Chapter One
Father Yayoi enjoyed the rain. It reminded him of a simpler time earlier in his life when the burdens of adulthood were not but a distant concern. He remembered the feeling of boyhood spring after the long winter and the freedom the rain signified. Now, approaching his late sixties, the rain brought back memories, and that made him content.
He took a seat on the front steps leading to the door of his church with a cup of tea to watch the dirt road leading into town. The town, and as a result, his parish, were small by all standards due to their location being far away from the trade centers of the Land of Fire. Only farmers and the occasional lost merchant frequented the town, and fewer still entered his church. The position, granted to him by the Mother-Superior, was given as a reward for a lifetime of service. This semi-retirement finally allowed him time to rest. At times, he missed the hustle of a larger cogeneration. Still, he mostly enjoyed the slowness of rural life away from the ills that plagued the world. Everything seemed ordinary until the stranger arrived.
The man came down the road towards the town in a black cloak with a hood that obscured his face. Father Yayoi instantly knew that the stranger was neither a farm nor a merchant, sensing a trained movement only the ninja developed over years of training. He prepared to go inside when the shinobi stopped in front of the church.
"Are you open?"
Something about the voice sent a wave of panic down Father Yayoi's spine. It seemed hollowed and hopeless more fit from the damned soul than a man of flesh and blood. A part of him, much more significant than he would have admitted to anyone, wanted to rush inside and slam the door shut. However, his oaths to Amaterasu demanded him to care for all her children, regardless of his misgivings.
"The houses of our Lady of Eternal Light are always open, my son." Father Yayoi tried to muster the warmth that his courage allowed. "Please come inside and dry yourself." He led the stranger inside the church, gesturing to one of the pews. "Take a seat. Would you like something warm to drink? Tea or coffee?"
"No. I shall not be here for long." The man bowed once before the sacred image of the sun goddess and muttered a small prayer. "Forgive me. It has been over twenty years since I've been to a church."
"Our Lady welcomes all her children home no matter how far they've wandered." Father Yayoi sat next to the man and brought his palms together. "What troubles you, child?"
The stranger remained silent, head directed at the holy image of Amaterasu. Then, a single arm, the only one the man had due to the emptiness of the other side, emerged from the cloak and took a small prayer book from the pew in front of them. He flipped through the pages before stopping on a prayer meant for the salvation of the recently departed. "Do you believe in evil?"
Father Yayoi's eyes widened at the question. "Men do terrible things."
"I am not talking about men," the stranger's tone took a near-manic edge. "I am speaking of real evil…evil that exists beyond mankind's understanding. Infinite and malevolent."
"Amaterasu's light can overcome all the troubles of the world. There is no darkness she cannot overcome."
"You're wrong."
Father Yayoi bit back a rush of anger at such a response. He tried to calm his nerves, reminding himself to follow the goddess's example of patience with the suffering souls of the world. The man next to him was sick with something, mental or physical.
"I have made a horrible mistake." The stranger turned to another page offering a prayer of forgiveness. "We all made a mistake."
"No sin is too great for Her mercy. The Queen of Heaven promised all her children to welcome them home if their hearts were open to her light. Blessings of the highest upon us all." Father Yayoi's hands came together again in prayer.
A deep chuckle interrupted the prayer as the man stood up. He pulled back the hood to reveal a pale face topped with black hair that ran to his shoulders. "No forgiveness or peace is awaiting us now. We…all of humanity…are doomed to an ocean of pain and torment."
Father Yayoi's suspicions of mental illness were confirmed as the man burst into mad laughter. He slid away from the man and stood, placing two rows of pews between them in case the stranger grew violent. "My son…please sit. Allow me to call the doctor…."
"No!" The man swung around with a kunai pointing at the priest. "How could we be so stupid? How could we not see her evil? She tricked us into believing that we were doing a good thing. This was all part of her plan. Everything. We removed the last obstacles to her rise and now find ourselves at the end of all things."
"Please…my child…put down the knife." Father Yayoi took another step backward and crouched behind a pew. "You are sick…."
The man's mania turned into despair. "I am sorry, Sarada. We would never have brought you into this world if I had known. I have damned you by giving you life." He moved to stand in front of the statue of Amaterasu. "I will not watch my family die again!"
