(Author's Note: I have gotten a couple comments about Naruto completely playing the adults like fiddles. If I wrote the adults to be too stupid, then that was a failure on my part. The idea I had was to empower Naruto with knowledge on the timeline that would enable him to bluff the concerned parties into submission. Naruto used that knowledge combined with what amount to gifts to gain favor or whatever he needs. Yes, the adults would try to fight back and look for him. Yes, there would likely be more resistance, but I didn't write that out. Thanks for the feedback and I hope you keep enjoying Kami's Experiment.)
-Sunagakore – October 8th, 10-years after the Kyuubi Attack-
Naruto, Tsunade and Shizune were finishing their trip through the desert. Naruto appreciated the more frequent rest stops that were built and maintained by Suna. Over the last 5-years, Suna shinobi have been using Naruto's 'scanning seal' to look for underground water in the desert before raising it to the surface. The rest stops weren't frequent, but they were each built on top of a small underground lake that Naruto used to turn the area into an oasis.
By digging out a path for the water to flow and then using a hefty amount of earth chakra, Naruto was able to raise the underwater reservoirs and bring them to the surface. This resulted in dots of green breaking up the dreary Suna desert. It also made the trip much easier on traders and brought a bit of business into Suna, which garnered the attention of the Wind Daimyo.
The Senju family was going to Suna to check in on their 'Project Oasis', the project that has been ongoing for nearly five years. The engineering effort was all aimed at bringing the massive reservoir hiding miles under Suna closer to the surface so that it could be used for Suna's benefit rather than sitting untapped. They were getting close to finishing the effort and Raza had reached out to Naruto for the final stage of the project, or at least that was the story Tsunade told him.
The Senju family walked up to the main gates and saw that the Kazekage and his children, along with Chiyo and Ebisu, were waiting for them. As Naruto got closer, Temari ran forward and tackled him in a hug, much to the amusement of the adults watching.
"Oh, Ruto, it has been too long! I missed these hugs!" Temari said as Naruto was pinned on the sand with Temari rubbing her face on his chest.
Naruto blushed a bit but resigned himself to rubbing Temari's back and returning her hug. It was never in his plans to hijack this relationship but considering that she was his best female friend it just kind of happened. He was very close to Temari, and he was on brotherly terms with Gaara and Kankuro. Raza had mentioned an arranged marriage to Tsunade almost every time they met but was likewise rebuffed. Each time Tsunade said the same thing, 'If it happens naturally, it happens. I am going to let Naruto choose who he loves.'
"Heya, Temari, how have you been?" He responded as she continued glomming him.
"I have been good. I will graduate from Suna's academy this year and become a kunoichi. My wind training is going really well too. We will have to spar later." She responded excitedly.
Naruto finally broke the hug and the two kids stood up and dusted themselves off. Naruto shot a cocky grin at her. "If you want to lose that badly, then I am okay with it."
She slugged him in the shoulder in response. "Don't make me unseal my fan. And you really should respect your elders, nobody likes a brat."
"A brat you say? Well, this brat can still take you to the cleaners, fan girl." Naruto answered her challenge blow for blow.
Temari threw her hands in the air, "Gah! Fine, do you always have to have the last word, Ruto!" Temari was using a strangely childish and pouty tone as she said this.
Naruto waved her off and shrugged before walking over to the adults. The group made their way to the middle of the city, where there was nearly a square mile cleared away. This was going to be a manmade lake and it would provide a much-needed relief to the desert heat. As they approached the center of the cleared-out area, which was nearly 50-feet lower than the edge of the soon-to-be lake, Naruto noticed the 50-square-foot hole that descended into the depths of the desert.
The head engineer walked over to the Senju group and shook hands with each member. He turned and bowed to the Kazekage before speaking.
"Lord Kazekage, to what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?" The man spoke in a professional and submissive tone.
"Relax, Toji, we are just here for a status update. Naruto is most interested in the progress we have made." Raza replied in a relaxed tone in attempt to calm the poor man down.
"Oh, very good, very good. Well, Lord Senju, we have steadily raised the lake and the top of the water is only 100-feet down. This is going to be the main spout and we have reinforced the ground that has been cleared out so that it can sustain the weight of the reservoir."
Naruto was impressed by that. That means they had completed the movement of the water and now all they had to do was pump it into the manmade lake. "That's awesome, Toji. You have done amazing work on this. When will the pumping begin?"
