What If Konoha Honored the 4th Hokage's Dying Wish
Chapter 12
A couple days prior, a fox showed up in Iwagakore with a scroll for the Tsuchikage and a letter for Kurotsuchi. When Ohnoki found the two prisoner scrolls, he handed off the missing-nin. When he opened the storage scroll with Mura's body, he shook his head. That kid was unbelievable. A short note to Ohnoki was also attached.
'-To my soon to be Gi-San-
Hehe, I hope you are okay with me calling you that. I ran into these guys in Wave. Tried to take them all alive but Maru was a tough opponent. Please know I do not blame you or Iwa for their actions. Maru made it pretty clear he defected because you chose to trust me. I look forward to seeing you at the chunin exams.
With respect -Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze
P.S. Hold onto the kunai for me, I will come pick up your teams a week before the chunin exams start.'
Ohnoki's heart skipped a beat when he saw the familiar three-pronged kunai with a seal on its hilt. This kid will be the death of him. How many surprises can he expect one old heart to take?
-Before the chunin exams -
Three months passed in a flash for team 7. After their week break, team 7 completed ten C-rank missions that passed without incident. One noteworthy mission was Naruto's second trip to the fire capitol, a delivery mission to the Fire Daimyo. It contained a letter from the Hokage and an invite to the upcoming chunin exams. The Fire Daimyo just took it as an excuse to talk to Naruto. His interest in the boy was piqued. In Hiruzen's private correspondence, he asked for Naruto to be his heir apparent. This left the Fire Daimyo with along to think about. The boy was beyond exceptional, but was he ready for the burden of being a Hokage?
During their week off, Naruto was finally able to use the Hiraishin without killing himself. It was nowhere close to battle-ready, but he could use it for travel purposes. To reach his markers in Iwa and Kumo he would have to use some of Kyu's chakra, but it was doable. He notified Jiraiya and the Hokage after his first successful attempt and the Hokage gave him permission to put a marker outside his office. It would take the secretary years to get used to the spontaneous yellow flashes.
Danzo had been in a mood lately. The fact that he realized he was in a mood made his frown deepen. He had just gotten out of the hospital and all of his bandages were removed, his leg was fixed, and he wasn't limping anymore. As he looked out over Konoha with two eyes from the first time in 15 years, he sighed. Naruto had gone to bat for him and begged Tsunade and the Hokage to help Danzo heal from his injuries. Danzo's right arm had atrophied severely, and he had no motor function left in it. Tsunade surgically removed the arm and replaced it with a prosthetic Naruto had learned about from the Uzu scrolls. Danzo scowled as he remembered the five weeks he spent recovering in the hospital. The brat had the audacity to get him help and then not visit him once the whole time he was stuck in that Kami-damned hospital. Danzo now knew why he was in a mood. "Where the hell is that brat? How could he not visit his Danzo-Gisan. Not even once?" Danzo's scowl turned so deep at this thought that it passed his chin. He set out to the Hokage tower to get answers.
As Danzo was exiting the hospital, Anko received an invite to dinner at the dango shop from a Naruto clone. She didn't know exactly what she felt for the blonde gaki. She just knew that whenever he was around, the ache in her seal disappeared. She was so excited that she popped the Naruto clone by hugging it with excessive force. Naruto, in his aged henge, met Anko at the dango shop that evening. He bought her as much dango as she could eat. Once she was fully satisfied, he took her hand in his.
"I think I did it, Anko-Chan."
"Did what, Ruto-Kun?" she said in a playful voice.
"I completed the formula to remove your seal. I will need Tsunade-Bachan and Jiraiya-Kyofu there, but everything should work out." He whispered to her in an excited voice. The gigawatt smile he was flashing combined with the statement got an explosive reaction from Anko.
The whole restaurant turned and looked at the couple after Anko squealed like a schoolgirl, hopped over the table into Naruto's lap and threw herself into a passionate kiss with Naruto. The blush that adorned the old restaurant owner's face was mirrored by the other occupants. The owner was just happy for his best customer. She was given a hard lot in life, and he felt like she deserved this happiness. The two ignored the catcalls and teasing taunts like 'get a room' as they continued the session. Eventually everyone turned back to what they were doing and left the two to make out in peace.
Two days later Anko went to the Namikaze estate. Tsubaki led her down to the study where she saw Jiraiya, Tsunade, the Hokage and Naruto waiting for her. The training ground was cleared and covered in a massive, circular sealing array with an empty space in the center.
"Okay, Anko. Everyone is here and everything is set. I had Jiraiya review my notes and it should work. I want you to know ahead of time that there are a few possible complications…"
"Ruto, I don't care. I trust you. Get this fucking thing off of me." She said this with a seriousness in her tone that was rare for her.
The group chuckled good-naturedly. They all wished Anko their best and stepped back.
"I apologize in advance, Anko-Chan. This is going to hurt, and you will need to remove your top. I will have to draw seals onto your chest and back." Naruto said sheepishly.
An unabashed Anko threw off her jacket and pulled her mesh shirt over her head. Jiraiya got put into a wall by Tsunade and Hiruzen had to wipe the trickle of blood from his nose. A heavily blushing Naruto and one clone drew the seals onto Anko. Jiraiya inspected his work and gave a thumbs up. Unfortunately, said thumbs up was accompanied by a lecherous grin and a nose-bleed, which earned him another flight into the wall. Tsunade was mad but she knew that this was part of her 'baka' that she had accepted long ago. It wouldn't stop her from trying to beat the habit out of him though.
