I don't own Naruto or any of its characters, I'm just a fan I enjoyed the anime but I love the fanfics even more, they made me fall for the whole franchise.
Chapter 76
Shisui arrived at the gates of Konohagaru in the early break of the night, the leaf village welcomed him with music, loud noises of joy, and excitement with everything to physically brighten the night sky, as they lit lamps and set up Uv lights.
"Look it's Shisui!" Shisui swerved his head to the right and grinned because of the people there waiting for him. "You took your time man, your lucky Izumo and Kotetsu know who enters and leaves the village." Mango finished with a grin of his own. In his right hand was a bottle of beer and in his left hand was a case filled with more beers.
"Let's show them how civilians party!!" Danko excitedly exclaimed before toasting with his best mate Mango with a clink of his bottle that was in his left hand while he held a case in his right hand. Shisui's troubles seemed to melt away so he decided to forget all of them for tonight.
"I can't wait!" Kotetsu excitedly exclaimed in anticipation of the night. Izumo frowned and so did Rasen when Odama came around to wrap his arm around Kotetsu's shoulders with a bottle of whiskey that Rasen loved very much. The man swallowed saliva to fight back the thirst.
"Why can't you be this motivated to work Kotetsu.." Izumo asked in exasperation while he watched his best friend and partner jump with energy and vigor.
"No talk about work…. Let's PARTY!!!" Shisui used his speed to join the gang of oddballs before shoving them forward in excitement.
"They always get the best shifts." A random Chunin told his partner who was snoring away in the booth of the gatekeepers of Konoha. The man sighed and looked to the sky, he wishes he could go with them.
Civilians partied like no other clan in the Hidden villages, it was a known fact they were the party of a village and without them, there would be no home, just a base of operation.
Odama looked at his ex-best friend Rasen, the thought made him sad but also determined to fix things between them. Odama looked at the bottle of Gin. A special kind called Gordon's, which is imported from iron country.
'If this doesn't work I don't know what I will do.' Odama thought, looking at the bottle of alcohol like it would pop into an instant solution.
'Your my only chance!' Odama inwardly cried but his face did in actuality turn ugly because he pulled the expression.
"So where do we go?" Shisui asked and they all stopped, the ninjas of Konoha were lost on where the hot zones of the leaf were located and the civilian group of Gatō's entourage was new to the place.
"Adventure time!" Odama exclaimed in excitement and by the grins on everybody's faces, not counting Izumo and Rasen they liked the idea. Shisui did not know he would regret this the next day.
«««««"»»»»»
A few miles away from Konoha, located in the thick woodlands that surrounded the village. Team Jiraiya camped out for the night, the surroundings were asleep leaving the area silent. Our protagonist found this the perfect time to make final preparations.
'Rich people don't know the things they get their hands on.' Naruto thought while he examined the tool he was twirling in his left hand. A special Kunai that was well secured in Gatō's stolen Safe.
'Everybody is a fan of the guy.' Naruto decided with no outward emotion and none inside for the yellow-haired Hokage who was well-loved and respected. Naruto's concentration was on what he held in his possession for 2 months and contemplated what it all meant to him.
The Blond didn't have to be told what it was. Single-handedly destroyed an army of 1000s in such an instant most say they blinked the scene into their memory, Others tell a tale of bright flashes of yellow light that would spell blood and death.
This was the Uzumaki Clans' secret weapon, the tool that spelled the wrath of the elemental nations. Kumogakure, Kirigakure, and Iwagakure. The weapon they feared so much they would put aside their differences and form an alliance to attack a peaceful clan whose only ambition was in the sealing art
A tri-prong Kunai wrapped in a yellow tag with a sealing script written in black. Naruto had looked at the seal once and put the one two three in his sealing mastery to see that it was another one of those storage scrolls. Because it's called sealing and that is what it does.
'Three of the big five.' Naruto thought with a scoff before looking to his other hand, in it a white porcelain mask was straining to keep together. Having more than a thousand clones scouring the island of Uzushiogakure will always rein results and Naruto liked results, he would never fail himself.