"We can save them," Father Yayoi decided to play into the man's delusions. "Do not lose hope, friend."
"Save them?" The man raised the kunai to his neck, pressing it enough to draw a thin line of blood. "I cannot even save myself." He started to carve his throat open and did not stop until dropping to the floor in a red pool.
"Mom has a boyfriend."
"Wonderful."
"He is really nice. She really likes him."
Deep breath. Count to three. Exhale.
The last thing Naruto Uzumaki wanted was to blow up at his daughter during her once-a-week visit. She was only ten and could not possibly understand her words' effect on him. The concept of divorce went beyond her innocent mind. He forced a happy grin to mask the anger swelling within, pulling his youngest into a tight embrace. No matter what happened, he would always love Himawari, his little sunflower.
"As long as he treats you nicely, then I like him as well." He rubbed her head gently before planting a single kiss on her forehead. The girl squealed and pulled him into another tight hug.
"I like you better! Daddy is the best!"
At least one of his children liked him.
"And you are the best girl in the entire world."
Naruto released the girl and turned to the paperwork spread across his desk. He always dreamed of being Hokage but never realized how miserable the job would be. Between paperwork, meetings with representatives of the daimyo, and appeasing the many factions within Konoha, it surprised him that the Third Hokage lived so old given the stress. It took every bit of energy from him, robbing him of a normal life with a happy family. However, he would do it all over again for the sake of the village he loved.
"Say," he tossed a scroll into the dustbin. "Why don't we get some ramen before returning to your mother's house?"
"Ramen! Ramen! Ramen!" Himawari cheered and ran to get her raincoat from the closet. "I want a big bowl with extra pork! Oh! I want dumplings with extra meat!"
At least one of his children liked ramen.
"Slow down there, my little carnivore." Naruto grabbed his jacket and followed his daughter out of his office. He paused in front of Shizune's desk. "I'll be out for a couple of hours. Let me know if anything major comes up."
"As you wish, Lord Hokage. Enjoy your lunch." She glanced at her laptop. "What should I do about your noon meeting with Lord Hiashi?"
"Have him wait in my office." Naruto shrugged. "Can't really make him hate me anymore. Serve him some tea and cookies if the old fuck gets cranky."
"Easier said than done." Shizune shook her head but maintained her smile. "Oh! Did you see my vacation request?"
Naruto nodded and called out for Himawari to wait for him. "Of course. Approved the full amount. You deserve a good break."
"As do you. Shikamaru will be back next week. Why don't you take some time off? We're in a bit of a slow period until September's graduation. Perhaps you could leave early today after your meeting to relax."
He wanted to avoid retreading this conversation. "Perhaps later. We've only just caught up on the budget." Then, seeing the woman about to argue, Naruto flashed a foxy grin. "See ya later, Shizune. Have fun with Hiashi!"
The walk to Ichiraku took father and daughter through the heart of Konoha's new business district. The rebuilding of Konoha took place over five years under the reign of Kakashi, changing the primitive village into a modern city with the latest technology. Electronic screens displayed the latest products while bright lights ensured the city never slept. The modernization continued under him with a rush of new civilians into the town to support the growing financial sector. The change in demographics altered the village's landscape, creating districts that catered to the ninja and civilian populations. It was a new age for Konoha, but Naruto felt like something was forever lost.
People no longer knew one another on the streets due to the influx of new people. Merchants did not stand outside their shops to attract new customers but gave that job to scantly clad women who pranced around with signs. The effect it had on the younger generation was pronounced, with Boruto more concerned about taking missions to buy the latest video game console instead of training or studying. Even sweet Himawari seemed more interested in the joys of buying things instead of using her imagination.
Even Ichiraku changed for the worse.
Ayame took over once her father retired and expanded it to a multilevel restaurant with an entire wait staff. She does very little cooking nowadays, preferring to focus on growing the business to other towns and licensing the brand out. The ramen still tasted good but lacked the magic it once had. Was it him or the ramen that changed?
Lunch with Himawari ended far too quickly, with Hinata wanting her home before Boruto returned from his daily D-ranks. He could have argued that 'all day' meant until sunset but decided it best to avoid kicking that hornet's nest. The divorce agreement approved by the national court granted Hinata the ability to define the definitions, and any attempt to challenge them would end badly for him. The Hyūga's money proved far more potent than his adventures in saving humanity from destruction. After everything he did, the system still worked against him.
