Chapter Four

"Church of the Red Queen, huh? Never pictured Ino for the religious type." Tenten leaned against the desk with her arms crossed. "I'm not surprised one of those wacky groups showed up. Post-war saw a lot of new religious movements across all the major nations."

Shizune sipped her tea with a frown. "This is a bit different. Kurenai and I attended one of their meetings before they built that new church. It started off normal, but we left once they broke out the guitar. Kurenai is a bit of a traditionalist regarding that type of stuff."

"The fact that Kurenai is religious still amazes me." Naruto took another bite of his sandwich. "Do we have any intel on them? I don't like a group setting up shop in the village without us knowing anything about them."

"Some." Tenten reached across the desk to take Naruto's sandwich. "The Church was founded, like I said, in the years right after the war. No one can point to a direct founder. Still, it is believed that it was a union of numerous little groups spread throughout the major nations. Its main cathedral is in Koga."

"Odd that they moved to the Land of Fire." Shizune placed her cup on the desk and grabbed her laptop.

"That's probably because of Ayame. She's been giving them a lot of the money she's made from Ichiraku." Naruto glared at his bodyguard, who was busy eating his sandwich. "She should have stuck to making ramen instead of becoming a choir girl."

Shizune shook her head. "How could you, of all people, not like that ramen? I understand that Kurenai didn't like it because she's picky."

"Kurenai didn't like it?"

"No. She only finished half of her bowl."

"I would love to give my insight, but someone in this office wouldn't even let me try it." Tenten smiled at Naruto and returned the sandwich.

"Moving on from that hell bowl, what other info do we know about this group?"

"They're holding a multi-day festival starting tonight." Shizune turned her laptop so the others could see it. "Games, prizes, and free ramen."

Festival. Naruto frowned as the pieces of the puzzle came together. "Boruto."

"What?"

"Konohamaru mentioned that Boruto and Sarada were helping set up a festival. Something tells me that boy has a new group of friends."

Tenten scanned the website. "I could make him have an accident, sir. There are a lot of tall buildings around."

"Don't tempt me," Naruto groaned and shook his head. "What do you two think? Should we be concerned?"

Shizune looked through the website with an increasingly growing frown. "They seem a bit…apocalyptic. Apparently, they believe that the world is entering into the final dark days before the coming of their new goddess. Therefore, they encourage members to hand over vast wealth to spread the 'Good News' of the Red Queen."

"There we go!" Tenten clapped with a giggle. "Total cult. Someone is making a lot of money from this. If they got Ayame to give over a bunch of stuff, the main folks are swimming in cash." She glanced at Naruto. "Want to start a cult with me?"

"As long as it's a sex cult."

"Fine by me. You get the women, and I keep the dough." Tenten poked Shizune. "Want to join our cult?"

"I'll pass on joining Naruto's harem." Shizune shook her head. "I don't think someone is using this to buy yachts. Instead, these folks build homeless shelters around the Nations and fund a lot of charity work."

"Okay. New plan. Naruto, we'll have your harem build a bunch of homes using the cheapest materials possible." Tenten rolled her eyes and looked at the website. "Everyone says they do charity work to look good. Did you know the Hyūga operates three food banks across the Land of Fire? True story. Neji had to go work at one for a few weeks when we were kids."

"Of course, they made the branch house run them." Naruto sighed and leaned back into his chair with a frown. "No info on their leadership. Creepy end of days theology. Possibly good guys trying to do the right thing."

"What's your orders, sir? I have no issue with a good old-fashioned church burning." Tenten spun a kunai around her finger.

A sharp knock on the office door startled them. "Enter."

"Good afternoon, Lord Hokage! What a wonderful day to be alive!"

Naruto, Tenten, and Shizune gasped as Shikamaru strolled into the office with the most energetic smile that would have made younger Naruto cringe. He stopped in front of the desk and saluted Naruto with patriotic fury before kissing each woman on the cheek. "I am so happy to see you again, my brother and sisters. Our departure made my heart ache, but we are together again!"

Shizune quickly went to stand behind Naruto. "Uh…hello, Shikamaru. I am glad you're back from your vacation."

"I am glad to be back, Sister Shizune! Apologies, Lord Hokage, for requesting a few more days." Shikamaru hung his head like a child caught stealing a cookie from the jar. "My family and I were so caught up in our retreat that we wanted to spend a few more days."

