Chapter one: A Marriage proposal?! Enter the Almighty Taimanin, Asagi Igawa!
In the Konoha Academy, the students of various classes gathered around their respective class' sparring rings, many of them chatting excitedly amongst themselves because of the presence of special guests. "Dude, I think she looked at me! I bet I'm gonna get picked!" Spoke the form of one Kiba Inuzuka as he leered at a female figure in a skintight bodysuit that left nothing to the imagination.
The woman in question was standing next to the Chunin teachers, Iruka and Mizuki, observing the class spars and occasionally speaking to or asking them questions. "If you keep on acting like a creep, there's no way she'll pick you." Spoke the form of Naruto Uzumaki as he nudged his classmate in the ribs… even so, he couldn't entirely blame Kiba for his excitement.
For today, a number of Taimanin were present at the Academy. The story goes, that after the Kyuubi attack about fifteen years ago, some of its Yokai still remained behind even after its sealing. Konoha's Research and Development branch captured many samples of the remnant Yokai and began to research ways to make stronger and more powerful Ninjas to combat future threats and potential Bijuu/Jinchuuriki attacks.
About twelve or so years ago, the results of said research bore fruit as the R&D department found a means to implant the Kyuubi's Yokai into others. Many volunteers were gathered for the procedure, tragically a vast majority of the male participants died during the procedure or were corrupted into a berserker state by the Yokai in their bodies and had to be put down.
For reasons unknown, Females seem to be far more compatible for the Kyuubi's Yokai and thus had far higher chances of survival, although the procedure still held the aforementioned risks. The subjects who survived became known as the Taimanin, Elite Kunoichi who are said to possess the strength of fifty or even one hundred Jonin all on their own, and thanks to the Yokai in their bodies, they were able to unlock certain abilities that regular humans and even Bloodline users don't have access to.
However, despite their strengths, there are also drawbacks. After the procedure, their Chakra networks change and are unable to reproduce natural Chakra anymore, thus preventing them from using Jutsu techniques safely. If they use too much of their Yokai at one time for using Jutsu or in combat, they run the risk of becoming feral beasts who's only instinct is to either destroy everything in sight and/or violate anyone within reach.
To counteract this fatal flaw, a special procedure was added that allowed Taimanin to form a bond with a selected partner, sometimes referred to as 'marriage' by the Taimanin themselves, and use their partner's Chakra to empower themselves. To be chosen as a Taimanin's partner is considered a tremendous honor, and there also comes numerous special privileges with it.
As for how a Taimanin chooses a partner, it is said that they can sense when someone compatible for them is nearby, thus Taimanin are allowed to choose anyone who they deem compatible as their partners. Hence the Taimanin's presence at the Academy, they were scouting for viable partners.
Due to how few in number they were and because of low volunteers for the Yokai implantation procedure in recent years, it was fairly common for a Taimanin to be older than their chosen partner. Supposedly, Taimanin had to be careful in choosing their partners due to the taxing demands for the Chakra they sorely needed, so naturally people with low Chakra reserves were often ignored by the Taimanin, hence why they are almost constantly seeking potential partners.
However, there was one Taimanin in particular that everyone wanted to be chosen by… Asagi Igawa. Famously known as the Almighty Taimanin. She has never once been beaten in combat and is confirmed to be one of, if not THE strongest Taimanin ever created. She was as cool as a cucumber and was considered to be one of the most beautiful women in Konoha… she was practically a celebrity.
She often appeared on TV for interviews, gave motivational speeches, generously donated to good charities, and her face often appeared on countless magazines who unanimously named her 'Most Desirable Woman in Konoha'. Civilians adored her, Shinobi respected her. She was practically the holy grail for anyone lucky enough to chosen for 'marriage'.
It should also be noted that it is exceptionally common for a Taimanin and their chosen partner to become lovers, which is probably why Taimanin refer to their partnerships as 'Marriage'. Though the 'lovers' part was probably what had Kiba so excited.
Meanwhile, as the Uzumaki mused to himself, Asagi was watching the class spars with a bored expression… watching a pair of Fangirl type students engaging in a pitiful schoolyard type scuffle that involved scratching and a lot of hair pulling. 'These are supposed to be the future of Konoha's military… a sad future indeed.' She thought to herself while shaking her head in dismay.
She was here to find a worthy partner, not watch these cringeworthy 'spars'. On a positive note… she could sense somebody in the crowd that could be a good match for her, but she couldn't pinpoint their exact location… far too many people for her to get a proper reading. "What about Sasuke-kun? He's strong and talented and is the top student of the entire Academy. He'd make a perfect partner for you, Asagi-san." Spoke the form of Iruka as he gave a 'charming' smile that made bile rise up in her throat.
"I have already been introduced to Sasuke-san a million times. I am not interested in him. What a Taimanin seeks in a partner varies from case to case." She explained calmly while suppressing the urge to toss him out of the village… however if he kept annoying her she would have no choice but to do so to get him out of her face, and then she'd make her apologies to the Hokage later.