After dealing with the pervert, Anko lay down on the center of the sealing array with Naruto on her left and Tsunade on her right. Tsunade was there to monitor her condition and providing stabilizing, healing chakra to Anko. Before Naruto started, Anko pulled his head down into a brief, but passionate, kiss.
"There is more where that came from when you get this damned thing off of me." She said that after Tsunade had pushed her back down to forcibly break the kiss with her blonde brat. The look on Tsunade's face could freeze the flames of Amaterasu. She didn't exactly approve of Naruto being sexually active yet.
"Okay Anko-Chan, here goes nothing." He said with a smile. "Let's do this, Kurama." He thought to his valued partner.
Naruto took a deep breath, activated his Kyuubi cloak and channeled chakra into the seals drawn onto Anko. The whole seal array glowed blue with a reddish tinge, the glow started from Anko's seal and then spread from her body to the edges of the array. The seal array then started collapsing in on itself from the far edges. When the array had collapsed completely around Anko, the kanji on her body turned from a blue into a dark red and started collapsing around the cursed seal. As soon as the chakra hit Anko's body, she started twitching in pain. When the entire sealing array collapsed and surrounded the curse mark Anko let out a gut-wrenching scream and started convulsing. Tsunade applied as much healing chakra as she could, but it was nothing compared to the pain Anko was feeling. Finally, her skin around the seal bulged and a vile, black substance oozed out of the seal. Once it was completely out, a barrier of kanji encircled it. It took the form of a snake before the kanji collapsed in on itself and destroyed the unknown substance.
Naruto fell back on his haunches and let out a deep breath. Beads of sweat peppered his brow and he looked exhausted. Tsunade immediately did a diagnostic jutsu and applied healing chakra over the place where the cursed seal used to be. Anko lay unconscious on the floor, with her ladies resting proudly on a slowly rising and falling chest. If the situation weren't so serious, Hiruzen and Jiraiya would have joined Anko in realm of the unconscious from nose bleeds. However, both men managed to hold it together.
Naruto threw a loose shirt onto Anko and carried her to his room. He placed her on the bed and was startled when she pulled him down onto the bed. A sleeping Anko latched onto and around Naruto. Escape was impossible, and quite frankly, he didn't want to. He was exhausted and the pillowy mounds beckoned him to sleep.
The next day Anko awoke from her sleep feeling like a new woman. She didn't recognize the room she was in, nor the body pillow she was snuggling. When she looked down and saw the spiky blonde locks of hair, she immediately checked to make sure her clothes were on. To her relief, they were. She looked out the window and saw that the sun was just beginning to rise. She untangled herself from the boy and woke him up gently.
With a nudge to the shoulder and a "good morning, Ruto-Kun" Naruto woke up. The beautiful face and untamed purple hair of Anko greeted him when he opened his eyes.
"Good morning, Anko-Chan. How do you feel?"
"Like a new woman, Ruto-Kun. I don't know how I could ever repay you." She said in a shy tone as she looked away from the brilliant blue eyes that tunneled into her soul.
Naruto placed a hand under her chin and slowly lifted her head to regain eye contact. "You don't owe me anything, Anko-Chan. You are a cherished friend of mine and I only want you to be happy."
The sincerity of his tone and the look in his eyes melted what little resistance Anko could mount. She brought her face to his and gave him a slow, deep and sweet kiss.
"Do me a favor, Ruto-Kun. Transform into your adult form so I don't feel as guilty for what I am about to do." She whispered seductively to a wide-eyed Naruto.
Xxx Lemon Warning xxX
Naruto complied with Anko's request and transformed. He knew what was about to happen from Kyu's memories and only hoped he could live up to her expectations. He was a mixture of excited and nervous.
"Go get her, Kit. I will tune out and give you some privacy. I am proud of you!"
Naruto chuckled internally. "Thanks Kyu."
When Naruto had finished his transformation, Anko rolled on top of him and entered a passionate liplock. Tongues danced and saliva was exchanged freely. Each moment drew them deeper into each other. After they broke the kiss, Naruto whispered to Anko.
"Are you sure, Hebi-Hime?"
The nod he got in response removed all limiters. He reversed their positions and resumed the make-out session. His hand worked down her curvy figure until they found the edges of her shirt. With a lift and some shuffling from Anko, her beautiful and bountiful mounds were exposed. With a growl, Naruto ripped off his own shirt, exposing an athletic figure with toned muscles and nearly zero fat.
Anko's hands ran up his abs, over his pecs and behind his shoulders. Her nails dug into the skin above his scapula, and she pulled him down to her face fiercely. Naruto's hands cupped her breasts and played with her nipples. His tender ministrations earned him a moan from his gorgeous companion. Naruto broke the kiss with a squeeze and a playful twist to her nipple. Naruto kissed his way down the left side of her neck and took her left nipple into his mouth. He nibbled, licked and sucked on the soft, light-pink protrusion. Hand and mouth swapped sides as he provided equal attention to her other nipple.