"Well, the Kazekage insisted we wait until after…" The man was halted by Raza, who had his hand covering the man's mouth.
He looked at Naruto apologetically. "Sorry, Naruto, we are trying to keep it low key. Village secrets and all that."
Naruto wasn't buying Raza's strange behavior or pathetic excuse. As he looked around at his group, he noticed that nobody was making eye contact with him. "Okay, spill it. What is going on?"
Tsunade forced a smile on her face. "Nothing, kiddo. Why don't we go enjoy dinner at the Kazekage mansion?"
Naruto shrugged before speaking. "Okay, well, let me know if there is anything you need, Toji. I would be more than happy to help. I can't wait to jump in the lake."
Kankuro started giggling perversely as he rubbed his hands together. "Yes, yes, Suna will finally have a swimming area, which means girls in swimsuits…" A combination of Gaara's sand and Temari's fan left bruises on Kankuro's chest and head.
Naruto shot a deadpan look at Gaara. "This is our brother… what has gotten into him?"
Gaara nodded sagely. "I do not know, Naruto. Father explained that it is most likely the effects of puberty on a boy that is obsessed with women's products and dolls."
"They are puppets! And it isn't makeup, it's war paint!" Kankuro whined while shooting a betrayed look at his father, which earned a round of laughter from the group.
Two days later, around noon, Temari roped Naruto into putting on a blindfold because she wanted to give him his birthday present. Naruto did his best to suppress his senses because he didn't want to cheat and spoil his surprise. Suddenly, Naruto felt the familiar feeling of a shunshin and moments later Temari's excited voice filled his senses.
"Okay, Ruto, you can take your blindfold off!"
Naruto removed his blindfold and saw he was on the edge of the no longer empty lake. The lake was filling up at a slow pace and Naruto saw that the citizens of Suna were gathered around the edge of the lake and cheering as it filled up. He saw Tsunade and Shizune standing behind him with smiles on their faces and Temari wrapped him up in another big hug.
"It is all thanks to you. I convinced daddy to wait until you made it back so that you could enjoy the moment with us." She whispered in his ear, clearly excited and grateful to see something that would bring life to the desert city.
"Nah, Temari, this was a village wide effort. I didn't do this, Suna did. I am glad I was here for this though." A peaceful smile rested on Naruto's face as he wrapped an arm around Temari's waist. To his consternation she was only getting taller than him, despite his healthier eating.
The group watched the lake fill up for twenty minutes before Temari took Naruto's hand and walked him back to the Kazekage mansion. They took their time and greeted the people of Suna, who watched the cute sight with smiles on their faces. The Senju name was held in almost as much honor as the Subaku name in Suna now and everyone seemed to think the pair were destined to be together.
Temari convinced Naruto to stop and buy her dango, which he naturally obliged. They munched on the delicious snack and memories of the crazy snake lady flittered through his mind. He didn't know why he shivered, but he did. Naruto was sad that Anko died to Kabuto early on in the war and he never got a chance to know the beautiful kunoichi better. Yet another thing he would have to change in this life.
After dango, Temari walked hand-in-hand with Naruto back to the Kazekage mansion with Tsunade and Shizune trailing them with shit-eating-grins on their faces. They finally made it back to the house and Temari opened the door and insisted on Naruto going in. After casting a sidelong look her way, Naruto walked into the house. Inside, Tazuna, Kaisa, Tsunami, Inari, York, Kinji, Madame Shijimi, Kaori (their daughter), Jiraiya, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Raza, Yoshimaru, Gaara, Kankuro, and the Wind Daimyo Hoto and his wife, who was like 20-years younger than him. There were also a number of friends he made in Suna that this author doesn't feel like specifying.
"Surprise!" They all yelled as Jiraiya summoned toads that blew party toys and threw confetti.
"Whao! Thanks guys, you got me." Naruto said with a smile on his face. He turned and looked at Tsunade, who nodded to him with a satisfied, motherly smile on her face.
"We wanted to do something special for you, brat. So, I worked with Raza to set this all up. The Daimyos insisted on coming, so don't blame me for that."