They arrived at a small house located a stone's throw away from the Hyūga compound. While Hinata technically left the clan upon marriage, she maintained a healthy relationship with her father and sister. He promised Neji to change the Hyūga and succeeded. In an odd twist of fate, it came back to bite him in the ass on multiple occasions. Then again, how much had they changed? Boruto, the apple of his grandfather's eye, was destined to become the eventual heir while carrying all the egoism the clan was infamous for. It was a damn good thing he decided not to restart the Uzumaki Clan officially. The power would have gone straight to the boy's head and turned him into a bigger asshole than he already was.
Hinata waited for them at the front door with a big smile and open arms, ready to catch the charging Himawari. Naruto remained at the edge of the property, maintaining an emotionless mask to conceal the hurt of having to depart from his daughter once more. Once the girl became a ninja, she would be able to visit him as much as she wanted, but that remained years away. He was ready to leave when Hinata approached him. Long gone was the blushing bride that filled his heart with joy on their wedding. In her place was a woman that had become bitter with life, whose fairy-tale life shattered when reality came.
"Naruto."
Deep breath. Count to three. Exhale. The Hokage turned to face the woman who had destroyed so much of his life. "What do you want?"
Hinata glanced back at the house. Someone stood in the window watching them, and Naruto wondered who this mysterious new boyfriend was. Was it someone he knew? Was it a foreigner? He hoped it was. The thought of one of his friends sweeping in to win his wife's heart was almost too much to bear.
"I am planning on taking Himawari to the beach next week. Would it be alright if Boruto went with us?"
"Boruto will have to ask Konohamaru for the time off first. After that, I will look at his mission reports to see if he qualifies for a break." Naruto knew that she knew the rules. Genin required the permission of their squad leader to take any time off. The Hokage would approve the request if the Genin performed satisfactorily. They both knew Boruto's performance left much to be desired. He knew the game she was playing and refused to be a part of it. Sometimes bureaucracy can be incredible.
Her smile faltered. "It has been a while since we've taken a family vacation."
"We haven't been on a family vacation since you walked out," Naruto snapped before counting to three and exhaling. "Boruto is a ninja now and will be treated like all the others. He will not get special treatment. It is time for him to grow up."
Hinata crossed her arms and sighed. "You are robbing him of a childhood."
"Robbing him of a childhood? I gave him a life I couldn't even dream of when I was his age." Naruto struggled to keep his anger in check. "He grew up in a loving household with parents that adored him perhaps a little too much. His clothes were always new, and he did not have to use leftover supplies at the academy. Every birthday was a celebration with gifts and parties. Where is that a bad childhood? It was certainly better than what either of us had."
Hinata's white eyes narrowed as his tone began to rise. In many ways, she was the same princess everyone treated her as. 'No' was not a word to use to her. "Very well, Lord Hokage. I will break the news to him. He was looking forward to this just as much as Himawari."
Wonderful. She had already told him that he had agreed to it. Now, he was doomed to be the bad guy once again.
"Whatever," Ino told him to walk away from confrontations like these. Her therapy had done wonders for his mental health since the divorce. "Some of us have work to do."
"Do not walk away from me. We are not done with this conversation!"
"Blow it out your ass, bitch."
Ino would lecture him about that one, but it felt so good.
Upon his return to the Hokage Tower, Naruto found Shizune sitting at her desk with a frown that touched the ground. He gave her a weak smile that did little to improve her mood. He had another Hyūga to deal with. If the Uchiha were as bad as the Hyūga, he could almost understand why the Third allowed Itachi to kill all of them. Maybe he would wish for a Hyūga Itachi next birthday to relieve him of a massive headache.
"Wish me luck." Naruto flashed a smile to Shizune, who returned it with a mock prayer. Then, with a deep breath, he strode into his office and ignored the glare on the way to his desk. "Apologies for the delay, Lord Hyūga. My daughter wanted ramen really bad."
"You are two hours later, Lord Hokage. Such tardiness speaks ill of your administration." Hiashi gave him a look that could sour milk. "When I arrange a meeting, I expect you to be on time."