Anko's hands raced through Naruto's rich, blonde locks. Squeezes of the hair and nails on his scalp kept Naruto informed of her pleasure and directed him where to go. When his calloused hand departed from her breast and travelled south, she braced herself. They were rapidly crossing the point of no return. She gasped seductively when his hands entered her pants, and his middle finger penetrated her folds. She ripped him away from her boob and brought him into a soul-searing kiss. The mounting pleasure exploded a few minutes later and Anko's eyes rolled back. She let out a scream of pleasure and her nails drew blood from Naruto's back.
She forced Naruto on his back and inverted herself on top of him. The tent she saw pitched in his pants made her smirk. With great anticipation, she instructed Naruto to remove his pants and he made her to the same. After some awkward shuffling, both garments were removed, and they laid themselves bare to each other. The head of the eight-inch pole stared straight at Anko. The pre-cum leaking from its slit let Anko know exactly how badly Naruto wanted this. She started with a tender lick and kiss. The moan she got from Naruto urged her on. Before she took him in her mouth, Anko gasped as two fingers entered her womanhood and again when the soft tongue started lapping up her juices. With renewed vigor she took his length into her mouth. The ten-minute battle of wills led to both lovers tasting the other's juices in a blissful climax.
Naruto flipped Anko around and guided her head to cuddle on his chest. The snake mistress wasn't done yet though. While cuddling with her Ruto-Kun, Anko's hand snaked down and started rousing him back to full mast. She climbed on top of the feral looking blonde and positioned her snatch on top of Naruto's cock.
"I want you to know I was saving myself for whoever removed that forsaken seal. I am glad it was you. I give myself freely to you." She said with a shy smile.
"I am grateful for your offer and accept it with my whole heart. I do not deceive you when I say I love you, my Hebi-Hime."
Anko leaned down into a kiss and lowered herself onto Naruto's cock. The gasp that escaped her lips was answered by a deep growl of pleasure. Naruto waited for Anko to take the lead and wasn't disappointed when she began moving her hips up and down in a tantalizingly slow and rhythmic fashion. The snug warmth that milked Naruto made him throw his head back into his pillow. His hands migrated to her hips, and he began thrusting to match her pace. Anko's third orgasm soon followed, and Naruto spilled a fresh batch of seed into her womb.
Intermittent periods of rutting and cuddling continued through the morning. The sweet smell of sex filled the room and both parties basked in it. They finished the morning session in the shower to clean off the blood and bodily juices. After the shower, Naruto reverted to his base form and got dressed. Anko was surprised to see that his length remained the same. She figured that had aged with his transformation, but she was pleasantly surprised to be proven wrong.
Xxx Lemon End xxX
The two walked downstairs and into the kitchen. They encountered a scowling Tsunade, an embarrassed Tsubaki and Jiraiya was grinning like an idiot with his thumb held proudly in the air. Naruto casually greeted the group and went off to cook something up for Anko. Anko, never one to back down, met Tsunade's scowl with a bold smile.
"Is there something wrong, Tsunade-Sama?" The innocent voice she used fooled nobody.
"You are 18 and he is 13. You think he was ready for something as serious as sex?" Replied Tsunade in a frozen tone. "You don't know how much he cares about you. You flaunt your sexuality and think sex is something casual to throw around. What you just did will end up hurting him for far longer than this happiness will last."
Anko was pissed. Anko was furious. Anko knew she shouldn't, but she couldn't stop the fist that planted itself in Tsunade's gut. Tsubaki squeaked and Jiraiya made a move to intervene. As Tsunade was bent over Anko's fist, Anko answered the charges against her.
"I will have you know it was my first time too, you bitch. I spent three years with him in ANBU. He is the one person who loves me for me, so you can go fuck yourself. My sexuality is my mask, you stupid cunt. I didn't do that casually. I did it with every bit as much love as Ruto gave me. You know, I thought you were different. Thanks for another disappointment in my life." She hissed and then ran out of the Namikaze compound.
Tsunade was so stunned she stayed hunched over. Naruto had heard the altercation, but it was over before he could intervene. He chased after Anko immediately.
"Tsu-Hime, you know I love you. What you just did was wrong. Sure, the gaki is young, but did you ever stop to think of his mental maturity or about the bond those two have shared for years? Anko scares the fuck out of me, but she is different when she is with Naruto." He pulled her up and into a tender hug. "I know how much you love the gaki, so I beg you to listen to my advice. Make up and apologize to them both before this situation snowballs out of control."
Jiraiya gave her a kiss on the cheek and left the room for her to reflect.
Naruto caught Anko as she was leaving the compound and wrapped her up from behind. She struggled to get out of his grip and start rampaging through Konoha. Naruto used shunshin to take her to the top of the Hokage monument. After commanding her to sit in an authoritative but caring tone, he sat down next to her and took her hand.
"My Hebi-Hime, I apologize for Bachan. She was out of line, and I will have it out with her later. The Anko I know, and love, is strong, beautiful and obstinate. She wouldn't listen to the words of the ignorant. She plows through all obstacles head on while flipping the bird to all who doubt her. She takes joy in proving all haters wrong and finds solace in those who are privileged enough to know the real Anko Mitarashi."
He pulled her close to him and wrapped an arm around her. By the end of his overture, she had leaned her head against his shoulder.