Kinji let out a hearty laugh. Kinji was a Samurai General before he took over from his father and became Daimyo. He was 48-years-old, his body still radiated strength and power, along with an aura of dignity and supreme confidence. He started his reign a couple years before Minato took over as the Hokage. As new rulers, the two were very close and had many plans change Fire country for the better, which obviously didn't work out. Since meeting Naruto, he has paid very close attention to the boy, especially since he was the next Daimyo of Whirlpool by birthright.
"Don't be like that, my boy. Of course, we would make it out to this special event." Kinji said in a boisterous voice. "Especially after how much you have helped us with those seals of yours."
Madame Shijimi ran up and demonstrated why Tora always ran away as she glommed onto Naruto and shoved his head into her cleavage. "Yes, yes, there is no way I would miss this. You are practically family, after all." The loud woman then got quiet and whispered in his ear. "Plus, those bras you gave me were life changing. I will be ordering hundreds more, feel free to charge whatever you like."
A nearly suffocated Naruto's answer was muffled by the woman's bust, but his up and down motion told the woman that he got the message. She let him go and Naruto took in a big breath of air. Naruto heard snickering through the mind link and Naruto sent a projection of Guy and Lee's eternal sunset, which rapidly stifled the sniggering fox.
After Kinji and Shijimi, Hoto and his wife made their way over. Hoto was not like Kinji, he inherited the throne early from his father and had zero combat experience. Naruto honestly didn't like the man, but he had been working to make sure he sent missions to Suna when it was appropriate to do so. He remembered Gaara telling him that was one of the main reason Suna had joined the invasion of Konoha. Naruto plastered a smile on his face and greeted the Wind Daimyo.
"Lord Hoto, I am humbled that you chose to join me for my birthday. You never told me about the beauty of your wife though." Naruto dipped his head in a show of respect.
"Oh ho, Lord Senju, always such the charmer. This is my wife Tiri and her beauty is second to none in the land of Wind." The chubby man boasted.
Naruto turned to Tiri, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Tiri. I am sure you are just as beautiful inside as you are out."
The woman let a melodious chuckle escape her lips from behind the sleeve of her kimono. "I could say the same to you, young Senju. I am truly grateful for all you have done to help our country. I can barely recognize this village anymore."
Hoto cut in, "Yes, yes, Suna is in an age of prosperity. Look, my boy, you simply must come and visit me and my family at our estate in the Wind capitol. I would love to hook you up with my niece."
Naruto tried to maintain his smile as he replied. "You honor me by your invitation, Lord Hoto. I will see if mother would allow me a break from my training. It is nearly time for me to return to Konoha and she has ramped up my training quite a bit."
"Oh ho, very good. I will be sure to speak with Lady Tsunade. Enjoy the rest of your party, my boy." Hoto replied dismissively.
Naruto relaxed and let out a sigh as the stodgy politician finally left him alone. He caught the apologetic smile of Tiri as she walked away, such a shame a lady like her had to settle with a guy like that. Kankuro clapped Naruto on the back and Gaara put a friendly hand on his shoulder.
"I always hate dealing with that fat bastard. At least he has gotten better since you came to Suna." Kankuro whispered in his ear.
"Indeed, he is nearly enough for me to give into Shukaku's wishes to paint my sand with his blood." Gaara added in a dry monotone, which earned a weary look from Kankuro and a laugh from Naruto.
"He ain't worth it, Gaara. You have too much to lose. Let him be and we will work around him." Naruto whispered over his shoulder to Gaara.
As he was talking to the Subaku brothers, Naruto locked eyes with the Hokage and knew that he should probably get this over with. He walked over to Tsunade after saying goodbye to Gaara and Kankuro before he gestured with his head toward Hiruzen and Jiraiya. She simply nodded in a resigned fashion and put a comforting hand on his shoulder as they walked over to the two Konoha shinobi.
"Let's take this to a more private room. And you two will be quick with it, today is about my grandson, it isn't about you two." Tsunade said in a hushed tone saturated with a warning neither of the two men could ignore.
After the two agreed, they walked out of the living room and into the guest room upstairs. Naruto weaved through hand signs and placed his hand on the door after everyone entered, which surprised Jiraiya.
"Sensei told me you were good with fuinjutsu, but it is still surprising to see that." Jiraiya said, shaking his head.
Naruto deadpanned at him, "I have been able to do that since I was five. So, grandfather, what did you want to say?"