Her teal colored eyes continued to scan the students… until finally her eyes settled on a certain blonde with whisker-like markings on his face who seemed to be thinking to himself about something. He broke out his thoughts when he noticed her looking at him, and then gave a simple and friendly wave towards her, making her smile and wave back in turn. Huh… not a bad sign. Many have, in the past, would mouth 'pick me' or something like that at the first opportunity… this one seemed far more humble and polite.
She had heard stories about him from both the Sandaime and the populace at large. She had heard of his lonely childhood and how he was often treated by the villagers due to their grudge against the Bijuu and poor Naruto was the scapegoat of their anger.
She had also heard stories of his many pranks and his ability to outrun and evade entire platoons and squads of Chunin who tried to chase him down despite the fact he was still an Academy student, which showed his impressive stamina and agility. Very interesting.
"That one. With the whisker markings. Who is he?" Asagi asked the scarred Chunin, who, at the mention of 'whisker markings' instantly frowned and made a face as if he'd bitten into a lemon.
"Him? Naruto Uzumaki. Though I don't think you want anything to do with him. He's a local troublemaker and is the worst student in the class and has already failed the Graduation exam twice. He's nowhere near worthy of being partners with a Taimanin, least of all you Asagi-san." Iruka answered in an even tone, however it was very easy to detect the venomous undertones in his voice.
The bluenette scoffed in dismissal as she spoke in a calm manner "I'll be the judge of that for myself. Bring him here. I wish to talk to him." At her request, the scarred Chunin jaw-dropped as he glanced between the forms of Asagi and of Naruto in the crowd of students. With great reluctance, he sighed and obeyed since it was the law to provide a Taimanin with whatever they wanted or needed without question.
He stomped over towards the whiskered teen and then pointed at him while speaking in a gruff voice "You. Naruto. Come on, Asagi wants to have a word with you." As soon as those words left his mouth, everyone that heard them jaw-dropped and stared at the whiskered teen who seemed equally stunned by this request. He wouldn't have ever, in a million years, expected to be asked for by name of a famous Taimanin.
They all stared at him as murmurs started to rise up amongst the crowd. Some seemed to think that Naruto may have done something to offend the famed Taimanin. Others wondered if she was legit considering him for marriage. Finally, others were spitting out words of spite and jealous that Asagi had asked for him.
Swallowing nervously, he broke away from the crowd and made his way over towards the Almighty Taimanin, with a disgruntled and grumbling Iruka following close behind though Naruto caught something that sounded like 'What is she thinking?' From the scarred Chunin.
After a few moments, Naruto found himself standing in front of the legendary Taimanin herself… somehow she seemed even more beautiful up close and the blonde felt his heart beat faster before dropping into his stomach. "He… hello." He managed to speak out, just barely which earned a small giggle from the Taimanin.
"My reputation precedes me as usual. No need to be nervous. I won't bite. I just want to talk. You are Naruto Uzumaki, am I correct?" She asked for confirmation trying her best to help him relax, this certainly wasn't the first time a potential candidate became a gibbering mess while in her presence. She supposed that great beauty and fame had that effect on people.
"Th… that's right. Naruto Uzumaki, at your service. Is there something I can do for you?" He asked politely, his voice quickly recovering as he tried to rein in and contain his nervousness. The bluenette ran a hand through her hair and then crossed her arms beneath her impressive bust.
"I just want to ask you some questions, maybe ask you to perform a simple task or two for me. First question, How old are you and why do you want to be a Shinobi?" She asked as though she were conducting an interview, her eyes staring deeply into him as she seemed to be observing his every move, action, and reaction.
The blonde pursed his lips in thought, it felt as though she were testing him somehow, perhaps trying to get a read on him and his personality. He decided it would be best to just answer her honestly and replied "Fifteen Asagi-san, and to get stronger."
At that, she quirked up an eyebrow. Many students would say something like 'fame and fortune' or some other shallow response… this one was different. "To what end? Why do you want to get stronger?" She asked in a slightly more stern tone which made the whiskered teen flinch a bit… either he said something that upset her, or what he said caught her interest. He hoped it was the latter. Either way, she was definitely taking this seriously.
"Different reasons. To protect myself, to protect others that can't defend themselves, to protect those I care or may care about in the future. That kind of stuff." He answered in a sincere voice, then he noticed it for only a brief moment… but he definitely saw Asagi smile for a split-second before she must have caught herself and returned to a stern and serious face.
"Are you willing to commit? Being married to a Taimanin isn't a cakewalk. I will expect a lot out of you, and I will not tolerate laziness and half efforts." She spoke, her eyes boring into the blonde as he felt as if she were trying to peer into his very soul, scanning him for even the slightest hint of dishonesty.
"I am… and if you don't believe me, I'd be willing to prove myself to you, Asagi-san." He spoke in a tone of determination. At his response Asagi smiled softly as she accepted his response, finding herself pleased with how he responded. He was honest, sincere, and wanted to defend others. Yes, he was an ideal candidate for her.