"Retreat?" Tenten glanced at Naruto with a raised eyebrow. "I thought Temari booked you lot a cabin or something."

"We were in a cabin with her mediation group." Shikamaru sighed happily. "She is a blessing in my life. How lucky I am to have such a woman in my life!"

Tenten quickly hurried behind Naruto. "That's…really good, Shikamaru. You seem pretty different."

"Take a seat, buddy. Let's light one up, and you can tell me all about this." Naruto smiled and pulled a pack of cigarettes from his drawer.

Shikamaru gasped and took a step back. "The offer is tempting, Lord Hokage. I do not smoke and only allow clean air into my lungs. Our bodies are a gift that we must cherish."

"I see." Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "So, tell me about this mediation group. What did they do to you?"

"Probably a lobotomy." Tenten leaned in towards Naruto to whisper. "What the hell is wrong with him? I don't sense a genjutsu."

"Did to me?" Shikamaru smiled with the brilliance of a thousand suns. "They opened my eyes to the sinful life I was walking! Sloth is a sin that can sink us into the mud of despair and wrong action. How long have I held myself back from what I could be? My talents were being wasted due to my constant desire to be lazy, robbing my friends and family of the real me. I feel the hope of a new day for the first time in my life."

"Fascinating. I am glad to see you're happy." Naruto looked at the two women behind him with concern. "What was this mediation group called?"

"Ah! Are you interested? I keep a few pamphlets on me now to spread the good news!" Shikamaru placed three of the same pamphlets that Naruto remembered from Ino's office. "The Church of the Red Goddess changed my life; it can change yours if you open your hearts."

Naruto smiled and nodded. "That's nice, Shikamaru. We're about done for the day, so take the rest of the day off. I heard there is a festival tonight being hosted by your church."

"Indeed! I encourage you to come, Lord Hokage. Temari and I are bringing snacks for the children and will be singing a few songs together!"

"Right. I'll keep that in mind. Have fun." Naruto watched as Shikamaru left the office. "Total cult."

"Agreed."

"Yup." Tenten returned to her spot. "We have to check this group out. Shikamaru is, technically, the second highest-ranking member in this village. It is worrying to undergo such a change quickly, even if it appears good on the surface."

Naruto closed his eyes and sighed, feeling the start of a headache. Between Ino, Boruto, and now Shikamaru, the newest addition to Konoha, has seeped into everything without warning or notice. The fact that two of the most influential people in the village, Ayame, by virtue of her wealth and Shikamaru due to his position, were under the church's sway could either be a coincidence or an organized effort to gain power. As Hokage, it was his duty to protect the village from threats external and internal.

"Tenten. I want you to meet with Father Yayoi before he leaves. Ask him everything he knows about this new church. I am sure those who follow Amaterasu will have some insight into their new rival. Shizune, search the archives and library for anything remotely connected to our new friends. Consider this an S-Rank mission, so keep this on the down low."

"What are you going to do, Lord Hokage?"

Naruto grabbed his cape and stretched. "I'm going home to take a nap since I have a festival tonight."

"Checkmate."

"This game is stupid."

"Objectively, incorrect. Since you are incapable of seeing an obvious move, I declare you to be the stupid one."

"Weren't you the one who got her head stuck in a peanut butter jar once and needed my help?" Naruto remembered coming home a few weeks after the war ended to find the small fox demon sitting on his couch with the jar of peanut butter firmly engulfed around her head. It took a kunai and cooking spray to get it off, along with a stream of curses from the fox about the evils of humanity.

Ama bristled at the memory and turned away with a huff. "No such event took place. It must be a figment of your imagination." She paused. "Do they still make that flavor with the honey mixed in?"

"That they do." Naruto rolled his eyes and leaned against the oak tree with a smile. "Himawari enjoys it a lot. Whenever I make her lunch, she always demands it."

"Ah! It seems the daughter has better tastebuds than her father."

"My tastebuds are very refined."

"Your favorite food is instant ramen."

"And you're a scary fox monster that likes to cosplay as other people."

"Touché." Ama plucked a flower and looked at it. "I wear these forms to soothe you. If you wish, I can take my other form."

Naruto shook his head and sighed. "I just thought you were a just fox."