Jiraiya froze while Tsunade slapped her hand to her face. As Jiraiya remained in a gob smacked state, Naruto turned to Hiruzen. "So, old man, I saw that the accounts were reimbursed. Thanks for that."
Hiruzen suppressed the grumbling he wanted to do. He had to fight tooth and nail against the stingy council to get that money back. Kinji's insistence had played a key role in helping Hiruzen succeed. "You are welcome, Naruto. I do hope we can move forward from here."
"Sure, new chapter and all that. Just make sure the new chapter isn't a repeat of the past. Old man Kinji told me you got rid of the civilian council, or at least the worst parts of it." Naruto replied in a neutral tone.
Hiruzen cracked a smile, "Yes, that was one positive to come from all of this. The civilian council was reduced in size and is solely an advisory body. Multiple council members were arrested for theft, abuse of power and other such crimes. Will you be coming back to Konoha after this?"
"No, I will continue my training and return for the final semester. Gaara will be one of the exchange students for that semester and I will be there to help him through it." Naruto's tone remained constantly neutral, as did his facial expressions.
Jiraiya finally snapped out of it and his wide eyes stared at Tsunade, who had her arms crossed under her bust and looked at him neutrally. "Am I … is he …"
Tsunade sighed, "Yes, Jiraiya. He is not only your godson, but he is also your grandson. I told sensei not to tell you because it is a family matter." Hiruzen winced at the implication that he wasn't family. "Minato was our lost son, and we never knew. While we are on the topic of lineage, I can tell you that Uncle Tobirama was your father. I don't know about your mom."
Jiraiya fainted at the information overload, and everyone just let him process the information on his own. Tsunade turned her gaze to Hiruzen, and tension built in the room. Hiruzen was the first to crack. "I apologize to both of you for failing to protect Naruto. I justified it in my mind that I couldn't show favoritism and that the village came before one person. I was wrong and I apologize for my failures." Hiruzen bowed his head to the two Senjus.
Naruto cut off Tsunade's growl by taking the lead. "Relax, old man. My anger with you has faded. It is right there, under the surface, but it will continue to fade in time. I am sure you have heard what we have been up to, thanks for keeping the council off our butts. I wouldn't want momma to become a missing nin because she killed whoever they sent after us."
Hiruzen's smile grew as he listened to Naruto. "Yes, well if you didn't secure a better treaty between Suna and Konoha, they would have raised a stink. It is embarrassing for the strongest of the great five to fall behind Suna in some ways. Although, I must admit that I enjoyed the changes that were made. The rest stops were a massive relief compared to the old journey through the desert."
Naruto shrugged and rolled his eyes before replying. "Look, old man, staying mad at you is tiring and I honestly have better things to do with my life. I assure you that I am loyal to Konoha, but that doesn't mean I am not going to help whoever I can. The changes to Suna were all me and Momma, at least the seals. The flourishing of Wave, yeah that was us. If you keep those old farts off my back, I promise I will bring the same to Konoha. I just needed to get out of there."
Jiraiya had regained consciousness at some point and was listening intently to Naruto. "Tell me, brat, what was so bad about Konoha?"
Naruto's eyes dimmed and he shot a lifeless look at Jiraiya. "Did you know my food in the orphanage, the scraps that I got, often had rat poisoning in it? Did you know that while other kids got to play, I was made to clean? Did Hiruzen tell you that I slept and lived in a broom closet? What about the kids blaming everything that went wrong on me, which the old bat would use as justification to further starve me or beat me? To top it all off, on my fourth birthday I was thrown out and nearly 100 villagers gathered together to beat me half to death. If my dad's failsafe didn't activate, I could have died. Now, after that, do you believe the beatings would have ended there? Please share your wisdom with me, oh great toad Sanin."
Jiraiya and Hiruzen's faces drooped, and their eyes fell to the floor in shame. Their guilt was worse than their anger at the villagers because either of them could have prevented that from happening. He should have been the prince of Konoha and instead he was villainized for something he never did. Tsunade was crying because she knew in Naruto's previous life the mistreatment had continued for most of his life. Not to mention the betrayal of the village he saved during the 4th war.
"Look, if I am being honest here, I will tell you that I am broken. Yes, momma, I am going to tell them." Naruto paused here and took a deep breath. "To compensate for my treatment, my mind fractured, and I developed Multiple Personality Disorder. If you ever doubted if I was exaggerating, well there you go." Naruto tone was dead, completely devoid of the mirth that should have been present in a child.