"I have but one final request for you… I need to perform a small test of your Chakra reserves." Asagi spoke and then pulled a small handheld device from seemingly thin air. It was a fist sized device with a finger shaped indentation in the center and a small monitor on it as well. Asagi then explained "This is a special device we Taimanin use to measure the Chakra levels of our potential partners. Please place your finger inside and channel some Chakra inside, it'll then calculate your Chakra levels accordingly."
The Uzumaki nodded in understanding since that made sense, A Taimanin would need someone who could provide plenty of Chakra for them. He obeyed her instructions and placed his finger in the appropriate slot and channeled a small amount of Chakra inside. The device came to life with a loud series of beeps and various numbers started flashing before Asagi's eyes. When the blonde had removed his finger, the Taimanin was surprised to see that the numbers were climbing higher and higher.
Her eyes started to widen as there appeared to be no signs of the numbers stopping, until at last an 'error' message flashed a few times before the Chakra measurement device grew hot and then exploded in the palm of her hand and burst into flames, causing her to instantly drop it as she recoiled in shock with Naruto standing there equally surprised with an expression that screamed 'What the hell?!'
Upon seeing this sight Iruka suddenly leapt forward and shouted "Naruto! What the hell did you do?! You dare try and pull a prank on a Taimanin? What are you? Stupid?" At his accusation, the blonde raised up his hands in surrender and tried to explain that it wasn't a prank but an accident, however the Chunin refused to hear him and instead began chewing out the poor boy. Their words were lost to Asagi's ears as she stared at the device as it was still engulfed in flames.
The only logical conclusion was that his Chakra levels were so far off the charts, that the device was unable to process the needed information, melted down from the inside and overloaded. Never before had she seen such a result… yet it also made a certain kind of sense since he was the Kyuubi's container, of course his Chakra levels wouldn't be normal or average in nature… she couldn't afford to allow such a rare prize of this nature to slip through her fingers, and she could already sense that she and him had a strong compatibility rate. He was perfect.
She was broken from her musing when she heard the Chunin Iruka say "I'm so sorry for the trouble Asagi-san. I knew he wouldn't be a good partner for you. He won't bother you ever again." The scarred Chunin then proceeded to drag away the whiskered teen who violently struggled and thrashed around in the Chunin's grip.
"Oi! Leggo you bastard! I told you that it was an accident! I didn't do anything wrong!" Naruto protested angrily for being accused of something he didn't do, Iruka then glared harshly at him, red in the face and seemed ready to use his signature 'Big Head Jutsu' to shout at the boy, but was stopped when Asagi placed a hand on Iruka's wrist which caused both the Chunin and Uzumaki to fall silent and look towards the bluenette.
Her face was an unreadable mask as she stared at the Chunin, getting the silent message, he reluctantly released the whiskered teen from his grip. Meanwhile in the background, Naruto's entire class were watching in dead silence, wondering what the famed Taimanin would do with Naruto. Most of them believed that she was about to punish him… but instead she stated loud enough for all to hear "I'll take him."
Three words. Three words was all it took to launch the class into complete pandemonium as everyone could only express shock and disbelief that the most famous and powerful Taimanin in all of Konoha had chosen the 'Dead-last' of all people for a partner. There couldn't possibly be a more mismatched pair if there ever was one. Almost every boy in the crowd glared at Naruto in pure hatred and jealousy that he had been picked over the rest of them, and now he was going to be married to the famed Almighty Taimanin herself.
He would have access to the best training, the best equipment, the best everything. Now it would all be his for the taking. Iruka was one of the few to remain silent, his face having changed from a dark crimson to a deathly white in the span of a few seconds, from the shocked and pained expression on his face… it almost appeared that he had shat out his own heart.
"You… what?" Was the only intelligent reply that the blonde Uzumaki could mutter, he wondered if he had perhaps misheard her, however she gave him a reassuring smile and then bowed to one knee with her hands placed above her chest, a gesture that Taimanin performed when they had chosen their partner and were about to propose marriage.
"Naruto Uzumaki, I can sense that you are kind, capable, and loyal. Traits that I find very much desirable in a partner. Will you accept, me, Asagi Igawa as your partner in marriage?" She asked him, proposing to the blonde with an endearing and heartfelt smile. Naruto swallowed a lump in his throat, a large part of him still doubting his ears, however this was happening. A Taimanin was proposing marriage to him. She wanted him as her partner. How in the hell could he refuse?
"I do." Was the only response he could give since he didn't trust his own voice at the moment. Asagi then smiled even wider, her eyes gleaming as she nodded in gratitude.
"From this day forward we are partners and are henceforth married. Under my care, I shall protect you with my life and ensure that you will want for nothing." Asagi spoke and then she approached the blonde and planted her lips to his own. His eyes widened as he felt the softness and warmth of her lips against his own. Never in his life would he imagined that he'd have his first kiss with the famed Almighty Taimanin in his life.
