United I Stand
Chapter Ten: Ending the Mission


"So we all heard the voice," Naruto stated as he sat beside Naruko's bed. Across from him, Menma leaned against the wall with his arms crossed and his eyes closed.

"I mean, we all know who the voice could belong to but why would they help?" Naruko asked with a frown. "What would they have to gain in helping us?"

"I mean, self-preservation obviously. We die, they die," Menma replied. "Simple as that."

"Should we try talking to them?" Naruto asked.

"Since I'm not getting any sleep anytime soon, let's have a chat…" A dark voice said suddenly within their heads. Without warning, there was a flash of crimson in the trio's eyes before Naruko and Naruto's bodies slumped while Menma fell face-first to the ground, all of them unconscious.


The trio woke up in unison and found themselves in a sewer in front of a large gilded jail cell. "Where the hell are we?" Naruko questioned with a frown on her face.

"My current home," a voice explained. The trio looked to the cell and saw the silhouette of a large hulking figuring, a pair of glowing crimson eyes staring down at them.

Naruto raised his arm with his mouth wide open before he lowered his arm while Menma took a step backward and Naruko outright began to shiver. They could feel so much power radiating from the figure behind the cell.

They then watched as the figure began to glow then shrink until it took on a humanoid form and with an explosion of energy, the trio then saw a woman.

The figure was a tall and lean woman with pale skin that glowed with crimson scars across his chest and shoulders. She had waist-length, spiky blood-red hair that was tied in a pony tail with two cheek-length bangs that framed her face, revealing her three whisker marks on each cheek and her crimson eyes.

The figure was shirtless but wore black Hakama pants and had red medical tape around her bare muscled stomach and chest. "Hello Kits," The figure said with a smile, revealing her fanged teeth. "I don't need to introduce myself, do I?"

"What the fuck is this?" The trio asked in unison.

"As I mentioned, since I'm not getting any rest, might as well talk and save some curiosities," The Kyūbi said as she summoned a chair in front of the bars and sat down on it. "So let me start. Yes, I am the Kyūbi no Kitsune. No, I'm not such a bad guy but I can be a bit of a battle-hungry brute as you can tell by my battle scars. And I think that Anko woman is very attractive and I wish to have my way with her."

"I'm sorry, what?" Naruko asked.

"Ok…I think I like her," Naruto said with a grin.

Menma remained silent.

"Now onto serious business...I love to fight. I love the feel of my nine-blades slicing through opponents, as well as having my nine-tails crush mountains and causing general chaos among you humans. Well, that's how it used to be before…" The Kyūbi then paused as she leaned back into her chair.

"Before what?" Naruko asked.

The Kyūbi stayed silent for a moment then elaborated, "Well I saved you, not only to save my life because you right were Menma. If any of you three die, I die. But I have a deeper reason and that is your mother…"

"Our mother?" Menma questioned as Naruko and Naruto looked on in shocked.

"Yes…Uzumaki Kushina…She was my jailer before you three," The Kyūbi replied.

"Bullshit!" Naruto yelled as he took a step forward. "I can't believe that!"

"It is true…" The Kyūbi gruffly replied. "Despite that outburst, you hear the truth in my word, don't you?"

Naruto paused before he looked down to the ground as Naruko said "She's right…I don't sense any lies in his words…"

"Tell us more," Menma said.

"She and I didn't get along in the start but somewhere along the way, I began to see her as my daughter and someone that I swore to use my chakra to protect…But instead, I lead her to the Shinigami's embrace," The Kyūbi replied. "I won't dare to deny that…However, the night of your original self's birth is not what it seems."

The three were silent for a moment, unable to figure out what to say to this woman next. Finally, Naruto spoke up and shouted, "Then tell us. Tell us everything about that night!"

"Tell you? Why would I need to do that when I could show you?" The Kyūbi asked with a toothy grin.


Anko and Inoichi stood small chamber with a remorseful Fū sitting in front of a saddened Shibuki. Almost immediately after Naruko fell unconscious, the remaining villagers hailed the Konoha shinobi as heroes.