Ama shrugged, pulling the yellow petals and letting them drift away in the wind. "It is one of my many forms. I am a formless being that can take certain shapes. The fox is a creature that I have developed a special connection with. Beyond my 'scary fox monster' form, I have others but chose not to reveal those to you."

"Oh? Afraid I'll make fun of you?"

"The opposite, actually." Ama rolled her eyes and chuckled. "You would be blinded by it and unable to understand. That, and it would probably burn the eyes from your skull. Soon, however, I will show you."

"And I thought the old man sage just gave you your shapes."

"My history stretches before him and the tailed beasts." Ama dropped the topless stem into the grass and stood. "There is much that you have yet to learn about me, Naruto. It makes me feel…guilty, given how much I know about you."

Naruto watched as she disappeared into the forest but decided not to follow her this time. "We can start now that you're back."

"That we can." Her voice echoed around him like a gentle breeze. "Though, there is something I would like to ask you first. Be completely honest with me. Are you happy?"

That was a question he had been avoiding for almost a decade. On paper, he had achieved everything he dreamed of. People respected and looked up to him as something more than a troublemaker. He became Hokage and worked to make the village a better place. The reality, however, was far different. People did not respect him for his merits but for his power. Being Hokage meant sacrificing his family's happiness. Now, he was a man with very little beyond a fancy office. When was the last time he laughed with genuine joy? When was the last time he dreamed?

"No. I am not happy." He bit his lip to hold back a sob, but the tears came regardless. "I can't remember being happy."

"I remember a young boy who played pranks and played in the fields. His hope eventually soothed my rage." Ama appeared once more with a basket of fruit. "He set out to change the world."

"And he got lost and died. He saw reality and couldn't take it." Naruto's sorrow turned to inner anger. He tried to ignore the memories of his youth. It was easier to forget than to feel shame at betraying that child.

"No. That boy is asleep and is forced to live someone else's life. Why did you become a shinobi? Was it because you wanted to be a hero? Did you dream of becoming a murderer, a child-solider to bring in wealth for a village that let you live in squalor?"

Naruto shook his head and tried to drown out the truth. He remembered when the Third Hokage took him to the academy to enroll him. The small amount of money left over from his parents was running low, and the orphanage warned him that they could no longer afford to keep him there. The Third Hokage, his beloved grandfather, told him that if he was an academy student, the village would be able to give him more money to live on. Once a shinobi, he could take missions to buy anything he wanted.

"You never had a choice to be anything but an asset to the village. The moment Minato sealed me into you, your destiny and life were taken from you and handed over to the Konoha. This world of ninjas turned that young boy who dreamed into a weapon." Her voice softened as he openly sobbed. "Even now, you are just a tool for the Land of Fire and those that hold the true power."

"Shut up! Please…" Naruto buried his head into his hands to block out her words. "I don't have a choice."

"If you could be anything in the world, what would you be?" Ama took a seat next to him and pulled him into her. His body resisted the tugs for a moment before resting against her chest. "Anything. Forget being a shinobi. Forget the village."

Naruto closed his eyes as her warmth enveloped him. "I don't know."

"And that's okay." She ran her claw through his hair. "What's important is that you never stop searching for what you want in life." They remained together until the sun slipped under the horizon to reveal a star-filled heaven. Her voice, deeper yet still feminine, carried sweet lullabies that made him forget the world beyond. Then, finally, she stopped singing. "Naruto…you need to wake up now."

"I don't wanna go back. I never want to go back." He turned around to look up into her face, unafraid of the creature that stared down at him with eyes burning with compassion. "Don't make me go back."

"Not yet." She cupped his face and bent down to bring her muzzle close. "Soon, I will set you free. But, until that day comes, you need to be strong for the people you care about."

"Don't leave me! Please."

"Do not worry, Naruto. I shall be with you even when darkness thinks it's blocked out the light."

"Remind me why I have to come with you to this."

Naruto groaned and rubbed his forehead. He was starting to regret this. "Because these are your students? Think of this like training for becoming Hokage."

Konohamaru muttered something about wanting to go back home but followed him into the festival grounds. Little expense was spared for the festivities, with lavish decorations hanging from the trees of Senju Park and free food being offered for everyone, courtesy of Ichiraku. Hundreds of people moved between the booths, with the children enjoying the games and trying to win prizes while the adults chatted among themselves. Overall, it seemed less culty than Naruto expected.