After a few moments, she broke off the kiss and said "Our marriage contract is now sealed with our kiss. I look forward to working with, living with, and training with you from today on." At her words, Naruto felt joy and ecstasy fill his heart at the prospect of bonding with and getting to know Asagi, not only that, but he could now leave behind the Academy since being chosen by a Taimanin was an automatic ticket for graduation. As of now, he was a legal Shinobi.
"No! Asagi-san! Don't do this! That little brat isn't worthy of being your partner! He's the worst student in the entire Academy! You should have chosen Sas…" Iruka shouted angrily… but was silenced when Asagi roughly clapped him on the shoulder and squeezed around the collarbone… tightly. Which resulted in a crunching noise that made the Chunin let out a silent scream.
She then gave a soft giggle and sickly sweet smile as she led the Chunin away from both Naruto and the other children as she whispered to him "Listen here, Iruka-san. I've made my choice. Now, I've a mind to gut you right here, in front of all your students, and I wouldn't even be punished for it. However, since I don't want to potentially traumatize them, I shall restrain myself. BUT, if you continue to irritate me… I'll kill you and make my apologies to the children, their parents, and the Hokage later. It's your call."
While she didn't like to use threats or violence so casually… this man was seriously irritating her, and if he didn't shut up then she really would kill him and be done with it instead of suffering further and listening to that whiny voice of his.
Iruka swallowed a lump in his throat… and noted that her free hand was gripping her katana rather tightly, showing that she was prepared to kill him just as she had threatened. Legally speaking, Taimanin held absolute power in Konoha as authorized by the Hokage due to their fighting prowess and contributions to the village. If Asagi wanted to, she could most definitely kill him for even the most petty of reasons, or even no reason at all, and she wouldn't face any repercussions.
"Nod your head. Say 'whatever you want Asagi-san. Thank you Asagi-san' and walk away little man. You're not as important as you think you are." She spoke in a venomous tone, a clicking sound coming from her scabbard as she began to slowly draw her blade for emphasis.
Without any other choice, and with his instincts for self-preservation kicking in, Iruka rapidly nodded his head and squeaked out "Whatever you want Asagi-san. Thank you Asagi-san." The Taimanin gave a satisfied smirk and released the Chunin, allowing him to walk away and almost break out into a run as he tried to distance himself from her.
Asagi sighed and approached Naruto and said "Naruto. You come with me. You're done with this place. We'll swing by your apartment to get your personal belongings then you're coming with me to my home."
"Nah, that's okay. I don't really have any personal belongings anyway, though I guess I should pick up my clothes." Naruto added the last part as an afterthought, which caused the Almighty Taimanin to shake her head negatively.
"No need. If it is clothes you need, I'll buy you some later. If there's nothing you wish to collect from your home, then we can just go straight to mine then. Follow me Naruto-kun, it is important for a Taimanin and their partner to bond and get to know each other as quickly as possible." Asagi spoke, prompting her new partner to nod in agreement.
"Thanks Asagi-san. You're really nice. No wonder you're so popular." Naruto spoke, his words making her blush a bit. Most people often complimented her for her beauty or battle prowess, not many would compliment her for simply being nice. Oh yes… she was going to like Naruto a lot.
As they left the Academy grounds, other Taimanin who were scouting for partners saw them leaving together and shouted their congratulations to both Naruto and Asagi, meanwhile, almost everyone else were glaring at the Uzumaki in jealousy. As they walked through the village streets, many people looked at Asagi in awe and admiration and occasionally lust, but then they noticed who she was walking with and then would engage in frantic whispering as they gossiped of this new development.
Every so often, a photographer would peek out from around a corner or from an alleyway to catch a snapshot of the duo which made Naruto sweat-drop, seems as though word was gonna get around very fast that he and Asagi were now partners. No surprise given his own infamy amongst the village's populace and Asagi's own popularity.
As they walked, the number of people became fewer and fewer as they approached the Taimanin district. If he remembered correctly, as the Taimanin grew larger and larger in number and became more and more famous and popular, they began experiencing harassment from overeager fans and nosy reporters that had started invading their privacy, preventing the Taimanin from getting any peace and privacy while at home.
It was eventually proposed that the Taimanin would be segregated in their own district where they could live securely without being bothered by the rest of the villagers. They were allowed to police themselves and were even allowed to kill any and all intruders at their discretion. However, at the time, there came the question of where they would live.
Then, unexpectedly, the Uchiha massacre happened, leaving the entire Uchiha district empty. With all but one of the Uchiha's now gone, it was quickly dubbed meaningless to leave it in Sasuke's hands since he had no need for an entire district all to himself. Thus the Uchiha district was given to the Taimanin and redubbed as the Taimanin District.
Some protested this unprecedented action, mainly those who wanted to get in Sasuke's good graces. Said protestors argued that this was a violation against the Uchiha clan, to which many, including the Hokage, would quip 'What clan? It's just one boy now.'
From what Naruto had heard about the Taimanin District, they all lived in the lap of luxury in homes designed specifically to their tastes. Pretty vague, but it sounded like paradise in comparison to his crummy apartment that had a funny smell that consisted of mildew and rot.
