Two Fated Meetings

It had been two months since Naruto and Hikari started dating. The civil war in the West was still in full swing. Naruto was taken aback by just how bad the civil war was. The land was utterly lawless. The closest thing there was that could count as a law is that if you killed a warlord or daimyo, that you take their place. Two months ago, that occurred to Naruto. He killed warlord Yashun Nazuroto. The land just West of the mountains then belonged to him. His conquest of the Mountainside region had made all the Western Lords notice him. They called him the inexperienced Easterner. He continued afterwards to conquer the neighboring Eda, Colworth and Moza regions. The Colworth conquest gained him an alliance with the Kemuri clan. The Kemuri Clan has a bloodline that allows them to change themselves into fog at will. It also increases the efficiency of moves that have similarities to fog.

After that conquest most Western Lords had started to take him seriously. Naruto rubbed the katana on his belt. Its black sheath fitting nicely around it. It was handmade and he had based it on the bokken he had bought when he traveled through the land of Wind. It occurred after he conquered the seaside Moza region. To say he was surprised would have been an understatement.

Flashback

It had been one month since Naruto and Hikari confessed their love for each other. Naruto and Hikari were currently busy with the assimilation of Moza. A ship was slowly moving from a neighboring island towards Moza. They had been told that the island was named Ipo. The ship had a high mast and was designed as most ships in the east. It had a red line crossing along the would be water line and another on was moving across the ship just underneath the floor of the ship. It was obviously a transport ship. Most surprising of all was the symbol on the sail of the ship. It was the same symbol as the leaf chunin had on their chuninvests. According to his demonic vixen girlfriend it was the Uzumaki clan symbol. Then and there Naruto decided to see what they wanted.

When the ship finally docked a single planck was lowered and a red haired man walked down it. He introduced himself as Yasuke Uzumaki. When Naruto replied with his own name, both were silent for a time. Naruto had never thought that there were still clan members alive and Yasuke was stunned that they Naruto had the guts exclaiming to be an Uzumaki when his hair was primarily blond. It took only a little while for Yasuke to vocalize his confusion.

"You, an Uzumaki? But you are blond. How can you be an Uzumaki?"

"The blond hair is from my father. The red streaks are my mothers side showing through." Naruto answered politely.

Yusuke took a thinking look. "I came here to trade these items, but if you are who you claim you are, then Toshiro might be interested in meeting you." he then said. They then proceeded to trade the items. After the trade was finished Hikari said that Naruto should try to reconnect with his clan and that she could watch the lands. Naruto and Yasuke boarded the boat and headed back to the island of Ipo. Naruto was both excited and anxious about meeting his clan. Yasuke was interested in who Naruto was and was certain that Toshiro would want to know about him. After a while the boat docked on the island of Ipo. The Uzumaki duo then left the boat and went to the land. Yasuke immediately led Naruto to the clan compound and asked him to wait. After ten minutes Yusuke came back together with a red haired man that looked to be in his early forties. He wore a white kimono that screamed royalty. On the back was the Uzumaki swirl on the back. The man still had a slightly surprised look on his face from the story he had just been told.

"So you are the Uzumaki that Yasuke found on his last trip? Allow me to introduce myself, I am Toshiro Uzumaki." Asked the man with a gruff voice. "Yes, that would be me, Uzumaki Naruto" replied the young blond with red streaks. His red streaks had become very visible over the last weeks, but the blond remained dominant. "Yasuke told me that your mother was supposedly an Uzumaki. Can I ask what your Mother's name was?" questioned Toshiro. "I suppose it can't hurt to tell you her name. She was Kushina Uzumaki." answered Naruto. The man looked shocked, when he regained his composure he replied, "She is my cousin. That means we are family. Now come inside, I want to hear your story.". Naruto told the middle-aged man his story. During the telling the mans face went from happy to outright murderous. How dare that scum in the leaf act this way to a member of his clan, to the rightful leader of his clan and nation no less. That it was done over something sealed inside him made it even worse. Konoha is a ninja village. Everyone there should be familiar with a sealing scroll. How can they not see that the same applies here. One of the worst points was that they had denied the entire clan to themselves and others, that is no way to treat allies. Banishing him without informing him about his heritage also confirmed that Konoha was after the money of the Uzumaki clan. The rightful owner could not claim them without violating his banishment so they could do whatever they wanted with it. The old man looked relieved when Naruto told him that he got his legacy, although he could not testify for its completeness as he never knew how many jutsu and ryo the clan had.

Toshiro then asked Naruto a question the clan found very important, that if he already had created his own blade. Naruto told him that he had bought a bokken and chakra conducting metal in the land of Wind, because his girlfriend had made him to create his own sword. Naruto informed the man that he strongly suspected that she knew of the tradition and wanted him to follow it. They both laughed at that.