"Can you at least win me a stuffed bear or something?"

Naruto glared at Konohamaru. "This isn't a date."

"Good. You're not my type of guy." Konohamaru shrugged and looked at the free ramen being served. "Mind if I grab a bowl? I'm starving."

"Whatever. I'm going to look around. Meet me at the center stage in an hour." Naruto rolled his eyes as his student left. He wanted to go back to sleep…and maybe talk more to Ama. "Just a dream. Remember that." Was it just a dream? The thought made his head hurt, and he decided it was better to just focus on scoping out the church.

By the time he reached the center, he was disappointed to find nothing amiss. That should have been a good thing, but some of him wanted to find something off about the group so he could take care of it immediately. If there was something truly off with the church, he would have to launch a much more extensive investigation. That posed the risk of causing a lot of angry people since they had little probable cause.

He spotted Boruto talking with a group of friends, debating if he should approach the boy. Tenten's offer of a guaranteed accident brought a smile to his face. He hated to admit it, but it would solve one of the biggest headaches in his life.

"Papa! Over here! Papa!" Himawari's voice thundered over the crowd. She appeared from behind Boruto and waved her hands while jumping. His son groaned but forced a smile onto his face.

"No need to yell, sunflower." Naruto approached the group of kids and rubbed the back of his head. He only knew a handful of them as shinobi, the rest being children from civilian families. "How's it hanging, guys?"

"Fine, dad." Boruto crossed his arms. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, you know. Just walking around and wasting some time. Heard from Konohamaru that you helped set some of this up. I'm impressed!"

"That's a first. Come on, guys. Let's go grab some ramen."

"Sure! That sounds good." Naruto grinned at his son. "Free ramen is always good!"

Boruto hesitated for a moment. "Uh…we're going to the members-only section."

"Eh?"

"For the Church. They have a special section reserved for us. So we're going to eat over there."

"Ah! So, you're a member?" Naruto maintained his aloof fatherly tone to keep back his unhappiness at the revelation. "Your mother never mentioned anything of the sort to me." He glanced at the bouncing Himawari. "Are you a member of the church?"

"Nope! Big brother says they are going to let me join tonight."

"I think it's better to discuss this a little bit first." Naruto took her hand and smiled at his daughter. Luckily, Himawari was a total daddy's girl.

Boruto's façade cracked with a snarl. "That's not your choice! She wants to join!"

"I'm her father, so I'll make that call. Thanks for your input." Naruto turned away but stopped when Himawari yelped as Boruto grabbed her arm.

"Himawari! If you go, you'll burn in the fires of the end!" Boruto pulled her back. "The Red Goddess will abandon you if you turn your back on us!"

Naruto's anger burst forth in a surge of speed, snatching Himawari and pushing Boruto to the ground. "Watch your mouth!"

"We have a snake in the garden! This is just what Sister Ayame warned would happen!"

The phrase caused a shift in the atmosphere of the festival. People started to look their way with a hint of suspicion and hostility. Naruto maintained his composure, ignoring the screaming Boruto and picking up Himawari. His path out of the central area was blocked by a line of men looking unhappy.

"Why take the girl away? She needs to be saved."

"To think you would lay your hands on your own kid."

"Huh. My mother always said you were a demon."

Deep breath. Count to three. Exhale.

"I am leaving with my daughter," Naruto took a step forward. "Step aside." His charisma failed as the gathering crowd started to grow angry. He looked around for Flamingo but found that his normal night ANBU was missing. The chiming of a bell caused all heads to turn to the stage at the center of the festival. People around him began chanting in a strange tongue, raising their hands in praise as Ayame walked to a podium. Even Boruto, seconds away from another outburst, looked utterly enthralled.

"Brothers and sisters! Welcome!" Ayame stared down at him with a smile. "We are gathered here to celebrate the coming of a new age! There is no need for violence or hate. Our dear Hokage, who has saved us twice, wishes to depart our garden, so I say let him depart." The men moved without hesitation, creating an exit for him among the sea of gathering people. "Those who cannot see the beauty of our actions will be denied paradise."

"They will be denied," chanted the crowd in response. "They will be denied."

"Go, Lord Hokage, and leave this flock. Sister Ino has tried to open your heart, yet your hubris stops you from embracing the path forward."