It wasn't much longer until they arrived at a massive wall that separated the Taimanin district from the rest of the village. The wall was specifically designed to be resistant to Jutsu techniques and had certain seals placed upon it that prevented Shinobi from climbing over with the help of Chakra… supposedly said seals were implemented when a certain pervert kept on trying to break into their homes but repeatedly escaped capture.
There was also numerous signs planted across the wall that read as 'Go away!' or 'Trespassers will be killed on sight' or even 'Perverts will be castrated with extreme prejudice'. Understandably, the Taimanin were very serious about keeping intruders out since they valued their privacy.
Naruto then turned his attention to a large gate where an orange haired Taimanin with large breasts stood guard carrying a large weapon that resembled a bazooka. She was smoking a cigarette and observed both Asagi and the Uzumaki approaching before speaking "Yo, Asagi. Nice to see ya. Who's this? You finally get married?"
At this, the Almighty Taimanin nodded and replied "Indeed. This is my partner, Naruto Uzumaki. Naruto, meet Maika Kamimura, she frequently guards the district walls and gates. Anyone who tries to get in without one of our members' permission gets blasted by her flames. We'll make arrangements so that you'll have a passport so that you can enter and leave without issue."
"Nice to meet you Maika-san." Naruto greeted politely, though inwardly was thinking 'Seriously? You need a passport to get in and out of their district? Then again, I guess that's just another precaution.'
Asagi then produced a passport from seemingly thin air and presented it to the orange haired woman who inspected the passport carefully for any signs of forgery. She then nodded and spoke "Mkay. Checks out. Go on in. You enjoy yourself Naruto. Be seeing you around." Maika then snapped her fingers, and in response the gates started to open allowing the new couple to enter inside.
As they walked through the gates, Maika then suddenly called out from behind them "Hey Asagi, you bagged yourself a cute one. I'm kinda jelly." This earned a small laugh from the bluenette who waved Maika off as they continued on towards her home.
As they walked through the Taimanin district, the Uzumaki saw many of their homes, many of which were of unique designs. Some preferred western styles, others eastern styles, some had visible swimming pools, others had private gardens, each home obviously unique to their owners. They would sometimes pass by a Taimanin who would happily wave to Asagi, then take notice of Naruto and offer their congratulations before moving on.
Now that he thought about it, Asagi was also labeled as the unofficial but undisputed leader of the Taimanin themselves, which granted her even greater influence in the village. After a few more minutes of walking, they arrived at an eastern style home that had an elegant stone garden that could be outside as well as a private dojo for training. Huh… come to think of it, if Naruto's memory served him correctly, this exact spot used to be where the Uchiha compound used to be, the home of the clan head Fugaku and his family, Sasuke included.
A little ironic if you asked him, or perhaps a form of poetic justice since the blonde didn't have many good memories of when the Uchiha's were around, though he did have some nice memories of Itachi who treated him with decency and his mother Mikoto who was also nice to him on the few occasions they met.
A shame that Mikoto died, maybe if she had lived Sasuke wouldn't have been such an asshole. Ah well, no point in speculation. "Everything okay Naruto-kun?" Asagi asked as she unlocked the front door of her home, which prompted the whiskered teen to reply "I'm fine. Was just thinking about something. Don't worry about it."
She accepted his answer and then ushered him inside of her home. At the entryway, Naruto removed his Shinobi sandals with the bluenette removing her own footwear as they entered deeper inside. "Make yourself at home, feel free to look around. My home is now your home." Asagi spoke and then made a sweeping gesture as if to say he had free reign of the place now.
The blonde accepted her invitation and began looking around to familiarize himself with his new surroundings. The first place he took notice of was the kitchen which was equipped with the latest, most advanced, and most expensive appliances available, he took a peek inside the oven and concluded that it was gas powered, a lot of things in here must be powered by gas including the heat and water.
He then looked inside the refrigerator and found it to be fully stocked, filled to the brim with fresh vegetables and meats of all sorts. One could probably cook damn near anything within reason with all of these ingredients. "There's more ingredients in the pantry, you can also find spices and the like in there too. Fresh groceries are delivered weekly and trash is taken on the weekends, don't forget to properly separate trash from recyclables." Asagi explained, earning a nod from the blonde as he shut the fridge and continued exploring Asagi's home.
The next area he encountered was the living room where plush leather couches could be seen, facing toward an enormous flat-screen TV that hanged off the wall, beneath it were shelves of numerous movies that Asagi owned, all neatly arranged alphabetically and by series and amongst them was "Princess Gale?" Naruto asked upon seeing one of his favorite movie series amidst her collection.
"Oh? Are you a fan? I always liked that series. I admit… I might've even drawn some inspiration for certain techniques from them." Asagi explained with a small smile, it would seem that she and Naruto also had similar tastes as well, which was further proof of their compatibility.
"Yup. Always loved those movies. I'm eager for the next one to come out." Naruto spoke with a smile.