However, their jubilation changed into fury when they saw Fū was still alive. Despite Fū's claims of innocence, the villagers called for her blood. It was then Naruto and Menma took Naruko to the hospital while the pair of Jōnin led Fū and Shibuki to the latter's office, where they all now sat.

"Fū…" Shibuki began after Fū explained all that had occurred. "What happened today is a horrible tragedy. Many lives were lost and the villagers, despite you trying to warn them, want you dead due to your involvement in all of this."

"But that's not fair," Anko said. "She tried everything to try and save them and yet they want her punished?"

"There must be more to it than that," Inoichi said. "The way they looked at her, yelled at her…There's more to this."

"There is," Shibuki said to the two Jōnin. "Fū holds the Nanbi inside of her."

Both Anko and Inoichi looked surprised by this but then saddened as well. "I see…" Inoichi said. "I understand now."

"Really?" Shibuki asked.

The Jōnin nodded and replied "We know that containers for the tailed demons exist. I can understand why the villagers treated her so terribly. However, that should not cause her to be executed."

Fū put her hands into her face and said, "I did everything that I could…This isn't fair…"

"I know," Shibuki said. "However, despite my personal feelings on the matter, I have to do what is right for the village…"

"So that's it?" Anko asked. "You're going to kill her for doing the best she could under those shitty ass circumstances?!"

"Shibuki-san," Inoichi said. "I understand the heavy circumstances of all this. The grief and fear that the villagers are facing are blinding them to the good she tried to do for them. There must be a way to solve th-."

"It's okay," Fū said, interrupting Inoichi softly. "The villagers never liked me because of the Nanbi…It's been like this my whole life. Every time I did something wrong. No matter how minuscule the problem, I would be unfairly punished by everyone…I screwed up and I need to atone…"

"Fū…" Anko murmured with a frown on her face.

Fū took a deep breath and looked at Shibuki with watery eyes and said, "I'll take whatever punishment you'll give me. Even if I am to die. I have nothing left to live for anyway."

Shibuki shut his eyes for a moment then opened them and said, "I will not take your life. You were forced to do what you did despite trying to work it to save everyone. However, you still worked with a group of traitors and I can't let that slide. Fū, with a heavy heart, I herby revoke your status as a shinobi, along with your citizenship to this Takigakure no Sato."

The two Jōnin stood in silence as Fū's body began to shake before a soft sob was heard.

"I am so sorry," Shibuki said. "I wish there was some other way that would keep you save and keep the villagers happy through their grief…But this is the only way…Please relinquish your Hiate-ite."

Through heavy sobs, Fū removed her headband and placed it on the desk in front of the leader. "You have three hours to vacate this village," Shibuki said.

Fū nodded, her face pained but understanding. "Inoichi-san. Anko-san…It would be best for you and your team to leave as well but I request that your team guard Fū until she is clear of the village."

"We will," Anko said. Fū stood up and walked to the door, tears streaming down her cheeks while Anko and Inoichi turned around but Shibuki's voice rang out.

"Fū…Thank you for your service and I wish you all the best…"


"I fucking knew it," Menma whispered. "I knew that old bastard was lying to us. I knew it…" But there was no smug-ness in his voice, just emptiness.

"I gave him the benefit of the doubt…" Naruko murmured with a heartbroken expression. "I trusted him…"

Naruto merely remained silent but there was a look of absolute fury on his face.

The three had just gotten back from a very involved trip through memory lane with the Kyūbi no Kitsune and the three were handling it like champs.

"Our father was the Yondaime Hokage," Naruko whispered. "We had a family…No matter how short it was…"

"Our mother looked beautiful…" Menma mentioned.

Naruto still remained silent but the anger was building in his veins.

"What do we do?" Naruko asked as tears filled her eyes. "He was our-"

"No, he wasn't!" Naruto suddenly screamed, his anger reaching a boiling point. "That old fucker lied to us! Deceived us! He said we had no family! That we were always orphans to some no named family and yet our father was the fucking Yondaime and the Mystical Chain Mistress of Konoha who, get this, was the previous holder of the demon we hold?!"