'Plus an Unknown.' The mask snapped and Naruto sighed for the up-tenth time that night as he stood squatting on a high tree with a Vantage point. It was his turn to keep watch until dawn, then they would start their final stretch before arriving back to the leaf.
Naruto pulled out another porcelain mask from the new seal resting on the center of his right palm designed in the form of a sun. No cloud of smoke, no sound just what he wanted out. The Uzumaki was gonna use all the tools in his possession. In the Finals he plans to cut his ties with the leaf village and become a freelancer whether they liked it or not, he was sure Hinata would come with him.
The mask vanished and in its place lay the sword of the thundergod. The blonde flipped the sword in his grip a few times before holding it tightly. The handle began to slowly crack from the applied pressure until it broke completely into fragments to the ground below.
Another Uzumaki weapon that the leaf held in their possession, even if it was gifted to the second Hokage by the clan elder of the time. Naruto looked to the palm of his other hand and stared at the seal there in the form of a question mark.
"They will reap what they sawed." The Uzumaki promised ominously as he balled the hand into a fist.
Naruto's expedition team had been traveling back to the Leaf village from Uzushiogakure in the last few days leading to the finals. Naruto didn't do much talking during this time and didn't enjoy Jiraiya trying to start conversations with him.
They did make a stop at wave country to appreciate the legendary bridge that was already receiving attention and bringing tourists because of a masterpiece action figure of the same name. Naruto got to see Tsunami's bossy side as she supervised wave country's construction in her image.
She did break out of character to oh so suspiciously wink at him like some kind of scammer.
Naruto paused and made a resolve. 'She loves me, she will come.' The boy with spiky Blonde hair that he could have only gotten from his father finalized and decided.
The night was a bit cold but that is why he was facing away from the wind.
Although Naruto has the eye color of Minato Namikaze, he has Kushina's features, from the shape of his eyes to her big smile. He might have yellow hair but he has a mane of it that the length and volume can only come from the exotic redhead of Uzushiogakure.
"I should visit Aunty before the finals, get some of moms special ramen." Naruto mumbled not feeling the cold breeze because of the thick mane of blonde hair that was keeping him protected. Mikoto was all too happy to point out the Kushina in him that Sunday afternoon in the Kitchen and Naruto still remembered the way his heart gripped in his chest before it blossomed into happiness at all her flaunting.
He didn't feel like he hated his face anymore, the face he felt caused him and his mother so much pain didn't look him back in the mirror anymore. It was his mother's grinning face looking back.
'I should ask her if she has pictures, I …' Naruto paused and thought back. 'Kushina Uzumaki never existed in the hidden leaf.' The only picture of her is what he stole at the Konoha Archives located at the T and I building that only holds copies of documents.
The blonde sighed, he felt responsible for Karin who slept in a tent with one of his clones guarding her. He saw all the scars on her body, all the bruises and blemishes it was still so vivid in his mind, and the anger blossomed once more.
He was not a forgiving person, his first academy teacher could attest to that in whatever dimension he had found himself in. Naruto did not discriminate, whoever hurt his family was gonna get hurt.
Kusa in his mind was a none entity, whoever was instinctive enough to decide to leave that village was saving their life because Naruto was going to make a very big statement in the not-so-distant future.
That was a promise of a lifetime he made for his family and he planned on keeping it. Naruto looked at the night sky above and star gazed.
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"Kakashi, Sasuke welcome back, how was your travels?" Sasuke was all smirks, the assurance bouncing off him was something Hiruzen liked and he would nature it for the future and glory of the leaf village.
"It was eventful Hokage-Sama." Hiruzen nodded as he sat in his rocking sit in front of a fireplace in a luxurious sitting room with a book in his hand and a pipe in another. His old age was all evident in his appearance, Hiruzen Sarutobi is a very old man.
"Good Kakashi-Kun." The Hokage spoke authoritatively and held a hand out, a second later there was a scroll in it delivered by an Anbu located in the room. "Here is your mission pay Sasuke." Hiruzen said smiling proudly at his young Genin as he tossed him the scroll.