Naruto leaned back in his chair and fished out a bottle of sake left over from Tsunade's time as Hokage. "I have plenty of people requiring my attention. You cannot expect me to drop everything just for you. Now, would you care for a drink?"
"No. I wish to discuss my request for a new compound. As you know, the Hyūga's birthrates have increased since the end of the war. We are running out of space to house all our members." Hiashi pulled out a small scroll and placed it on the desk. "With your permission, I would like to move my clan into the old Uchiha compound."
"Declined. The Uchiha will keep their compound." Naruto poured the sake into a dirty coffee mug. "If you want more space, buy some land and build a new one. Why should Konoha pay for it?"
"The Hyūga is the largest clan within the village at the moment. Our bloodline gives Konoha a massive advantage over her enemies. This is merely repaying us for our services." He pushed the scroll forward. "I am willing to offer the traitor…."
"Sasuke," Naruto corrected with a pleasant smile that he knew would upset the Hyūga. "Go on."
"I am willing to offer Sasuke a large compensation sum and arrange a marriage between his daughter and my grandson."
Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Pardon?"
"Boruto is a fine young man with many talents. Sasuke's daughter could not ask for a better husband."
The thought of his son marrying the sweetheart that was Sadara Uchiha made Naruto's stomach sick. Hiashi's mind must have rotted to the point of lunacy if the man thought he would agree to such a thing. Arrogance did make people do stupid things, however. "For the sake of my children, I will not tell Sakura what you just offered. Your request is declined. It would be good if you burnt the scroll and never spoke of this again. Dismissed!"
"I am not…."
Two members of Naruto's ANBU guard appeared in the room. One ANBU wore a panda mask, while the other wore a turtle mask. "Come, Lord Hyūga. Allow us to escort you out."
"Yosh! I can share the secrets of eternal youth with you as well! It begins with a good breakfast and…" Hiashi stood up and quickly walked to the door before the turtle ANBU could continue his lecture on a balanced breakfast.
"Thanks, guys." Naruto smiled as Tenten and Lee removed their masks. The strange students of Guy had become some of his closest friends over the years. He could trust no other save Sasuke to guard his life and those important things.
"Worry not about it, Naruto! Now, as I saying, a good breakfast should contain plenty of carbs…."
Tenten groaned and rolled her eyes at her teammate's 'youth.' "Lee…we know what Naruto already eats for breakfast! His breakfast is perfectly healthy." Two eggs and two slices of whole wheat bread topped with an avocado spread. Naruto, upon turning thirty, decided to take Sakura's advice to heart and watched what he ate.
"Another aspect of being a flamed with youthfulness is rest!" Lee struck another pose, and Tenten smiled for once at his antics. "It is good to rest and relax after working so hard!"
Naruto's smile evaporated. "Don't tell me you've been talking to Shizune."
"Er…not exactly…"
Naruto groaned and placed his head on the desk. "Look…I'm perfectly fine. Nothing is the matter with me."
Lee's grin faded into a concerned smile. "But, my friend! The night shift reports that you have not been sleeping for long. Sleep is the most important aspect of health. It allows your body to heal and recover."
"Yeah, I know. Ino has given me the same speech a hundred times." Then, seeing that his two friends still stared at him expecting more, he sighed and nodded. "I'll leave early today and try to get some more sleep. Happy?"
"Certainly so! To celebrate this, I shall run two hundred laps around the village on my hands!"
"Wait! Lee! We're still on duty!"
"Youthfulness is a duty!"
The dream began like usual, with Hinata on top of him. He gripped her hips, fingers pressing into her pale flesh as waves of pleasure radiated up his body. She stared down with the love of a goddess that understood him like none other. Her moans of ecstasy promised him that she belonged to him in both body and soul. Beads of sweat rolled down his face as her crimson hair tickled him.
The woman was no longer Hinata and no longer human.
Burning eyes stared down at him from a face vaguely humanoid but mostly bestial. Her muzzle pulled back into a sinister smile that displayed rows of teeth that could only belong to a predator. The sensual moans of his ex-wife turned into lustful growls that demanded all of him. Despite his revulsion, Naruto sunk into her erotic bliss and explored her fur-covered body. She shrieked with joy upon his rediscovery of her breasts. The jolting of her hips increased with gentle caresses of each of the eight breasts, increasing his pleasure to levels unattainable by mortal women.