Over the next two days Toshiro taught Naruto the history of the clan. And taught him how to work iron. The next morning Naruto started walking towards the smithing building. Today he was finally going to create his own katana. He had chosen a katana as his sword was because it resembled the bokken Hikari had him buy. That bokken was selected because it felt the most natural to Naruto. Upon placing the katana shape he wanted on the designated place he placed the chakra conducting metal inside the bucket. The duo then placed the bucket over the fire. He remembered asking Hikari why the chakra metal he had bought in Wind country needed to be specialized in conducting both wind and fire natured chakra two weeks ago. She had replied because she was teaching him fire natured chakra molding and that he was progressing already. Since it was her best element it was the element, with wind being her second, she could teach him how to use fire manipulation. She could not teach him the other elements very well and at the time he had nobody else that could teach him. She also told him there was another reason for wanting fire in it but that it was secret for the time being. She also told him that wind was his strongest affinity and thus really belonged in the blade.

The liquid metal was now put inside the the table with the final shape in it. Naruto then needed to use the hammer to make certain the katana was shaped correctly. The sweat rolled down his naked chest, showing of how muscular he was. He imagined what the face of his tenant, turned girlfriend, would look like if she saw him like this. After the katana was done Naruto took some time to admire the beauty. It had a black handle. On one side of the katana was an Uzumaki swirl, on the other there was the face of a fox. The fox was done in honor of his future mate, as it was a symbol of her clan. This particular face was not the symbol though, it matched to much with Hikari's own face. He could not deny it, he really missed her right now.

End Flashback

Naruto chuckled. The face his furry demonic vixen made upon return was priceless. He blushed when he saw her reaction when she saw the sword getting unsheathed. They had also decided that their conquered places could no longer go under the name of the first region. Hikari proposed to declare it the Vulpine Kingdom, after some 'convincing' on Hikari's part Naruto agreed. Naruto learned that Hikari could be very persuasive with her 'cute kit eyes', seductive voice and tongue. Another argument was that it would attract the attention of her clan.

XXX The Vulpine Empire XXX

Elsewhere, one week earlier

A group of shadowy figures was having an important discussion. They had heard about the new Kingdom in the east, the Vulpine Kingdom. Most were pissed that someone had the audacity to name a kingdom after their clan. "We should do something about them. I say we lead a part of our clan to their kingdom to teach them a lesson." proposed a shadowy figure. Most of the other figures agreed but the leader made his doubts known, "They could do this legally, as long as 'she' is part of the leaders of this kingdom and has authorized it.". Then the discussion began on how they could now this for sure. "I will go check it out." the leader decided.

XXX The Vulpine Empire XXX

In the Vulpine Kingdom

"Who are you?" A guard demanded. "I am a leader of a foreign clan. I am here to see if we can discuss an alliance or if we are fated to be hated enemies. Please take me to the leaders." replied the stranger. The guard nodded and the duo proceeded to the location where the leaders where set up. The palace was a bunker like structure that could easily be used for military purposes. The entire building was unworthy for a royals, and as a consequence the place just screamed temporary. The guard spoke to another guard and the duo waited outside while the other guard went inside to request the audience with the royals. The royals quickly agreed hoping for an ally in the battles that where undoubtedly going to happen.

In a large room inside the bunker, which doubled as the throne room, the two royals were sitting waiting for their guest to arrive. Hikari was wondering if it was who she thought it would be. Then the guest entered. He had orange waist-length hair, that looked like it was fur. His claw-like hands had sharp nails and he had broad shoulders and a masculine structure. Behind him where seven orange tails. His silver slitted eyes stared at the two royals. All of this confirmed Hikari's suspicion. It was him. She could not hold in her excitement and screamed, "Brother!", while running towards him, changing into her fox form and tackling him to the ground. Hikari's brother laughed at her antics but was just as glad to see her. Naruto was happy at seeing the two siblings interact like that. The guards left the room mostly alone after hearing that it was their Queens brother.

"Kurama, why are you here?" Hikari asked the now named Kurama. "Well Sis, I am here to ask why the name Vulpine Kingdom? But seeing it is you I will report to the clan that there has been no infringement at all. I will also let them know that you are doing well. Now who is this?" he replied before pointing at Naruto. Hikari decided that it was her job to do the introductions and said "Kurama, this is Naruto, my future mate. And Naruto, this is Kurama, my younger brother.". Naruto and the orange fox checked each other out. Kurama could see why his sister would choose the blonde-red guy.

"Our clan has a little problem with the lord of the Azou. Seeing as that is right next to you, we might be able to make an alliance and take them down." informed Kurama to his sister and the man she had chosen as her future mate. "Sure we were going to do something about that piece of shit anyway. And I am quite certain that Hikari agrees even more now than she did before." replied Naruto.

"Now I do have some bad news." stated Kurama. Hikari's face took on an annoyed expression, already knowing what Kurama was going to say.