"It hurt so much more coming from someone important to you, Ruto. You know the mask I wear in public and why I do it. I know that part of this is my fault, but her words cut so deep. I don't know how else to say it, I love you too much to lose you, Ruto. It terrifies me when I think about it. I know that people will make comments about the age gap and my fear is that they will eventually get you to leave me." The tears that adorned Anko's cheeks found their way to Naruto's shoulder. His toned arms offered her refuge and she gladly accepted.
Before Naruto continued, Naruto separated from her just enough to raise her chin and look in her eyes. "Anko, I told you I love you. You know me, I never go back on my word. I know that things will get complicated very shortly. You have told me about your thoughts on the CRA and sharing. I am forever grateful that you still decided to give us a chance. You will forever be my first and I will forever hold you in my heart. I am not going anywhere, no matter what Bachan says." His face adorned a genuine smile, and he placed a chaste kiss on her lips.
Anko accepted the kiss. "Thanks, Ruto. I just need some time to clear my head. We will talk soon."
With a parting kiss, Naruto used shunshin return to the Namikaze compound. The shouting match between Naruto and Tsunade started as a reasonable back and forth. When Tsunade tried to say that Naruto didn't know what he feels, Naruto was the one that started the shouting. Naruto ripped into Tsunade fiercely and hit her with some admittedly low blows. It left Naruto in a foul mood, which he took out on the training grounds. Tsunade wound up passed out on a bar stool. Jiraiya got a tip from Izumo and picked her up later that night and to take her home.
Xxx Romantically Diplomatic xxX
A week before the chunin exams, Naruto used the 'Hiraishin' to flash to the kunai he left in the Raikage's office. Samui had told Ai when and how Naruto would be picking them up. Kumo was going to send two teams to the exams, but Naruto couldn't transport that many. The chakra required to use the 'Hiraishin' increases multiplicatively with the distance. The chakra requirement is increased exponentially when transporting another person. The result, Naruto could transport 4 people from Kumo to Konoha. Any more passengers would leave him in a state of chakra exhaustion.
In the Raikage's office, Yugito and her team could be seen loitering around. They didn't know an exact time, because Naruto said he would be there in the morning. When Naruto flashed in front of the Raikage's desk, Ai chuckled.
"Damn, kid. A big part of me hoped you were bluffing. I am glad I took you up on your offer. How was the trip?
"Good morning, Raikage-Sama, the trip was short and sweet." Ai could appreciate the cocky smirk that Naruto wore. He would often use the same look when he just won a fight.
"Thank you for offering to help with Team Yugito's trip to Konoha, it was mighty chivalrous of you." Now, it was Ai's turn to smirk as the blonde, and the blonde behind him, blushed. "Let me introduce you. Team 34, Post!" Ai bellowed. The genin scurried out of their seats and formed a neat line to the left of their Raikage. "You already know Yugito and Samui. I have to say kid, if you are half as smooth as you are in your letters, I don't think there will be a problem honoring the treaty."
Samui glared at her Raikage. "He insisted on reading all correspondence and said it was 'to protect Kumo's interests', but I honestly think the Raikage is just an old perv." Her thoughts were loud and pronounced in her head. "Not cool, Raikage-Sama," was all she managed to say, though.
Ai bellowed out in full blow laughter. The letters and looks on the two kids faces made him feel young again. "Anyway, this knucklehead is Omoi and the feisty redhead is Karui."
Naruto took in the appearance of Omoi. Relaxed posture like a younger version of Kakashi. White, short spiky hair with a sucker in his mouth. The katana on his back reminded him of something he wished to ask.
"Raikage-Sama, I have a request of sorts. I would like your permission to give gifts to yourself and team Yugito. I wish for those gifts to remain in their possession for as long as they live. Is this acceptable to you?"
Ai looked like a kid the morning before Christmas. He nodded eagerly, wondering what the blonde had for him. Samui smiled kindly at Naruto while Omoi and Karui high-fived.
Naruto proceeded to unseal his planned gifts. He honored the Raikage first with a set of steel boxing gloves that were painted gold to match his wrist weights and belt. The gloves were sealed with an adjustable lightening seal to reduce their natural weight. If Ai needed speed over power, he could reduce the weight of the gloves and vice versa. After Naruto explained his gift, the Raikage did something none of his subordinates had seen him do before. He sped in front of Naruto, bent down, picked up the relatively small blonde in his massive arms and gave him a bone crunching hug, literally. Team Yugito winced at the sound of bones popping and Ai swiftly set Naruto down and inspected him. Naruto waved him off and placed a green glowing hand over his ribs.
After AI apologized profusely and everyone wiped up their sweatdrops, Naruto presented a gift to Yugito. "Yugito, inside this scroll are instructions on how to temporarily release Matatabi. It includes a jutsu that is now unique to the hidden Leaf. I give this to you on the condition that you agree not to share this knowledge with anyone other than Killer Bee. Raikage-Sama, when you review the treaty review paragraph 69 clause C. If it is found that this knowledge was shared, it will be a violation of the treaty."
Yugito nodded eagerly and then a chakra flare was felt around the room. Yugito's eyes turned blue with black cat-like sits. "Naruto Uzumaki and Kyu, I wish to finish what was started on your last visit. I also wish to thank you for your generosity. That is all." Yugito returned to normal and reiterated what Matatabi said.