"Who do you belong to?" She leaned down to lick his face with a tongue hotter than hellfire.
"I am yours and only yours." Naruto whimpered as she kissed him, exploring and searing the inside of his mouth with her tongue. She pulled back as the pressure began to build to madding heights. "I am yours and only yours! I am nothing without you! You give me eternal life. You who banishes death and brings the end of all things."
The creature's maw clamped down around his throat just as he released inside her.
Deep breath. Count to three. Exhale. The soft smoke of sandalwood incense calmed Naruto's mind, allowing him to recall the dream without the typical self-loathing. He laughed when Ino first suggested aroma therapy but found that sandalwood soothed him enough to talk about the issues freely. Once more, Ino proved to be a master in her field.
"Was it Hinata or Kushina this time?"
"Hinata," Naruto cringed. Occasionally, the erotic nightmare started with his mother on top of him. He tried his best not to think about the implications despite Ino's reassurance that it was natural for someone in his position to fantasize. However, Hinata thought differently when he accidentally slipped into a dream during sex and cried out his mother's name.
Ino wrote something down on her notepad. "When was the last time you had one of these dreams?"
"Three nights ago." He paused and rubbed the back of his head. "Mom was in that one." Saying such a thing made him feel like a monster.
"Hm. Interesting. The frequency of the dreams with Kushina is increasing. Compared to last month, you've had sixteen dreams that featured Hinata and fifteen with your mother."
"I haven't really thought about it." But, of course, he didn't want to think about it.
Ino laid her notebook on the table and smiled, reaching for his hand. "It shows progress. Divorce is never easy, but your brain is moving away from Hinata. You're moving on, and that's a wonderful thing."
"Sure is. Replacing my ex-wife with my mom in my wet dreams is really great progress." Naruto took another lungful of the smoke in.
"Don't be like that, Naruto. I am doing everything I can to help you get to the root of all this." Ino leaned back in her seat and took up the notepad. "These dreams are telling you that something is missing in your life. Let's be totally honest. Your childhood was never a happy one. The lack of parents and the scorn from the villagers left you with some hefty emotional baggage. You've buried it so long that it would get out somehow."
"But why my mom? Why can't it be Sakura or you?"
Ino's professional mask cracked slightly with a massive grin. "I'm almost flattered." It returned with a quick note on her pad. "The presence of your mother is probably a call back to the feelings of loneliness or jealousy when you saw the other children's mother. So I really wouldn't worry about it."
"And the creature? Where is that coming from?"
"I don't know." Ino sighed and shook her head. "It is an internalized manifestation of some trauma. I would like to try something different. Since I can't roam around in your mind like a normal patient, I cannot see what this creature exactly looks like. What if you described it to Sai, and he can draw it?"
Naruto jumped from his seat. "Hell no! There is absolutely no way in hell that I want Sai to know about my twisted pervy fantasies!"
"Calm down," Ino's voice hardened into a commanding tone. "Take a deep breath. Count to three. Exhale. Repeat." Seeing him simmer down, she made another note. "Sai won't know what it is about. You will have to describe what it looks like to him. No other detail is necessary."
"And you won't tell him?"
"Naruto…I am professional. Nothing that we discuss leaves this office." Ino moved closer to him. "This is a safe space to discuss anything. Now, let's get back on topic before I release you back into the world." She hesitated for a moment. "Do you enjoy it when more when Hinata shows up or when Kushina appears?"
Naruto glared. "I am not answering that."
"You just did." Ino frowned and made another note. "Perhaps you are taking the dream too literally. Instead of Kushina being your mother, perhaps the type of woman Kushina was is what your fantasizing about."
"Eh?"
"Children often find partners that share some traits with their parents. It is extremely common. For example, Sai and papa are alike in some funny ways. Both make stupid jokes, and both had a love of art."
"That still doesn't make me feel better."
"It's just something for you to think about." Ino glanced at the clock. "Time is up. I can schedule you sometime next week if you like."
Naruto took in a final breath of scented air before nodding. "Yeah. Shikamaru should be back tomorrow, so my schedule is completely open."
"Excellent. Let's say next Tuesday around nine in the morning." She filled out a small slip of paper and handed it to him. "Focus on one day at a time, Naruto. Find the simple things in life to enjoy."