Naruto stood up and grabbed the chair he was sitting on and launched it across the room, shattering the glass to the picture that hung on the wall while he yelled, "It's fucking bullshit!"

Both Menma and Naruko were stunned at the amount of anger Naruto was expressing. "Fuck him! Fuck him for lying to us! And fuck us for actually believing in that piece of shit!" Naruto yelled.

"All the times we asked "Who were our parents" and that fucker refused to tell us the truth! Maybe you were right all along, Menma! Maybe he doesn't fucking care!" Naruto raged. "Fuck, it could go deeper than that! He knows we're going through hell in that fucking place. Who's to say he isn't to blame? What if he-"

"Please don't say it," Naruko interrupted with a desperate tone. "I don't think I could live if he sent those men that night…"

Naruto growled furiously but kept silent.

After three minutes of silence, Naruko asked, "You guys think we should stay quiet about this?"

"Fuck that," Naruto replied as he panted. "The Hokage lied to us. We should scream it out all over the village out of pure fucking spite."

"Who would believe us?" Menma questioned. "The holder of the famed demon is the son of a Kage and a former shinobi that held mystical chains and the previous holder of the demon…We'd be killed on the spot for such sacrilege."

"So what do we do?" Naruto asked with a heated tone.

"Keep it to ourselves…" Menma said. "As much as I want to get revenge, he's a Kage and we're not…We'd be killed by him…Keep it quiet and grow stronger. When we are…That's when we strike."

Naruto let a toothy, rage-filled smirk appear on his face while Naruko looked shocked. "W-Wait…You two really want to fight the Hokage?"

"Yeah," both Menma and Naruto replied. "You in?"

Naruko was silent before determination shined in her eyes. "I don't like it but I hate being lied to more. You bet your asses I'm in." She replied.

"Then we have an agreement…" Naruto stated as he held out his right fist.

Menma placed his right fist on the left side of Naruto's fist and said, "We become as strong as possible then take him down."

Naruko slipped out of bed and slowly approached Menma and Naruto and placed her right fist against the right side of Naruto's fist and said, "To justice…"


Ten minutes passed and Naruko was alone in her room, getting dressed when she heard a noise on her window. She turned around to see Fu outside of it. Naruko's eyes lit up in surprise and she walked towards the window and opened it.

"Hey, Fu-ch-" Naruko stopped immediately when she saw tears in the teal-haired girl's eyes. "W-What's the matter?" Naruko asked.

"Shibuki-san…He kicked me out of the village…" Fu said before being taken into Naruko's arms, her sobs echoing in the room. Naruko felt her heart ache at the sight of her. Fu had been through so much and once again, she was being let down.

"Where will I go Naruko-chan? What will I do? I can't survive on my own," Fu whimpered as Naruko felt Fu's hands grip her shirt tightly.

Naruto returned the tight hug and placed a kiss on the top of the kunoichi's head and soon, the two found themselves laying the in the hospital bed, Naruko's arms still wrapped protectively around Fu's smaller body.

The sobbing had stopped but Fu remained against the blonde. Naruko gently pulled away from Fu only to place her forehead against Fu's. "You'll come to Konoha with me and my team," Naruko whispered. "You will come there and become a Konoha shinobi…And I will protect you."

"What about your Anko-san and Inoichi-san?" Fu mumbled.

"I'll fight them every step of the way to make them agree," Naruko replied.

"What if the Hokage won't allow someone like me in his village," Fu said with a bitter tone in her voice.

Naruko let out a faint laugh. "I've lost a lot of love for the Hokage but I won't life. He cares about his other shinobi and the life of many and that old fool wouldn't hesitate to have more in his ranks. Especially someone like you…"

"A-And what if he doesn't?" Fu asked.

"Then I will force him to," Naruko said sincerely. "Because I'm not going to let you be left behind on your own…" Naruko took Fu's hand and placed it against her chest then covered her hand on top of Fu's.