Naruto then turned to Samui, "Samui-Chan, I have brought for you a sword from my ancestral clan. I give it to you in good faith, counting you as a future Uzumaki. The sword is forged of chakra metal and the edge of the blade is composed of metal that is highly conductive to lightning chakra. I present to you, 'Storms Edge', it is the brother to my own blade."
Naruto pulled out a long, 60inch katana from a black scabbard with blue embossing. The blade was made of the same black metal as his, but the usual silver edge of a katana was replaced by an icy blue metal. It matched well with Samui's eyes. Samui pulled Naruto into a hug and said she would thank him later.
Finally, he gave two standard issue Uzumaki katanas to Karui and Omoi. The blades were well crafted and both hilts were wrapped in the standard red of the Uzumaki. Both blades adorned reinforcement seals and summoning seals. With nods from the two, Naruto's gift-giving ceremony ended.
Naruto reiterated that the gifts were from him and not Konoha, to maintain impartiality before the new treaty was signed. Ai thanked Naruto, gave him a message to pass on to the old man and bid them a safe trip. The other Kumo team would arrive in three days. Naruto had all members of team Yugito secure their packs and grab on to him. Karui and Samui each took one of Naruto's hands while Omoi and Yugito put a hand on each shoulder. There was a massive buildup of chakra before the group disappeared in a multi-colored flash. Outside the Hokage's office, a flash was seen followed by three genin ninja dry heaving. Yugito looked a little green herself but managed to hold it together.
After the group entered the Hokage's office, checked in and exchanged greetings, Naruto took team Yugito to Ichiraku's and then to their rooms at the Golden Leaf hotel. He promised to show them around the village tomorrow and let them get settled in for their stay. After returning home, Naruto could feel the exhaustion from the jump and passed out face first on his bed.
The next day, Naruto met team Yugito bright and early and began their tour of Konoha. He showed them the academy, the training ground that was dedicated for their use, the view from the top of the Hokage monument and ended at the Akimichi BBQ. The five of them were enjoying a nice chat over lunch when team 10 rolled in.
"Ruto-Kun!" Squealed an excited Ino as she jumped over Omoi and glomped on to Naruto.
"Hiya, Ino-Chan. I haven't seen you since we became genin. How are things?" Naruto struggled to get the words out since Ino's hug was putting undue pressure on his trachea.
"It was boring for a while, but we have done a couple C-ranks already. Forget that Ruto, why are you eating with Kumo ninja?" At this point the rest of team 10 had meandered over. The look on Shikamaru's face said he would like to know why as well.
"Well, Ino-Chan. I can't tell you until it becomes official. For now, they are my friends here to take the chunin exams. Let me introduce you." Ino pouted on not getting in on the gossip. Naruto then introduced team Yugito. Ino didn't miss the glances exchanged by Naruto and Samui.
Ino briefly introduced herself before unceremoniously yanking Naruto out of the BBQ place and around the corner. "Spill it, Ruto. I saw the looks between you and that blonde bimbo." The feeling of jealousy was oozing from Ino. Naruto found it endearing and a bit troublesome.
"Ino-Chan, I can't tell you right now. Hokage labeled it an A-rank secret until it is official. Samui-Chan is nice. I think the two of you would get along. All I can tell you is I met her in Kumo, and she is my friend. When I am allowed to, I will tell you the whole story." Naruto said in a soft tone. His eyes seemed to soften as he said this. Naruto laughed at her pouty face.
"No fair, Ruto. At least tell me this, who do you like more? Me or her?" Ino's pout was replaced by a fire in her eyes.
Naruto knew he was in a pinch. This is the problem with having more than one girl. The slight hesitation of Naruto gave Ino the answer she needed. "Ino-Chan, you have been my friend since we were three. I cherish you and our friendship. Nothing will ever change that. You are one of the people I trust most in the world. I won't lie to you though, I do like Samui-Chan. She is cool."
Ino's determination rapidly transitioned to excitement and then depression. She had tried to tell Naruto exactly how she felt, but now it seems like it was too late. She gave Naruto a sullen "Ok" before heading back to join her team.
Samui didn't know how to feel. She knew Naruto was an amazingly cool guy and that she would eventually have to share him. However, she had never felt the pit in her stomach that she was currently experiencing. The feeling felt off to her, like she wanted to run after Naruto and pull him away from that blonde bimbo. Karui noticed her mood and gave her a reassuring squeeze on her forearm.
"This is not cool. We were having such a good day until that blonde bimbo showed up." Samui said in a quiet voice.
"What if that girl is an agent sent here to disrupt the treatise? Then she seduces Naruto to break the deal and Kumo goes to war …" Omoi's ramblings were cut off by a bonk to the head from Karui.
"Omoi, shut the hell up before I beat you into the ground. Can't you see you are not helping the situation?" The two cast a side-long glance at Samui and saw her eyes were icier than usual and looking down at the table.
"Sorry, Samui." Said a dejected Omoi.
Karui cut in, "Look, Samui. You are in a rather unique position. If that blonde baka doesn't show you the appreciation you deserve, then I will deal …"
"No." The solidity of the one-word statement startled team Yugito. "Naruto-Kun hasn't done anything wrong. He is an amazing guy. That is how we got into this situation. Of course, there will be any number of girls throwing themselves at him. I will ask him when he returns."