"Another mission well-done, Team Seven. The client will be more than happy." Naruto glanced at the scroll given to him by Konohamaru detailing the cleaning of the Inuzuka kennels. Again, Sarada and Mitsuki performed well beyond the expectations of fresh Genin, completing their designated tasks quickly and without complaint. Meanwhile, Boruto's attitude remained sour throughout the assignment.
"Thank you, Lord Hokage." Konohamaru saluted him with a smile. "Is there another mission available for us?"
"Better not involve picking up dog crap," Boruto huffed and stomped his food. It amazed Naruto how a Genin could act more like a child than Himawari. A part of him wanted to find a fecal-focused mission just for his wayward son.
Naruto skimmed through the mission list on his desk. "Nothing that your team is ready for. Looks like you guys have the afternoon to train!"
Sadara jumped into the air with a laugh. "Oh yeah! Konohamaru-sensei, can we work on taijutsu? Oh! What about ninjutsu and taijutsu?"
"How about some lunch first?" Konohamaru chuckled at his student's eagerness. "Meet me at Ichiraku in half an hour! My treat!" Naruto watched as Sarada and Mitsuki left the room and cringed as Boruto and Konohamaru remained. He felt what was coming and suddenly wished that someone would assassinate him.
"Lord Hokage…Hinata and Boruto tell me you've approved him to take some personal time next week." Konohamaru looked down at his smirking student with a frown.
"Did they now?" Naruto retrieved a wooden pipe from the desk drawer. He filled it with a pinch of tobacco and lit it with a match. "Mmm. Hinata mentioned she wanted to take Boruto to the beach. I said that it would need to be approved by you first before I gave the final approval." Boruto's smirk died instantly. "Your report does not give paint my son's conduct in a positive life."
Konohamaru looked down with disappointment directed at his student and himself. He tried his best to instill morals into the boy but found it nearly impossible, thanks to Hinata and the Hyūga. "I do not believe he has earned that privilege, sir."
"Just wait a minute!" Boruto's jaw dropped at the betrayal. "I completed everything you told me to!"
"And complained the entire way through! Your teammates had twice the amount of work and completed everything before you did."
"That's your fault for assigning me so little!"
"My fault?" Konohamaru groaned and stared at the picture of the Third Hokage hanging on the wall. "It's my fault for asking you to do your job? I am at my limits with you. What will it take for you to step up and take life seriously?"
Boruto looked at his father with pleading eyes. "Let me go on this trip with mom, and I'll come back and take my training seriously. I promise!"
"You have made a lot of promises but have yet to keep any of them." Naruto blew out a puff of air. "What makes this time any different?"
"It is different! Grandpa is going to start training me once we get back! I'll be the perfect shinobi."
Naruto closed his eyes and prepared for the backlash. "Try working on being a decent shinobi first. The request for your vacation is denied."
Boruto's rage scream threatened to rupture both senior ninjas' eardrums. "You always ruin everything! You ruined my family!"
"Calm yourself, Boruto!" Konohomaru grabbed the Genin's arm. "That is enough!"
"It is quite alright. Allow him to throw his temper tantrum in here versus in public." Naruto looked down at the paper on his desk, ignoring the boy's taunts. "He will learn how to behave one of these days."
"And you'll learn not to have pervert dreams about your grandma!"
Deep breath. Count to three. Exhale. Naruto repeated the mantra as that familiar anger threatened to erupt in a tide of violence against his eldest. Of course, Hinata decided to share that detail with the son that hated his guts. Deep breath. Count to three. Exhale.
"What type of freak has dirty thoughts about their own mother? You ruined mom!"
Deep breath. Count to three. Exhale.
"That is enough!" Konohamaru began to drag the boy out of the office. "How dare you say such things about your father!"
"Lord Hokage! Lord Hokage!" Tenten appeared in the middle of the chaos with her mask office. Her black eyes were wide with shock and her hands trembling. "We have a message from one of the border towns!"
"I hate you! Mom hates you! Himawari hates you! Everyone hates you! I hope you die alone!"
"Be quiet, Boruto!"
Deep breath. Count to three. Exhale. Naruto tried to block out the ranting of his son. "Report!"
"Sasuke Uchiha is dead."
The entire room went silent.
Deep breath. Count to three. Exhale.