"I promise on my heart that I will protect you and do all that I can to get you into our village," Naruko told her with a determined expression on her face.

Fu stared at her for a moment before she lowered her head and placed it against the base of Naruko's neck. "Why?" She asked. "We fought just hours ago and now you're willing to protect me? Why?"

"Because you, my brothers and I…We're the same…" Naruko replied tenderly as she placed a hand on Fu's cheek, making the girl look straight at her. "My brothers and I…We each have a part of the Kyūbi no Kitsune inside of us…The Hokage knows it and so does every older person. Sure we get treated lousily but he wouldn't kick us out of the village…We can tell him what you hold or not. He'd take you in regardless," Naruko explained.

"You say you hold no love for him and yet you speak highly of him…" Fu whispered.

"I found out about some things he hid from me, which made him drop considerably from my favor but there is a good man in there. Just not towards anyone with the surname of Uzumaki," Naruko replied vocally but thought 'Or Namikaze…'

Fu stayed silent for a moment and said "You're the first person to ever treat me differently…The village never trusted me and while Shibuki and the previous village rulers were kind, I always felt they just didn't want to anger me…But you…After hearing me, you've treated me so nice…so gentle…" Fu looked at Naruko and slowly placed her hand on the blonde girl's cheek. "I don't know if I could be in your village and see them treat you and your brothers so poorly…"

Naruko laughed softly and said, "I don't care about them. As long as I have friends and my brothers, I'll be okay…"

Fu placed her forehead against Naruko's and murmured, "I trust you…I don't know why my heart is saying this…Especially because of how we met but I do…"

"As long as you let me…I will never let you down…" Naruko whispered back as she shut her eyes.

Naruko felt Fu touch her bottom lip with her thumb and Naruko was slightly taken aback. The gentleness of the touch made her own body tremble slightly with anticipation.

But despite this, Naruko could feel Fu's body tremble against hers as well. Naruko felt Fu's hand move to her face and without warning, she felt Fu's lips press against hers in a ghost of a kiss.

Naruko felt her body heat but leaned her head forward to return the kiss with a firmer one. Fu let out a tiny gasp as her hand reached back to Naruko's neck to pull the blonde closer, something Naruko wanted as well so she pulled Fu closer by the hips.

Their once shy kiss had become a little more intense as Fu let out a breathy "Naru…" as Naruko leaned up off the bed to press herself more against the teal-haired kunoichi.

"Yo! What the hell?" Menma's shocked voice echoed in her head.

Naruko slowly broke apart and opened her eyes to see the blushing yet confused look on Fu's face, their breathing in sync, and their slightly puffy lips inches apart from one another.

"Wow…We leave for three minutes to get some drinks and you two are kissing?" Naruto's amused voice said. "Such a shame I missed it."

Two seconds later…

"Ow! Damn it, Menma!" Naruto's pained voice shouted in her head.

"I-I'm so sorry…" Fu said. "I don't know what came over me…"

"Stop being a pervert then and I won't smack you," Menma's voice said in her head.

"Don't be," Naruko replied with red cheeks. "I mean it…That was my first kiss…"

"But dude…Oh shit, there is Anko-Sensei and Inoichi-sensei…we need to distract them," Naruto said.

"M-Mine too…" Fu replied. The two let out a gentle laugh, their hands intertwining.

"You can distract them, I'm just going to watch," Menma's voice replied.

Naruko slowly cut the mental connection off just as the Kyūbi yelled, "Oh my Kami…Just shut up. I'm trying to sleep!" and pressed her forehead back against Fu's, who let out a shuddered breath.

"C-Can I do it again?" Fu asked.

Instead of responding vocally, Naruko leaned forward and pressed a tender kiss on Fu's lips, who met her with a tender one of her own.

Just as the door opened to reveal Inoichi and Anko, with an apologetic Naruto and amused Menma behind them. "Hey, Naruko-chan we're….Oh my," Inoichi said, which caused the two to break apart but this time, both girls pouted.

"Awww, we interrupted their kissing," Anko said.