A couple minutes later, Ino walked through the door on the verge of tears. If only she knew Naruto was going to have to take multiple wives. Right now, she was thinking that Naruto was choosing somebody he barely knew over her. She went to join team 10 and threw herself into Asuma's arms.
Naruto followed Ino in and went to join team Yugito. He had a sad look on his face and he seemed tired all of a sudden. "Sorry about that. I haven't had time to explain what is going on to my peers. Samui-Chan, this is all new to the both of us. All I will tell you is that Ino has been my friend since we were three and I believe she likes me romantically. I don't want this to change anything between us." At a nod and a tender look from Samui, he continued. "That took a lot out of me. Feel free to explore the village. I need to go rest before picking up the Iwa team tomorrow."
Naruto said his goodbyes to the group and returned to the compound via 'Hiraishin'. He got the chance to talk his problems out with Jiraiya later that night.
Back with team Yugito, the mood had dropped quite a bit.
Yugito decided to try and address the issue. "Naruto is in a unique and tough situation. I don't want to make it seem like he is devaluing you, Samui, but he was very forthright in saying that he was being … encouraged … to take multiple wives. I think he is struggling to maintain the promise he made. If he is who I think he is, he will rally and be okay."
Samui hadn't had time to think about how Naruto was feeling. She was busy identifying and dealing with her own jealousy. Yugito's words made her realize how Naruto was feeling. She stood up from the booth, "Yugito-Sensei. I am going to go to his compound. I will be okay; I want to do this alone." She left the restaurant in search of the Namikaze compound. She didn't notice the three tails she picked up shortly after leaving the restaurant.
Tsubaki knocked on Naruto's door and told him he had a visitor. Naruto broke off his internal dialogue with Kurama and went downstairs. When Naruto saw Samui, standing there in all her beauty, he gave her a weak smile and welcomed her. They walked up to Naruto's room.
Samui cleared her throat and intertwined her hands behind her back. "Look Naruto, it's cool. I know you will be seeing other girls. Jealousy is a new feeling to me, and I felt it for the first time in the restaurant. I know the road ahead will not be easy, but I like you. I want to give us a try. All I as for in return is honesty."
Naruto gave her a heartfelt smile, "Thanks, Samui-Chan. It means a lot hearing you say that. I have never, and will never, lie to you. I struggle with this because I cannot tell my friends what is going on until after the chunin exams. I felt Ino's pain when she saw us together and that hurt me. I have known her forever and I won't lie, I like her a lot." He sighed deeply and did his best to meet her eyes before continuing. "Her and Hebi-Hime are the only two girls from Konoha I like in that way. I feel greedy and dirty for even saying that. Every one of you is an amazing girl that all men is this world would kill for. You are smart, talented, beautiful, understanding and kind, Samui-Chan. I want to show you how much your trust means to me … I just don't know how to do that and be true to my feelings for the others. Kami, I feel dirty just saying that."
Naruto's pain was palpable to Samui. There is no doubt in her mind that he is being genuine. She appreciated that he could open up to her. "How about we take it one step at a time then? We are friends now and we won't get married until I turn 16. That gives us time to figure this out. You may not believe you deserve the affection of multiple girls." She gave an awkward chuckle, "You are right, it does feel weird talking about this. However, it doesn't change the fact that you are an amazing guy. It is up to the girls to decide if they wish to share. I believe in your promise to cherish me, even if there are others in the picture. So, let's just take things as they come, one step at a time." She planted a chaste kiss on Naruto's cheek and stood up to leave, her piece already said.
Naruto stood up as well and pulled her into a hug, which earned a blush from Samui. "Thank you so much, Samui-Chan. I am lucky and grateful to have the opportunity to get to know you. I will keep my promise, so long as you let me. He walked Samui to the compound's gates and bid her goodbye. His talk with Jiraiya later that night would further strengthen his resolve. On a different note, it would also inspire Jiraiya's next book 'Ika Ika – Trouble in Paradise'.
A distressed and irritable Ino Yamanaka walked into her parent's home that evening. She kicked off her sandals, skipped dinner and raced to her room. Inoichi hated seeing his princess upset and went to discover the cause. After a gentle knock on the door, he walked his way over to Ino's bed and sat down next to her.
"What's going on, Princess?"
"I'm sorry, daddy. I saw Ruto with a team of Kumo ninja earlier and one of the girls was eyeing him. When I asked him about it, he said he couldn't tell me why. He also said that he didn't want to lie to me and that he liked her." Tears started falling as she spoke.
Inoichi hated this. He knew exactly what was going on. He also knew of his daughter's affections for her fellow blonde. The only thing he didn't know was what he should do. On the one hand, he could just stay quiet and let Ino figure her way through this. She would find about Naruto's status and emerging harem soon enough. If this drives her away from Naruto, then his daughter could move on and eventually, much later, find a man that she wouldn't have to share. That thought appealed to him for more than a few brain cycles.
However, his daughter was in pain. She was a 13-year-old young woman and Inoichi believed she could handle the truth and come to her own decisions. Naruto was a good kid; he had known that from the day he had met him. With a sigh, Inoichi explained the official side of Naruto's situation and made Ino promise not to talk about it until things were announced. He knew he did the right thing, but nothing could prepare him for deep pit of sorrow that emerged in his chest from her response. Oh, the woes of being a father to a beautiful young woman.