Sasuke though confused quickly caught the scroll wrapped in white and gold before looking at his Kage in confusion. Hiruzen's smile got grandfatherly and he beckoned the young Uchiha.
"Go ahead, open it." Sasuke did not look at the Hokage twice and did as told. Hiruzen gave a grandfatherly laugh a second later when Sasuke's eyes widened to the size of Saucers.
"S-Rank." Sasuke's voice arrived a few silent seconds later.
"What you and Kakashi accomplished was of great value and interest to the leaf my boy and by the sound of the report, you performed it on your own." Hiruzen was praising and it was obvious in his voice as it got broader and livelier as he spoke. Sasuke was grinning and that was a first.
"Stand proud my boy, you did not only discover the location of the hidden sound village but also its connection to Orochimaru. Something no other operative under me has managed." Hiruzen waited for only an instant to find Sasuke standing in pride at attention.
"Good. Do you know where you get your name Sasuke-Kun?" Hiruzen asked and Sasuke came back to earth. He relaxed his form rolled the scroll back up and placed it in his ninja pouch.
"Sasuke Sarutobi." Sasuke replied simply like his brother would and Hiruzen smiled nodding. The pipe in his hand came up to his lips so he can drag on it.
"I see great things in you." The Hokage smiled once more before getting serious. "Dismissed Genin Sasuke Uchiha tomorrow is a big day." Hiruzen commanded and Sasuke gave a respectful tilt of his head before turning around to walk out of the room and out the Sarutobi Clan grounds.
Hiruzen blew out a cloud of smoke from his dry and chapped lips, and sighed, his old age showing again. He looked up to Kakashi Hatake who was uncharacteristically serious and the third got to business.
"The Masked man you speak of made contact with team 7 on their way back from Wave 2 months ago." The third needed soldiers, he needed them motivated, and the world was beginning to turn. Diplomatic talks could only do so much for trained killers, and the Kage Summit was Hiruzen's last ditch effort for peace talks.
"He is also suspected of Orchestrating the Kyuubi incident that happened 12 years ago." Kakashi's posture got murderous at that knowledge shared and his fists balled instinctively at the news, it meant the man was responsible for Minato Namikaze's early demise.
"By the looks of it, he could also be our suspected Nara." The Kage continued before taking another drag of smoke. "Intangibility is a rare ability to have." Hiruzen was confused by everything surrounding the masked man. Was he a leaf nin, was he a missing-nin, or worse Madara Uchiha? Only one man has ever tamed the nine tails, Hiruzen did not like the ideas to surface in his head.
"Yamato.!" Hiruzen's voice boomed and Kakashi straightened at attention. An Anbu landed on Kakashi's right kneeling in front of the old man. Yamato has short brown hair and black, almond-shaped eyes. He wore the standard attire of the Anbu. A black, sleeveless jumper under a grey flack jacket with strapped-up shinobi sandals, and arm-length gloves with guards over them.
He carried a sword strapped to his back and wore a mask that resembles a cat's face covered in green and red intricate markings, and the Anbu tattoo on his left shoulder.
"At your orders Hokage-Sama." The Anbu operative announced, then he looked up to Kakashi Hatake. "Captain." He greeted and Kakashi gave his former charge an eye smile.
"I trust both of you, you are my most skilled Shinobi, and I, no! The leaf village requires your best. Orochimaru is planning something and tomorrow is the best time to act on it. WE, THE LEAF WILL STAND TALL AND PROUD IN THE FACE OF ANYONE TRYING TO STRIKE AT US." Kakashi had taken a knee halfway through the speech and Hiruzen only spoke louder and broader.
"You have another mission, inside the task force." Hiruzen stated and continued immediately. "Danzo has arrived and has decided on the final members of the investigation task force. I do not trust my old teammate but he is important and resourceful. Your mission is to help in the capture of the elusive Crime lord of Konohagaru." He paused.
"Hokage-Sama!" The two highly skilled ninjas chorused in unison.