"I am as well." She replied warmly as the blonde continued perusing around, and then he noticed of an electronic device that was connected to the TV via a cable, he had seen such things advertised on TV and occasionally seen them in the windows of certain stores. If he remembered right, this was a console for playing video games, and sitting next to the console was a box labeled 'Taimanin Action!' which featured Asagi and some other Taimanin on the cover.
"Wait, what? You have your own video game too?!" Naruto shouted in surprise since he had never heard of a Taimanin themed game.
"Oh, that? A certain game company requested to use our likenesses and consulted us about its development and how to accurately depict us. Not my usual thing, but I didn't see the harm in it. It's not yet available to the general public, but feel free to play it if you want. My sister Sakura loves video games. I think you'll like her. She's off on a mission right now but should be back in a few days." Asagi explained earning an excited look from her new partner.
He had never played a video game before, such things were far too expensive for him due to his limited stipend. He certainly wouldn't mind giving it a try later. "Bedroom and Bath is upstairs, you already saw the dojo outside. We'll see about getting you some new clothes tomorrow. Now then, sit down. Take a load off. Let's get to know each other." Asagi spoke as she sat down on the couch with the blonde joining her at her request.
He had heard many stories about her and saw her on TV often, but he didn't really know that much about her personally. "Tell me a little about yourself, Naruto-kun. What kind of foods do you like? What was it like in the Academy?"
At her questions, the Uzumaki frowned a bit at the mention of the Academy then answered "Ramen's my favorite food, though I also like a good pizza. As for the Academy… well… it was hell for me."
Asagi pursed her lips as she crossed one leg over the other and spoke "That Iruka seemed to have it out for you for some reason. How bad was it really? Oh, sorry, if the subject is too sensitive, you don't need to answer."
The Jinchuuriki shook his head and replied "Nah. It's fine. It was always tough for me in the Academy. Some students often bullied me, teased me or called me names, and I couldn't do anything about it because then I'd just get into deeper trouble. I failed two Graduation exams which resulted in me being called the 'Dead-last' a nickname that bastard Iruka encouraged. What a prick. I'm pretty sure he kept on pairing me with Sasuke just so the precious 'Rookie of the year' would be able to make use of his punching bag."
"That's awful. I am so sorry you went through all of that. Iruka and many others repeatedly suggested to me and introduced me to Sasuke Uchiha at every given opportunity. Never before had I met such an ungrateful, spoiled, and entitled little brat who thought he is owed everything because of his pedigree." Asagi spoke in a disgruntled voice, but at least now she didn't have to worry so much about it now that she finally had a partner.
"Doesn't surprise me. I think that everyone just wants to get in on Sasuke's good side so they can get his money. I'm more than certain that his army of Fangirls are probably encouraged and egged on by their parents to hook up with him for his money." Naruto spoke as he clasped his hands behind his head with a sigh, grateful to be finally free of that particular headache.
"Is he aware of this?" Asagi questioned, if he was aware, then it seemed strange that the Uchiha hadn't done anything to discourage people from trying to cozy up to him.
"I doubt he even cares. Even if he does know, he probably either enjoys the attention or believes that his money just gives him power over others or something like that. Now can we please talk about something else? Just talking about that douchebag is starting to upset me." Naruto practically pleaded at the end, earning an apologetic expression from the bluenette.
"I'm sorry. I got off track. Why don't you try asking me a question then? I'm an open book for you, Naruto-kun." She offered, which made the blonde think for a second before he asked her "Sure, I've got one, out of all the people you could have picked… why'd you pick me? You could've chosen anyone you wanted, but you picked me, the Dead-last of the Academy. Why?"
She was caught off-guard for a brief moment since she hadn't expected him to ask that one point blank, but she supposed that she should have seen it coming since this must all still be a shock to him, the reality of his new situation probably hadn't sunk in yet either. She sighed and then started to answer his question as best she could "Well, I have been trying to find a viable partner for years now, unfortunately my own fame and popularity made it difficult to find a good partner. Many wished to join me, hoping to coast off my fame and fortune or simply desired me for my body.
There were a few occasions that I'd almost chosen poorly, but thanks to the help of my sister and friends I was able to avoid making said poor decisions. From the first moment I sensed you, I felt that you were different than many I had previously encountered, especially when I took notice when that Iruka fellow tried repeatedly to discourage me from speaking with or even considering you for marriage. I am also aware of your… unique status in the village as well, yet despite your upbringing you retained a strong sense of loyalty, kindness and justice, traits that I admire very much."
When she had finished speaking, the blonde smiled and nodded as he spoke "I'm glad. It means a lot to hear you say all that. I guess even being famous and gorgeous has its drawbacks. At any rate, I'll do my best to support you as your partner Asagi-san."
"Please. You can call me Asagi-chan if you wish. We must become comfortable and familiar with each other if we're to be proper partners." She spoke with a soft smile, which Naruto returned as he blushed a bit while rubbing the back of his head. It felt a bit strange to refer to her in such a casual and affectionate manner, then again she had already started referring to him as 'kun' so he supposed that he should respond in kind.