"I tried to stop them/He tried to stop them," Naruto and Menma said in unison, with Menma pointing at Naruto.

"Ever heard of knocking?" Naruko asked as Fu buried her face into her neck, causing Naruko to blush due to feeling the heat on Fu's face from her own.

"I guess not…" She heard Fu mumble softly.

"Inoichi-sensei…Anko-sensei…Fu comes with me," Naruko said with a frown on her face. "I know we'll have to clear it with the Hokage but I will not leave her alone."

"Well, it's a damn good thing we agree Female Gaki," Anko said with a smirk.

"We decided that immediately after leaving Shibuki's office," Inoichi explained.

"Whew…That's good. I would've hated to fight with you guys…" Naruko said with a sigh of relief.

"Well, now that's covered…We need to get out of here before the villagers stop mourning and see her," Anko said.

The two girls nodded before Naruko glanced back at Fu and couldn't help herself by placing another kiss on the orange-eyed girl's lips.

Anko and Inoichi looked at each other before they both shouted, "We mean now!" in unison.


Two days later, Team Eleven, Minus Naruto, and Mena but plus Fu, stood in front of the Hokage, Naruko's fingers intertwined with Fu's.

"After hearing all of that…I can see how rough of a place you were in. After recently dealing with something similar, it would be unkind to kick you out of this village."

"D-Does that mean?" Naruko asked.

"Yes. I would be happy to welcome you to this village Fu," The Hokage replied.

"Oh, Kami…I was so scared," Fu said as she released Naruko's hand only to hug her tightly, which caused Naruko to return her hug happily.

"I also grant your request Inoichi-san and Anko-san to have Fu on your team," The Hokage said with a nod to the two Jōnin, who gave a subtle fist bump. "Now that this aspect is done, Naruko-san, please escort Fu-san to the records hall so she can start her paperwork in joining this village and the shinobi corps."

"Okay Hokage-sama," Naruko said with a nod, which prompted a confused expression to appear on the Hokage's face.

Naruko looked to Fu and together, the two walked out of the room. Outside the room, Naruto and Menma sat and Fu said, "I'm on Team Eleven."

"Yahoo!" Naruto said. "Looks like you two lovebirds get to stick together."

"Shut it," Naruko said but couldn't stop herself from smiling.

"Welcome to the team Fu-san," Menma said with a supportive nod.

"Thank you…Both of you," Fu said before she turned to Naruko and said "And a most special thank you to you, Naru-chan…" Fu leaned in for a kiss but noticed that Naruto's eyes were locked on them and surprisingly, even Menma was glancing at them from the corner of his eye.

"Later," Naruko replied with a whisper and a smile.

Fu nodded.

"Awww damn it," Naruto said. "Well anyways, how about we get some ramen to celebrate!"

"Ramen? What's that?" Fu asked.

The Uzumaki trio merely smirked and shouted in unison "Only the food for the gods!"

"You'll love it," Naruko added.

"Then let's have some," Fu said happily. The foursome walked out of the tower and onto the main street but the moment they did, Menma found himself colliding into Haruno Sakura, which caused them both to stagger.

"Oh…This should be fun…" Naruto said with a grin.


Haruno Sakura had a rough four days.

First was the incident with Menma.

She didn't expect his past, along with Naruto and Naruko's pasts to be as brutal as they were, with her actively participating in making Naruto's life a living hell and despite Naruko and Naruto forgiving her, the guilt she was carrying was heavy.

The second thing was her mission. What went from protecting a noble turned into a battle for survival, with her having to take her first life. She felt as if her innocence had been robbed from her.

She knew being a shinobi wouldn't be easy but it boiled down to her life or theirs opened her eyes. She had told Kakashi that she wasn't sure if she wanted to remain a shinobi.

Being the understanding guy that he was, Kakashi gave her the week off of shinobi duties to think things over and while she was glad for this, she felt even more guilt at wanting to leave after one mission.

So now she stood face to face with one of the reasons for her guilt and she knew eventually that she would have to apologize to him but she didn't think it would be so soon.