"Kakashi your second objective is to find the connection between our suspect and the masked man." Hiruzen briefed. "Yamato, your mission is to find the scroll on the silence seal." The Hokage smiled proudly and continued. "Naruto-Kun might be able to understand and dissolve it." Hiruzen stood up slowly from his rocking chair and stood on his bare feet.
"For the Will of Fire." The Hokage said softly. "Dismissed." He ordered and the two Ninja vanished from the area. Hiruzen looked to the far wall at a painting hanging there of his late wife.
Biwako Sarutobi had long, brown hair which she kept in a high ponytail, dark eyes, and slightly visible creases at the corners of her eyes and her mouth. In the painting, she wore a purple kimono-like dress, along with a white haori and sandals. Her hands rested inside her kimono sleeves and a soft smile on her face.
"I am getting too old for this shit." He said with a sad and lonely chuckle before he slowly made his way to his room for a good night's sleep, tomorrow would be a very busy day.
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"WOHHH!!!! WOHHH!!!! WOOOOOOHHHHH!!" Shisui only laughed awkwardly at his clearly drunk companion Mango who was screaming his lungs out randomly as he swayed left and right while they walked in search of a hotspot or red zone.
Shisui didn't party, this was his first 'guy's night out.' As the Civilian merchants called their outing, he was willing to use the opportunity to drown away his sorrows and disappointment in himself. The Uchiha Jōnin looked at the beer in his hand and contemplated how well it would all work out tomorrow if he took that first gulp.
"You only live once." Shisui mumbled before raising the bottle to his lips.
"Hey, there she is. Hey Ramen girl!!" Shisui paused and looked at Odama who was busy waving at someone in the distance. Shisui used his excellent eyesight to see the person's features as she approached and he was awestruck.
It was a slender girl with long, dark brown hair, large black eyes, and fair skin. She wore a purple knee-length skirt and a pink hooded jersey on top. She had on a bright yellow bandanna wrapped around her neck, her skin seemed to glisten under the lights and her smile was so big as she waved back that Shisui subconsciously scratched above his heart.
"Shisui-San….Shisui-San SHISUI!!" Shisui jumped out of his trance-like state and stopped staring dumbly at the civilian girl before responding intelligently.
"Huh?" The girl giggled and Kotetsu smirked.
"They can do that to you." He voiced with a knowing smirk.
"Like I was saying, Guys Ayame-Chan. Ayame-Chan, meet the guys. She works at a ramen stall." Odama introduced while he checked the young adult out.
"Hello, Ayame-Chan." The boys chorused, some louder than others. The group of adults was still on a mission to find Konohagaru's club zone. Odama still held a bottle of Gin in one hand and a beer in another.
Mango was drunk holding a beer in one hand and the other was wrapped around Tango's shoulders for support. Shisui learned people like Mango were called light drinkers something the civilians poked fun of frequently. Rasen stood next to Izumo trying to be the responsible one in the group and Shisui still had not taken a sip of alcohol.
A real group of oddballs.
"Anyways……Ayame-Chan, where are you going so late?" Odama asked the civilian girl while he wiggled his eyebrows at her suggestively with a smile.
"I'm on my way to the red." She replied with a smile not bothered by the man openly ogling her.
"The red light district?" Shisui asked, finally able to find his voice.
"Hai." She said simply.
"Ohhh!!!" Kotetsu finally exclaimed in brilliance. "Of course, that's where we should go!" He said excitedly.
"THE RED!!" Mango shouted in the background having lost it already.
"You guys are looking to party?" Ayame deduced and Odama was quick to nod vigorously in the affirmative. "I know a place." The ramen girl said excitedly and turned on her heels.
"Follow me!" She instructed and began walking away with Odama coming around to take Rasen away from Izumo who had a notebook in hand and a pen in another.
"Civilians are complicated." Shisui decided while making his way toward the moving group, the bottle of alcohol long forgotten in his grasp.
««««««"»»»»»
Moving quickly to reach his destination. Sasuke had a lot on his mind, from what he experienced in Rise Paddies, the masked Uchiha, and his parting words to seek the stone tablet located at the Naka shrine. Sasuke was on his way there on the rooftops.