"Okay, sure… Asagi-chan. By the way, if I'm to be your partner, when do we start training? I'm also supposed to give you Chakra right? How do I do that? Is there some kind of special Taimanin related technique I should know about." He asked at the end out of innocent curiosity, also… it actually felt nice to call her 'Asagi-chan' ; it almost rolled off the tongue for him as a matter of fact. Rather surprising really.
The Almighty Taimanin blushed a bit, a slight look of discomfort on her face before she smiled and replied "Now, now, you only just got here. We can worry about that a little later after you've settled in." At her words the Uzumaki nodded in agreement since that made sense. He was kinda jumping the gun a bit there anyway… however he couldn't help but notice that it appeared as if she was avoiding his question. Why?
Was it something embarrassing or was it simply a touchy subject? If that was the case, he wouldn't pry about it. He was sure that she would explain it to him in her own time. "By the way… what is that you're supposed to be wearing?" She asked out of nowhere and gestured to his orange jumpsuit before continuing "It is making my eyes hurt just looking at it."
The whiskered teen sweat-dropped and asked "Why does nobody like my outfit? What's wrong with orange? It was also from a bargain bin sale so it was real cheap too." He added that last part with anime tears, due to his stipend he was very limited on what he could or couldn't buy, thus he was always on the lookout for cheap deals.
"Too much orange. Way too much orange. It's hideous and gaudy. We need to find you something more suitable later… and then we can burn that hideous thing. Just looking at it is giving me an urge to chop it up." Asagi grumbled as she started to draw her blade without even realizing it.
"Don't chop me up!" Naruto cried out in fear since he was still wearing it, which seemed to cause Asagi's senses to return as she sheathed her blade while mumbling an apology, a light dusting of pink on her cheeks from the slightly embarrassing display.
She then giggled a bit which made the blonde laugh in turn since it was a little funny, the Almighty Taimanin then proposed "What say we watch a little TV as we talk? We might find something interesting at this time I think." At this, the Uzumaki nodded in agreement, since she had just brought it up, he was kinda wondering how crisp and clear the picture would be when it came on. His old TV was all grainy and glitchy back home to the point that it was almost unwatchable, so it would be nice to finally get a clear picture.
Asagi reached for the remote and pushed a small red button at the top, causing the TV to come to life, the speakers suddenly came to life as well and the picture revealed what appeared to be a news report… with the words 'BREAKING NEWS' flying across the screen which then showed several photos of himself and Asagi walking together through the village streets and entering through the Taimanin District's Gates.
A news anchor then appeared sitting behind a desk and then spoke "According to numerous eyewitnesses and photographic evidence, as shown, the famed Taimanin Asagi Igawa has made a highly controversial decision in choosing one Naruto Uzumaki as her partner. Naruto is infamously known for his many pranks and his lackluster performance in the Academy.
Many were of the mind that Sasuke Uchiha would be her chosen partner due to his natural strength, talent, and skills that earned him the top spot in the Academy. Sadly, it seems that this powerful combination of the Uchiha Elite and the Almighty Taimanin was not to be. We now go live at the Konoha Academy itself where witnesses of Asagi's marriage proposal was observed."
Once the anchor was done speaking, both Asagi and Naruto looked at each other with expressions of surprise, while they initially figured that word would get out about them now being partners… they didn't expect it to happen this fast. Then again, given their respective reputations and that they lived in a Shinobi Village, it shouldn't be that huge of a surprise how quickly word had spread.
They turned their attention back to the television screen where the face of one Ino Yamanka could be seen with a look of surprise as several microphones were almost shoved in her face. "Wow… you guys got here super fast… do you guys have Shinobi training or something?" Ino asked out of curiosity, earning some chuckles from the reporters.
"You are a classmate of Naruto Uzumaki, do you have any comment about him being partnered with Asagi Igawa?" Asked one of the reporters while the sounds of scribbling could be heard, apparently they were already or getting ready to take notes.
"Well… I'm kinda happy for him I guess. He's always had a hard time in the Academy, so I think he needed a leg-up to succeed." The blonde heiress responded with a small smile.
"Word has it that Naruto is a troublemaker, care to comment on that? Why do you think Asagi picked him over Sasuke?" Another reporter questioned while pushing a microphone closer to Ino's face that made her scowl in annoyance. Seriously, did reporters and paparazzi not understand the concept of personal space?
"It's true that Naruto's a prankster, but he's not a bad guy. He's actually pretty nice when you get to know him. I dunno why she picked him, but I guess she saw something in him beyond his subpar grades. I mean, Taimanin aren't just looking for strength in their partners, right? Otherwise they'd probably be pairing with Anbu or Jonin. Maybe they're looking for something… more. I dunno if that makes sense or not, but that's how I feel about it." Ino explained, while the sounds of furious scribbling could be heard.
"You said that Naruto has been struggling in the Academy. Could you please expand on that?" A third reporter asked.