With a "Thank you, Daddy!" and a big hug, Ino simultaneously filled and crushed Inoichi's heart.
The following day Naruto flashed off to Iwagakore. He showed up in Ohnoki's office in a bright yellow flash. There was twice as many guards as the last time he visited, so he held his hands up in the universal sign for 'I come in peace'. It took almost a full minute for the tension in the room to disperse and the shock to fade. 24 Iwa ninja just got confirmation that this boy could perform the most feared jutsu in the elemental nations. With a wave of his hand, Ohnoki told his forces to stand down. This boy really will give him a heart attack.
Kurotsuchi was standing next to her grandfather talking to him about taking his hat when the flash went off. She recognized the blonde from pictures he had sent in his letters. Over the three or so months they had been writing each other, she will admit that she started having feelings for the boy now standing in front of her. She didn't know exactly what those feelings were, but she did feel the butterflies in her stomach attempting to escape.
Naruto knew he was in hostile territory, alone except for Kurama. The feeling in the room was a mix of fear, incredulity and shock with just a dash of hostility. He saw a tomboyish, yet beautiful girl standing next to Ohnoki. She had short, black hair with her hitiate covering her forehead. She wore a one-armed, red battle kimono that covered the length of her left arm but stopped at her right shoulder. The battle kimono extended down to her right knee, but the left leg was uncovered. She was wearing red combat shorts that extended to mid-thigh. The rest of her legs were wrapped in mesh wiring that continued down to her combat sandals. Her overall look was fierce yet refined. Sexiness with a promise of pain. She was a lot like Anko in that way.
She strolled up to Naruto and held out her hand. She was already transfixed by the depth of his azure blues, the shiny golden blonde locks of hair and his devilishly handsome face. Ohnoki noticed the blush creep upon Kurotsuchi's face; it was the first time he had seen her show any interest in a boy. Naruto took Kurotsuchi's hand and placed a gentle kiss on the backside of it. Her blush turned crimson and Ohnoki cut it to save her from passing out.
"Naruto-Kun, thank you for coming to escort team Akatsuchi. I have really enjoyed your letters, my boy. They were more interesting than some of your godfathers's books." Ohnoki paused here and let out a hearty laugh when Naruto made a joke about all Kage being perverted old goats. "You have already met Kurotsuchi, the other you lady is Mirai, and the boy is Suruji. This is my oldest grandson, Akatsuchi," he said as he pointed to the mountain of a man with a dorky looking face and Ohnoki's massive nose. All shinobi present are dressed in the standard Iwa red, grey and brown uniforms. They all bowed slightly in greeting to Naruto, who returned the gesture.
"It is a pleasure to meet you all. Ohnoki-GiSan, thank you for having me. Kuro-Chan, it's great to finally meet you in person." The brilliant gigawatt smile lit up the room. Ohnoki couldn't help but smile in return. The strange yet comforting feeling of serenity washed over him and reaffirmed his decision for him. The rest of the room caught the familiarity the blonde addressed their Kage with and didn't know how to respond.
After a hearty chuckle, Ohnoki matched Naruto's familiarity. "It is good to see you again, Naruto-Kun. Thank you for dealing with that problem in Wave for me. I am grateful for the discretion you exercised. I wish you to pass this letter to the old monkey. It contains our itinerary and list of escorts that I will bring with me to Konoha. This scroll contains your payment for the missing-nin. Is there anything you wish to discuss before you depart?"
"Yes, Tsuchikage-Sama. I wish to offer you and team Akatsuchi a gift as gratitude for placing your trust in me. Is that all right with you?" At the Tsuchikage's nod, Naruto pulled out a scroll and four items popped into Naruto's hands. "First, Tsuchikage-Sama. I made this custom belt for you. It has a couple of seals on it. The belt will mainly help support your back and alleviate your back pain. It also has a couple of empty storage seals so that you will no longer have to carry your luggage."
A Golem guard came and inspected the belt. He placed it on his waist, and it grew to fit him. He activated the seals on the belt. The sigh of pleasure that escaped his mask made him immediately bow in apology to his leader. The Tsuchikage growled and held out his hand for the belt. After he applied it, he sighed in content. "This is a most thoughtful and generous gift, Naruto-Kun. You have my thanks."
Naruto nodded and the walked over to Kurotsuchi, he pulled out a necklace with a beautiful Ruby embedded in the likeness of a mountain. "I have put a 'Hiraishin' marker in the necklace. I cannot flash to it unless you channel chakra. There is also a barrier seal in it that you can activate in case of emergencies. You mentioned in your letter how you lost your mother's necklace, so I thought you may like another one." Naruto's normal confidence was absent this statement. He really hoped that she liked it. When she squealed in excitement and turned around so he could put it on, he felt a wave of relief wash over him.
He gave the other team members some tactical belts equipped with a few of his flash and explosive tags. It made a very good impression on team Akatsuchi. They paid their respect to Ohnoki before securing their equipment and putting a hand on Naruto. They all felt the buildup of chakra before experiencing a twisting in their gut. It should be noted that the group variant of the 'Hiraishin' is not a pleasant experience. The Iwa team showed up outside the Hokage's office in much the same way the Kumo team did. After recovering, greeting the Hokage and escorting them to the Golden Leaf, Naruto once again returned to the compound exhausted.