'S-Rank mission.' Sasuke still couldn't believe he completed his first S-Rank mission. He single-handedly destroyed a budding village.
"There is no way I can lose." Sasuke decided in resolution. His Sharingan might have not evolved in the last few weeks but he was faster he could feel it, stronger, more proficient, and a step closer to his older brother.
"There is nothing that will be able to stop my Chidori in the exams not even the dobe's barriers." Sasuke dropped at the Uchiha temple where the Shrine is located In the main hall, beneath the seventh tatami mat from the far right.
'There you will find a stone monument that contains the clan's secrets.' Sasuke thought back to the masked man's words.
'This had best not be another event like Mizuki.' Sasuke growled, his eyes flashing red for a second being enough for him to memorize that anger. The young Uchiha was still sore about being tricked and manipulated so easily by an academy teacher of all people so he was wary of the information given to him by the so-called Madara Uchiha.
It is forbidden to read the tablet, it is said to be the source of Madara's madness but 'Madara' says it's the source of his immense power. Sasuke was curious to know what party spoke the truth.
Sasuke resolved himself and looked at the building in front of him. Built-in the style of a Chinese temple with the Uchiha symbol on its only entrance in the form of a wooden door Sasuke stepped forward and pushed the sturdy double doors forward, subsequently opening it.
The Raven-haired Genin balled his fists and shoved them in his pockets before walking inside the dark interior of the temple with the door closing back shut behind him. Sasuke activated his Sharingan and used its superior vision to find his way around.
'The dobe has the fox sealed within him, if he decides to unleash its power I will be at a disadvantage. I need the truth the masked man spoke of.' Sasuke knew what he wanted to find most in that tablet. There was no greater strength than that of Madara Uchiha's, the strength that tamed the nine-tailed fox with but a glance and stood equal to a force of nature like Hashirama Senju.
Finding himself in the main hall of the Temple Sasuke approached the 7 tatami mat. His mind did replay his father's words about the seven deadly sins and thought the position of the Shrine tried to embody that.
Sasuke raised the mat and threw it over his shoulders to find a sealing stone that lays atop the entranceway. To access the main hall, you had to use a sequence of seals to remove the seal itself, the seal had the Sharingan in the middle.
Sasuke went through the hand seals Madara had shown him, knowing he would memorize the sequence at first glance with his dojutsu active. The stone blocking the entrance began moving away from the entrance and Sasuke looked around expecting the worse to happen.
The Uchiha grunted when Itachi didn't magically appear to whoosh him away. Sasuke looked down the hole leading to the Shrine and used the ladder there to slowly climb down. As he descended he wondered what most mattered to him. His father, mother, and brother were his family and it would not be a stretch to say he loved them dearly.
'They will understand, they will never abandon me.' Sasuke decided as he reached the floor below, killing Naruto Uzumaki would not affect his family. Sasuke felt his eyes suddenly surge with chakra and the boy turned away from the ladder to look behind him.
There In the distance, he saw a little room with no door and a stone tablet with flames on either side. Sasuke approached slowly already mesmerized by the object of his interest.
The young heir stood in front of the tablet with his Sharingan already deciphering and translating some texts.
"Seeking stability, one god was divided into yin and yang, these opposing two acting together obtain all things in creation." Sasuke tilted his head confused by the words.
"One god, divided in two, opposing forces, together obtain all creation." Sasuke thought and thought, contemplated and calculated but came out lacking. He tried to read the next sentences but only saw gibberish.
"That's all the two tomoe Sharingan can decipher." Sasuke asked bewildered and a little Angered but only a little, he knows what he has to do to decipher more texts.
"Only when I fully mature my dojutsu." Sasuke turned on his heels and began his track back to the ladder. The Uchiha raised his left hand in front of his left eye leaving small gaps between his fingers to peek through. On his index finger laid the ring he stole from Orochimaru's hideout with the kanji for sky.