"We should leave them alone…" She heard Naruko whisper to Naruto and the teal-haired girl beside her. The two nodded and Naruko said, "Welp, time to hit the old dusty trail. Later Menma, Sakura-chan!"

The three then ran past her at top speed, leaving Menma and her alone.

"M-Menma-san…" Sakura said with a slight stammer before she cleared her throat and began to say "Hello" but only managed to get "He-" out due to Menma walking away from her, his shoulder bumping into hers on the way past, making her stumble back.

Sakura was stunned at the blatant disrespect.

She couldn't even say "Hello" to him without him just walking away. Without thinking, she shouted, "Oh how mature of you!"

Menma paused as Sakura continued to yell "I know we parted on terrible terms but that doesn't mean being a dick!"

Menma slowly turned around and asked, "What makes you think I want to talk to you?"

Sakura paused.

It was so odd that despite looking like Naruto and Naruko, his attitude made him look so different. Sakura took a deep breath to steady herself before she looked at Menma and said "You don't have to talk to me because all I need you to do is listen."

Menma didn't reply or move so Sakura took that as a cue to continue.

"I…I just want to apologize for how I acted," Sakura told him. "I said some things that were out of line to intentionally hurt you and that wasn't right of me because you going through your past hurt both Naruto and Naruko as well because it brought up theirs…With me being one of the people in Naruto's life that you described in your past…I was an idiot for doing that and I am so sorry."

Menma stared at her for a long time and the confidence that Sakura had built up was slowly crumbling under Menma's cold gaze. After what felt like years to her, Menma finally asked "If I hadn't blown up at you that day, do you think you would have come to this conclusion on your own?"

Sakura blinked in surprise.

"The reason I ask is that when I make a mistake, it doesn't take someone exploding at me to make me realize that I was wrong. I come to that conclusion on my own and then act accordingly," Menma told her. "So with that said, do you think you would have apologized on your own without my interference or would you have continued if I had said nothing?"

Sakura was silent.

Admittedly, if Menma had stayed silent, she wouldn't be faced with this issue at all and she would still be hurting Naruto and Sai or really, anyone that pissed her off.

Was she that horrible of a person?

"That silence answers my question. Farewell Haruno," Menma said as he turned around and walked away.

Sakura watched him start to walk off and felt anger building up in her heart. He didn't even give her a chance to answer him. "What do you want me to do Menma?!" She shouted as he continued to walk away from her

"Do I have to grovel at your feet and beg for your Oh so important forgiveness?! Do you want me to hurt myself to satisfy you…Or is it you want me to go out with you? Maybe even kiss you for you to forgive me?!" Menma paused mid-step, which caused a smirk to appear on her face. "Oh, so that made you stop? Me throwing that kiss out there made you stop and want to listen!"

Sakura watched as Menma turned around to look at her seemed to confirm her thoughts.

Feeling emboldened, Sakura shouted, "Well you know what?! It doesn't matter how it happened but I saw that I was wrong and I apologized. I don't need to beg, plead or fuck you to get that forgiveness! I have too much on my mind to waste with the fact I fucking killed someone to worry about you anymore so if you don't want to accept that apology then fuck you!"

Menma continued to stare at her before an understanding smile appeared on his face and despite her anger, Sakura felt her knees go weak from it.

Menma walked back towards her and once he stopped in front of her. All of the courage she felt seemed to fade away into the breeze as he observed her for a moment. Finally, he asked, "You have killed someone?"

Sakura was confused at the sudden question.

"Y-Yes…It was on my mission…The Noble we were protecting…Kakashi-sensei, Sasuke and Sai were fighting and one of the shinobi had gotten past them and was coming straight to me…He leaped in the air with a kunai…He tackled me but I managed to wrestle the kunai out of his hands and stabbed him in the neck…." Sakura explained softly.

"I see…" Menma responded and it was then she saw understanding in his eyes.

Something she never thought she would see before.

"Come with me," Menma said as he began to walk away.

Confused, Sakura followed.