The next day, 2 days before the chunin exams, Naruto was showing Kurotsuchi and her friends around Konoha. Kurotsuchi loved walking through the Higarashi weapon shop, which Naruto was part owner of. She saw the seal and tag section labeled 'Uzumaki' and got a nod from Naruto in confirmation at her silent question. Naruto had partnered with Ten-Ten's dad, Hyoto, in the same way he partnered with Ichiraku's. Hyoto took his interest free loan to expand the shop a bit, get higher quality metal and he hired an extra helper to make up for Ten-Ten's absence. He also got discounted rates on Naruto's seals, which sold like hot cakes. They were just coming out of the Higarashi weapon shop when Naruto heard a gruff voice call out to him.
"Hey there, Gaki. You still owe me a fight."
Naruto turned and saw the Demon of the Hidden Mist walking in front of a small group of Mist ninja. Naruto's smile grew when he noticed Haku pop out from behind a beautiful woman with long red hair that covered on side of her face. She wore an elegant, blue dress that exposed a healthy amount of her cleavage. The slit in the dress showed of the woman's long, toned legs. The woman was the image of refined beauty.
"Zabuza-San, I didn't expect you to be here. Is the rebellion over already or are you here for some reinforcements?" Naruto replied with a cocky smirk. He gave a smile and a nod to Haku, who blushed and disappeared behind the woman in blue.
"Care to introduce me to you friend, Zabuza-Kun?" the woman in blue called out to Zabuza in a melodic voice.
"Ha, sorry, Mei-Chan." Zabuza said while rubbing the back of his neck in a Naruto-ish manner. "This here is the gaki I told you about, Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze. Naruto, this is Mei Terumi, the new Mizukage and my girlfriend."
Naruto appeared in front of Zabuza and gave him a fist bump. "Well done, Zabuza. Mizukage-Sama, it is an honor to meet you. As Zabuza said, I am Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze. I am relieved to see the Mist is in safe hands." He gave a polite bow to the Mizukage.
A seductive smile graced Mei's lips, "My, my, quite the charmer we have here. Zabuza told me about your contribution to our efforts and the defeat of Gato. Simply defeating Gato helped our efforts immensely. You other contribution helped us muster a final push and here we are. I wanted to bring a team to the exams and start a new era for Kiri. By the way, Naruto-Kun, I have my reply to your letter as well. You will receive it if you make it to the final stage of the exams. I do hope you will not disappoint."
Kurotsuchi caught her teasing tone and hidden meaning. "Um, Naruto. What letter is she talking about?"
"Well, Kurotsuchi-Chan. I gave Zabuza a couple letters like I did with your grandpa. I didn't know that I would get such a quick reply though." He said sheepishly before he returned to looking at Mei, "I am glad everything worked for you, Mei-Sama. I will see you at the finals then."
With a round of farewells and 'see you laters', Naruto led the Iwa team back to the hotel and to their room. Naruto asked Kurotsuchi to talk alone. Now, Naruto sits alone with Kurotsuchi in the hotel's café.
"Kuro-Chan, I wanted to talk to you about something. In my efforts to spread peace, I have made offers of marriage on behalf of Konoha to Kumo and Kiri. Kiri was just a shot in the dark. I met Zabuza in wave country and knew he was going to return to support the Kiri rebellion. I gave intro letters there in hopes to smooth out relations with Kiri. I have written to you about Samui from Kumo, and I really do believe you two will get along." He offered a nervous smile.
She nodded to him, and her lips were pursed. The confused look on her face showed that she didn't know where Naruto was going with this. "Yes, I knew about Samui. Are there others as well? You are scaring me, Naruto-Kun."
Naruto put on a brave face and took her hand in his. "I am still trying to figure this out myself. I am feeling dirty. Right now, there are four girls that hold a piece of my heart. You, Samui, Anko and recently my childhood friend made her feelings known to me. Each and every one of you are amazing and deserve the world. I wish I could tell you that I will give you all my love, but the truth is that you will need to share it." He crossed his fingers and four shadow clones popped up. "I have no doubt that I can spend time with each of you. I have no doubt that I will treat you like the princess you are. I have no doubt, should you accept my love, that I will make you happy. However, I feel dirty for even asking you to share my love. If you are not satisfied with me, Kuro-Chan, I will ask the Hokage to honor the treaty and you may find somebody better for you here in Konoha…"
The desperate determination in his statement rattle Kurotsuchi a bit. A tornado of thoughts was tearing through her mind. "She knew that she would have to share him eventually and he had told her about Samui from Kumo. How she was in a similar position to herself, and how Naruto enjoyed writing to them both. She was in a daze from finding out there were two, potentially three more. In a strange way, it made sense to her; this boy was amazing. Any girl would be lucky to have him. Unfortunately, his aspirations have put him in a position that he will take multiple wives. Kami, this is complicated and going nowhere." The emotions couldn't be contained and continued to change the look on her face in rapid succession.
Naruto squeezed her hand after letting her process for a couple of minutes. "Kuro-Chan, I am sorry for putting you in this position. I promised too always be forthright with you. I don't expect an answer now. I know I am asking a lot of you. All I can ask is to have faith in me and I won't let you down. Take some time to think about it and I will await your answer." He placed a chaste kiss on her cheek and walked out of the café. Kurotsuchi sat there and finished her coffee before returning to her room. She would need some time to think this over.