'I can feel it, it's so close to evolving, only a little more.' Sasuke thought with red eyes glowing ominously in the darkness. Come tomorrow it will be Naruto Uzumaki's final day.
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"Where are we going Kabuto-San?" Sakura asked the medic-nin leading her around Konoha during its busiest night. Sakura looked around at all the Civilians drinking and partying it out. They were located in the Red, Konoha's hotspot of entertainment for those who liked to consume.
"We are going to meet a colleague of mine." Kabuto replied easily while rubbing his bold scalp, building a habit out of it. He could not understand why his hair was not growing back.
"Oh look it's Shisui-San, we should go say hi," Sakura said excitedly, knowing that she could get some news on Sasuke from his big brother's best friend.
"Not now Sakura-Chan." Kabuto declined immediately before adding. "My associate likes punctuality." He ended with a disarming smile on his face.
The two walked down the lively streets filled with music, singing, dancing, and tree-hugging to reach their destination. Kabuto stopped in front of a run-down building and knocked twice on its worn door.
The individual inside creaked the door open before fully opening it and stepping out. She had…….
"Kabuto Yakushi." The woman acknowledged with a well-hidden bite in her tone that Sakura did not pick up on. Kabuto did and he smirked while readjusting his glasses.
"Sakura Haruno, meet Guren your predecessor." Kabuto introduced the two ladies to each other and Guren let her anger flash in her eyes because of the low blow from Kabuto.
"Uhm hello." Sakura greeted back a bit shyly. The woman in front of her looked very intimidating and stern. She ignored Sakura's greeting and instead spoke to Kabuto.
"I will not question our lord's orders but if you repeat your earlier statement I will freeze you to time." The two adults stood at a stalemate in their little staring contest and Sakura felt uncomfortable.
"Sure." Kabuto said after a second and broke the stare off with a pleasant smile on his face. "Sakura-Chan, Guren here is a user of the Crystal release, your benefactor has assigned her with training you in everything Shinobi related, including her bloodline." Kabuto explained looking to be back to his upbeat personality.
"Okay…." Sakura agreed not too certain about the woman in front of her.
«««««"»»»»»
'Why Is Sakura with Kabuto-San and who is that woman with them?' Located in a dark alleyway was a possessed lizard standing on the vertical surface of a wall peeking its head out to spy on the three people talking in front of a run-down apartment.
Ino did not know Kabuto and Sakura were on talking terms. She honestly did not like the now bold young adult, he gave Ino the impression of being a liar and manipulator so she did not like the idea of the guy conversing with her best friend.
'Woah! Is that a crystal?' Ino inwardly exclaimed when the unknown woman created a pink crystal from thin air. 'Is it about her chakra?' Ino wondered as she was privy to Sakura's special chakra and the theory that it could imitate Elemental bloodline limits.
'I hope you are not doing anything risky forehead.' Ino thought worriedly for her best friend. The Yamanaka heiress understood that Sakura was an emotionally driven person who rarely used her intelligence to its full potential. It was very disheartening to think she would take unnecessary risks.
Ino watched as Sakura and Kabuto walked inside the run-down house and she sighed. 'Good luck forehead.' The lizard blinked and looked around in confusion, lost to how it got there before scurrying away and into the darkness of the alleyway.
A distance away Ino's body stirred and she groaned. She was located on a rooftop in the red light district. Ino stood up and made her way to the edge of the building and looked down at the people below, her hair blowing in the wind she instinctively reached out for the pearl pendant usually around her neck and grabbed on to nothing.
Her heart gripped in her chest a moment later when she realized what she was subconsciously reaching out for. Ino couldn't take the hurt that blossomed every time she saw the pendant around her neck. The itch in her chest every time she touched the blue diamond encased in gold.
'I miss him very much.' She didn't notice the lone tear drop down her eyes as the cold breeze went through her body. 'I love him still.' Ino admitted sadly as more tears now streamed down her eyes.
"Goldie-Kun." She whispered to the wind.
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"Aghhhhh!!" Shisui groaned out as the first rays of sunlight broke through his place. The Uchiha ex-investigator feared looking to his right because he remembered everything that happened the night before. He had not taken a single sip of alcohol having decided everybody else's craziness was intoxicating enough.
