start."

She sprinted forward, Wind Style chakra coating her hand as she drove it forward.

"Nadeshiko Style, Roaring Gale Chop!" Shizuka shouted jabbing at him.

Naruto threw himself sideways as the ground below her exploded. Naruto activated his Byakugan as she leapt into the air beginning to hurl kunai at him. Thanks to his Byakugan, he could see them coming easier and avoided them all with ease. After a moment, she drew even more and leapt into the air.

"Spinning Waltz!" Shizuka shouted spinning so fast she looked like a mini-tornado and hurling kunai in blurred streaks.

Naruto leapt over them and created a dozen clones, the smoke blocking her view as he slipped past them and to the wall with a small group. The clones leapt at her and she began destroying them quickly. Naruto slipped into the smoke using it to get behind her.

"Gale Fan!" Shizuka shouted exhaling a massive stream of wind that destroyed the last of the clones.

Naruto landed behind her and she instantly tripped him holding a kunai to his throat.

"I guess it's over," Shizuka stated.

"Yeah, I guess it is," the real Naruto sighed placing his hand at her throat in place of a blade.

"A diversion," Shizuka breathed. "No one has ever gotten behind me before. End it."

"I told you," Naruto said lowering his hand. "I'm not fighting you. I'm not interested in a duel. I'm with Hinata. I'm sorry."

"Then I'll Then I'll take her!" a voice shouted from below before a massive purple and black machine resembling a fat man with the symbol for 100 on its stomach. "Gotcha!"

"This trick is nothing!" Shizuka shouted slipping out of the hand and catching herself on the finger.

Then, she hit it and leapt off as the hand exploded and the man grinned. Instantly, a red seal appeared on her stomach glowing an angry red as she screamed in agony as chakra threads appeared on her wrists and ankles.

"Hundred Puppet Bind!" the man shouted grinning wickedly.

"What have you done?" Naruto demanded.

"This jutsu drives 'bolts', of sorts, into my target," the man stated. "One for each of my one hundred puppets that she defeated. And now, bitch...you...are my puppet. And you will finally be mine."

"You mean," Tokiwa gasped. "Those puppets before were...just traps? You bastard!"

"Finally!" the man cackled. "Shizuka, and Nadeshiko, are finally mine! As it should be!"

"Let her go!" Naruto ordered.

"Why should I?" the man questioned.

"Because I said so," Naruto growled. "Now let her go!"

"Mind your own business you little brat!" the man shouted. "Shizuka is mine! Nadeshiko is mine! I'm going to use Shizuka to-"

Before he could finish, two clones appeared beside him slashing his chakra threads with his Crow Blades which had his chakra streaming through them. The clones caught Shizuka jumping away from the man as Naruto fell toward him with a Rasengan.

"Rasengan!" Naruto shouted blasting him out through the wall and likely killing him.

Naruto's clones set Shizuka down gently as Naruto landed beside her.

"Why did you save me?" Shizuka demanded.

"I don't like people using others for their own gain," Naruto stated.

"Alright, then why didn't you finish the fight?" Shizuka questioned. "You had a chance to defeat me. Why didn't you take it?"

"Would you have been happy if I did?" Naruto demanded. "Because it's your 'destiny'? You locked your heart away to find a husband. That's stupid. I may not know a lot about marriage, or love. But you are supposed to marry people you love. People you want to spend the rest of your life with. In my case, it's not you. Don't get me wrong, I'm honored that you would try so hard to get me to marry you, whatever the reason...but my heart belongs to Hinata. Even when we were young, she could make every other girl I know seem ugly. And when she smiles...Hinata isn't human. Not to me. To me...she's much more. She's an angel, hell, a Goddess. I would give my life for her without a second thought. If it meant she would be happy for her entire life, I would die the most painful way possible again and again for all eternity. I love Hinata. I want to spend my life with her. If she was meant to go to Hell, and me to Heaven, I would trade places with her without a second thought. And I would be smiling for all eternity no matter what they did to me in Hell. Because I would know that Hinata was in Heaven, and would be happy and safe. If Hinata was with someone else, even someone that I hated more than life itself, I would still go out of my way to protect their relationship and both of them. Because he made Hinata happy. I couldn't live with myself if Hinata wasn't happy. But if she was happy, even with someone else...I would live my life without regret. Because even as her friend, I could still see her smile. I will never hurt Hinata. I will never betray her. And while I'm not one to talk, you shouldn't find a husband based on a fight. You should find someone not exactly that you can't live without, but that you can't live knowing is unhappy."

"But, it's my destiny-"

"Not destiny," Naruto interrupted. "It a stupid rule from your village. You're the leader, change the rule. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to lecture you so much. Anyway, we should get going. See you around. Tell you what, I know a guy I think you may like. I'll send him your way. He's not as strong as me but he's more of a handful. Think you can handle him?"

"I'm sure that won't be a problem," Shizuka grinned. "I'll see you around."

Naruto nodded then froze.

"NNNNAAAARRRRRUUUUUUTTTTTTOOOOOOO! ! !" Yamato's voice rang out.

Naruto spun around to see Yamato dashing toward him.

"Oh no," Naruto groaned.

Suddenly Yamato was directly in front of him giving him his signature creepy angry look.

"You tricked me," Yamato stated. "I hope you're ready for the consequences."

"I doubt it," Naruto groaned before Yamato's now wooden arm clubbed him upside the head. "OW!"

"Let's go Naruto," Yamato ordered before freezing when he saw Hinata. "Come on Hinata."

Hinata nodded and Yamato left, Naruto and the others following. After a few minutes, they reached the shore again and Naruto stopped suspecting Shizuka had at least one more question. The others all got on the ship and Naruto turned back to Shizuka.

"Do you mind if I ask one last question?" Shizuka requested.

"Not at all," Naruto smiled.

"What would you do if Hinata broke up with you, and decided to be with someone else instead?" Shizuka questioned.

"I would make sure she was happy, even if it wasn't with me," Naruto stated.

"Would you look for someone else?" Shizuka questioned.

"No," Naruto smiled shaking his head. "Like I said, my heart belongs to Hinata and it always will. There is no one else. Not for me."

"Even if she died?" Shizuka questioned. "Is there nothing that would allow you to move on?"

"Move on no," Naruto stated shaking his head. "But, if Hinata died, I would have nothing to live for. So I wouldn't live. I can't live in a world where Hinata isn't around. I would rather die."

Shizuka nodded and smiled.

"She's lucky to have someone as faithful as you," Shizuka smiled. "Any woman would be lucky to find someone so completely in love with them."

Naruto smiled and nodded as Fu walked over to the side of the ship.

"Time to go Naruto," Fu stated.

"I'll see you around Shizuka," Naruto smiled jumping onto the ship.

Shizuka waved and watched the ship leave for a while before turning and beginning to head home.


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