"Well, from what I know and have seen, Naruto always has difficulty in performing certain Jutsu, most prominently the Academy taught Clone Jutsu that's needed to pass the Graduation Exam. I have even seen and heard him ask Iruka-sensei for help, but he always turns Naruto away." She answered causing the reporters to explode into a jabbering mess as the camera panned away from Ino and then focused on the form of the scarred Chunin himself a short distance away.
"Ohh, this is gonna be good." Naruto commented with sadistic glee, wanting to see the Chunin humiliate himself on live television, and even better, prove just how bad of a teacher he was to the whole village.
The reporters than swarmed the Chunin as they shoved their microphones into his face making him recoil backwards as he was bombarded with questions, most prominently 'Is it true you refused to help a student struggling to pass the Academy's graduation exam?'
At that particular question, the scarred Chunin scoffed as he straightened his vest and headband before replying with a fake smile "Of course not. I don't know where you got that idea from. I always told him that he needed to keep practicing, but it seems he never bothered to take my advice. It's not my fault he is a bad student."
"That fucking liar. He never gave me any advice at all. What a poser." Naruto muttered angrily as he flipped the bird towards the TV screen or more specifically at the Chunin himself, all the while Asagi frowned deeply at Iruka's behavior.
The reporters could be heard scribbling more notes before one pointed out "Naruto Uzumaki has been in your class since his very first day at the Academy, yes? If he is such a bad student as you claim, why didn't you or your partner make attempts to push him towards being a better student? Why hasn't he been able to master the Clone jutsu during his tenure in his class?"
At that line of questioning, Iruka's facial expression almost instantly changed as his face paled, sweat started to form on his skin and his face became all scrunched up, like he was trying to keep himself from losing control of his bowels in that moment, and his eyes wouldn't stop looking around, as if he were trying to find some kind of exit to run to.
"Are you neglecting all of your students or just the ones you don't like?" One reporter asked.
"There have been long-standing rumors that certain officials are bribing others to give preferential treatment to Sasuke Uchiha. Are Academy teachers like yourself involved?" Another asked.
"What do you have to say for yourself? Are you corrupt? Why hasn't Naruto Uzumaki improved under your tutelage? What are you even teaching in your class? Are the children being properly prepared for their Shinobi careers? Is the future generation of Konoha's military compromised?" Another reporter asked in a rapid-fire manner.
Iruka's face started to grow red as the pressure mounted on him, which seemed to increase further since they had him backed into a corner. Growing irritated with their line of questioning and wanting them to be silent… Iruka perhaps made the worst mistake of his life.
"SHUT UP! ALL OF YOU! LEAVE ME ALONE!" Iruka lashed out then stormed off, trying to retreat from the reporters before they could question him further. Not that they needed to, his reaction was all that they needed… Suffice it to say, Iruka was definitely gonna answer for that later.
As this went on, Naruto's stomach grumbled which made Asagi giggle a bit as she turned off the TV and then spoke "Seems like someone's hungry. Food sounds like a good idea right about now. How does steak sound? Would you like to try some filet mignon?" She got up from the couch and made her way towards the kitchen where she retrieved a large cookbook loaded with numerous recipes and then flipped over towards the appropriate section.
The Uzumaki swallowed as his mouth salivated at the thought of a good meal "Never had steak before." He commented since it was yet another thing he had never been able to try, again due to a limited budget, and filet mignon? If he remembered, that was the most expensive cut of all. Wow… he had just gone from living in a slum, to living like a damned king.
"No? Never? Well, I think it's time to fix that. I think I'll wrap it up in a nice layer of bacon." She spoke with a smile while tracing her finger along the page of a certain recipe and then began to collect the necessary ingredients from the fridge and pantry along with a variety of spices.
"Now I need a side dish to serve it with. Naruto-kun? Would you prefer a baked potato or french fries?" She asked with a kind smile, her words only making the blonde's mouth water further until drool could be seen leaking from the corner of his mouth, which he quickly caught and wiped away.
"Uhh, the latter if that's fine. Also… you seem to know your way around a kitchen." Naruto commented at the end to which Asagi giggled slightly.
"I love to cook, it's something of a hobby of mine. Also it is a good skill to have when one is traveling about on the road." She explained with the blonde nodding in understanding, while he was no stranger to a kitchen he often had little room to experiment due to limited ingredients and tools… and again, a limited budget.
"Please Naruto-kun. Sit down, relax. There's no need for formalities. This is your home now. I want you to feel welcome. As I promised you earlier, you won't want for anything. Also, if anyone dares try to intimidate you into leaving me, don't hesitate to speak with me about it, I won't allow anyone to even think of trying to bully you." She promised him with a sweet smile, which almost brought a tear to the Jinchuuriki's eye as he took a seat as he observed Asagi preparing their meal.
No longer was he alone in an old and decaying apartment, he now had the chance for a new life, and a fresh start by Asagi's side as her partner. He had only known her a short time and she was already treating him with such care and kindness. He could only hope that he could live up to whatever expectations she may have for him. Starting today, a new chapter in his life was about to begin.
End chapter one.