Their group had found Konohagaru hotspots alright, a club with bouncing music, plenty of people, plenty of alcohol, and many more concoctions. Mango did not last long and was out cold by the time they had found places to sit. Tango when woman hunting with Kotetsu who had shades on the whole night.
Odama did not have to say much, he simply poured Rasen a shot of gin and placed it in front of the man. 5 minutes was all it took for the man's resolve to crumble and he began shouting a different tune. Partying is supposed to be loud and Izumo took to the lesson like a champ as he too began drinking and partying it out.
That left Shisui alone with Ayame, the girl was upbeat, funny, and incredibly cute in Shisui's eyes. They talked a lot and found they had a mutual friend in Naruto Uzumaki, Shisui did not drink but Ayame moderately did, which made her more daring and confident.
Innocent teasing became sultry comments, occasionally glances became craving looks. Shisui was new to all that but wasn't one to shy away from things, so he made his move by stealing a kiss and that was when the mess he found himself in today began.
Shisui looked to his left and sure enough big black eyes connected to a naked Ayame were staring back at him.
"Um, morning." Shisui began slowly and cautiously.
"Hey." Ayame greeted back, she was confused as well.
"How did you sleep?" Shisui asked.
"Im a bit sore." Ayame replied softly. Shisui grimaced knowing he was rough, it was his first time all that excitement and hormones didn't give him time to think.
"Uh sorry about that." Shisui apologized rubbing under his nose with a finger.
"I guess it's okay, it was your first time." Ayame replied still looking straight into Shisui's eyes. Shisui blushed at the truth being thrown back in his face.
"I I I …." Shisui got silenced by a finger being placed on his lips by the naked girl on his bed.
"It was my first time as well." Ayame admitted before smiling at Shisui Uchiha. "I enjoyed myself." Shisui blushed again wondering if this is what it felt like to have a woman by your side he could get used to this. Shisui made to get comfortable when.
"I have to go."
"What!?" Shisui exclaimed.
"I have work today and my father will be pissed to find out I didn't sleep at home today." Ayame rolled off the bed and stood up wrapping the blanket around herself. She proceeded to walk around the bed to stand on the side Shisui slept on and bent over to kiss him on the forehead not knowing his heart skipped in his chest.
"See you around?" Shisui asked with a confused frown on his face.
"Yeah see you around." Ayame mumbled before turning around to walk out of the room but something caught her attention.
"Hahahahahahahaha. The Great Naruto-Sama. Hahahaha." Shisui did smile at the sound of her laugh. There on top above the door frame was Naruto Uzumaki's autograph in big and bold letters.
"Madara was right this place does smell like feet." Shisui huffed in amusement at the reminder of what Naruto Uzumaki did 2 years ago. It felt like 10 years with all that has happened since then in Shisui's life.
Hearing the front door click close after a few minutes meaning Ayame had dressed up and left. Shisui prepared stood up as well and began getting ready for his new assignment as a street cop.
'Maybe they will assign me guarding duty at the venue of the finals.' Shisui grinned despite himself, wondering how far Naruto has progressed with the Shuushine technique.
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Jiraiya knows he tried his best, either his best was not good enough or it came too late was the only question he wished he would never have an answer to because he felt like he failed his dead student and godson.
Jiraiya even contemplated revealing the truth to the blonde but he in simple terms chickened out. He felt like a coward, he could never admit his feelings for his ex-teammate. He hid his feelings by making fun of her when they were younger and hid them in their adulthood by treating her like an object to attain.
The Sanin had watched a man approach her with honesty and a dream that she could relate to. Jiraiya at that point realized he had no ambitions in life, and so tried to live the life of a hermit sage. Would Tsunade have done better if she were instead left in charge of Naruto, would Orochimaru have done better if tasked with caring for the blonde?
Jiraiya did not have an answer to all those questions and it hurt him to think those answers might be yes. He felt like a complete failure every time his godson looked at him indifferently.
"Are you ready for the finals?" Jiraiya asked and got a nod from the blonde.
"Will you be watching the finals?" He asked the redhead and got a nod.
The Sanin sighed, both Uzumaki did not trust him and it showed in the way they kept their distance and even conversed in whispers when he is around. The Sanin saw the gates of Konohagaru in the distance and wondered how the Hokage would take all that he had to say. The truth was if Naruto hated him, he probably despised the third Hokage.
When they reached the gates Naruto and Karin kept walking while he stopped to sign them back in. Not a word, no goodbye, and not a glance back, they simply walked on like they were strangers who simply walked the same route.
"Everything is going to shit." Jiraiya mumbled in resignation.
«««««"»»»»»
Naruto and Karin walked in silence through the streets of Konoha. The village looks like a pig house due to all the scattered bottles, plastic plates, chopsticks, balloons, and anything in between.
"Don't worry you have family now." Naruto assured his cousin and she meekly nodded. The blonde wanted the feisty girl he saw glimpses of to return but since their talk and her confession of everything that she's been through Karin had become guarded and meek, jumpy and fearful, like retelling her story made her live through the horrible events again.
"You see, I knew you were waiting for him, Big sitter." Naruto stopped in his tracks and looked at who stood to the side of the streets with such an exciting gaze and sparkling big charcoal-colored eyes that were so expressive and beautiful. Naruto found himself unable to not get lost in a land only he knew.
"Hime." Naruto whispered in front of the girl he loved making her only get redder at the emotions that swarmed her senses. Hanabi blinked unable to comprehend how Naruto reached her sister faster than her eyes could track. one moment she stared at him in the distance and the next it looked like her older sister's boyfriend was standing in front of his own image left behind.
"Yes, Naruto-kun." Naruto could have grabbed the hem of his burnt orange jacket above his heart and exaggerated a heart attack at the sweet voice saying his name.
Hanabi was gushing in the background, her sister had the coolest boyfriend. The academy was filled with his great stories and legends ever since his action figure came out. Hanabi of course owned one by association.
"Hime!" Naruto said happily and took Hinata by her waist with both arms to lift her in the air and do a turn with her. Hinata couldn't even giggle in happiness because of how much love she was being drowned in as she soared in the sky. Hinata truly felt in the clouds as all she could manage was a look of such affection aimed at him, you would confuse her for a seeing person.
"I missed you." Hanabi snapped a picture at that moment, having brought a camera with the hopes of such a moment happening. The teens froze in their position with Naruto standing there with arms up as he held Hinata in the air their expressions for better or worse bland.
Naruto's eyes were occasionally twitching because Hanabi had just killed the mood and Hinata floated there in the clouds with an expression of blandness that Hanabi felt meant bad things because of the shadow covering her eyes.
"Hanabiiii….." Hinata's oh-so-soft voice threatened still up there. Hanabi's eyes widened and she began fumbling with the camera with hopes of getting the physical image out.
"Woah there, where are u going?" Hanabi stopped her random movements to blink and see Naruto unwilling to let her older sister go. The blonde girl was now located on the ground with the taller blonde having his arms wrapped around her waist from behind.
"But Naruto-Kun…." Hanabi smirked when Hinata was silenced by a kiss on the cheek making her sway a little on her feet.
"A picture won't hurt anyone." Naruto said with a big grin and Hinata nodded finding herself on cloud nine once more. "Let's see the photo Hanabi-Chan." Naruto requested and Hanabi heard her camera groan as it released the photo.
Hanabi took the photo, flicked it a few times, looked at the image once and she squealed in delight. The second born of Hiashi Hyūga ran towards the teenage lovers and practically shoved the picture in Naruto's face.
"Awesome!" Naruto exclaimed liking how the picture captured the moment between him and his hime. He did feel bad when he realized Hinata would not be able to see it but he only resolved himself to find her a cure quicker.
After some more talking and greetings between the Uzumaki clan members and the Hyūga clan members, they began making their way toward the Hokage tower where they would be briefed on everything relating to the finals.
Authors Notes.
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