Jiraiya fell to his knees and Hiruzen's head hit his chest as the two fully grown men cried out of guilt and frustration. "I … sniff… I am so… sniff… sorry!" Jiraiya prostrated himself and slammed his head against the ground.
Life suddenly returned to Naruto as he shook off the haunting memories of the past, but really Hikari was inside his mind trying to push her influence into Naruto to bring back his innocent spark. He went to Jiraiya and hugged him, making the old toad break down even more. Tsunade was losing the fight against her own tears at the scene and Hiruzen was trying to recompose himself. It took five minutes for the regroup to regain their composure, and it was Jiraiya that spoke first.
"Well, it sounds like I have a lot of making up to do. What do you say I train you and I can even let you sign the Toad summoning contract as a birthday present?"
Naruto had given the toads some thought, but he had a feeling that they weren't the way to go this time around, especially after their betrayal last time around. His visit to Uzu's hidden archives had a couple summoning contracts, but they were mainly water related and they didn't feel right either. For some reason, he got a feeling that Kami had something planned for him and he was going to wait to see what that was. Naruto sighed before he formed the Rasengan in his right hand and spoke to the gob smacked pair of Konoha shinobi.
"I train myself, for the most part. Momma helps me out for a couple hours every few days and provides tests, but I really don't need your training. As for the toads, I have a gut instinct telling me not to sign that contract and I am inclined to listen to it." Naruto spoke firmly, to ensure he would get through his grandfather's thick skull. He declined the training because Jiraiya's style of training was actually infuriating when Naruto reflected on it.
Jiraiya was sputtering, so Hiruzen spoke for his stunned student. "Naruto, I don't doubt you are strong, but what would possess you to deny training from a Sanin? And why would you decline one of the great three summons?"
Instead of answering Hiruzen, Naruto turned to Tsunade. "Should I show them?"
Tsunade shrugged, "They are going to find out sooner or later. I guess it depends on if you trust them to keep your secret."
Naruto sighed and fixed his gaze on the two men. "Well, can I trust you to keep a secret, even if you feel like it would be your obligation to report it to the council?"
Jiraiya instantly nodded, but Hiruzen hesitated. Finally, Hiruzen nodded and said, "If it doesn't endanger the village…"
This instantly made Naruto think, 'Kami, how did I know the old monkey was going to say that.' Naruto laughed at the old monkey. "Damn, old man, you are so predictable. Village this and village that. Whatever."
Naruto turned toward a table in the room and put his hand on the wood, making it grow and form into a chair that he sat down on. As the two fully-grown idiots pointed and sputtered, Naruto pulled $10 out of his wallet and handed it to Tsunade. "Damn, I was sure one of them would have fainted."
Tsunade gleefully plucked the bill out of his hand and put it in her cleavage before raising her fist into the air and shouting, "Finally! I have won a bet against the brat! I finally did it!"
This broke the two old goats out of their sputtering and made Naruto laugh heartily. "Yeah, yeah, you did it Momma. Congrats."
Jiraiya scooped Naruto into a big hug and Hiruzen sighed. "Of course, of course you would have the Mokuton."
"My grandson is awesome. My grandson is going to have a harem for sure!" Jiraiya was cheering wholeheartedly, drawing sweat drops from Naruto and Hiruzen while Tsunade made the room temperature drop below freezing. Jiraiya craned his neck mechanically toward Tsunade, who was stalking towards him. He attempted to hide behind Naruto, but the boy wriggled out of his embrace and left him high and dry. Tsunade planted Jiraiya into the wall of the guest room, leaving spiderweb cracks in the room that shook the house, causing the guests downstairs to pause what they were doing and look upstairs.
"Okay, now that momma has gotten a shot in on the old perv, can we get back to the party. We have been up here long enough. We said what needed to be said and the rest will work itself out in time."
Tsunade dusted off her knuckles. "Ruto is right. I am done with this, and I need some sake."
Naruto was mad that he couldn't drink in front of others because he was feeling the exact same thing. Luckily for him, Tsunade knew this, and she would continually spike his drinks for him throughout the night. Other than the long overdue talk, it was a great birthday party. Naruto remembered the birthday parties he had in this very house during the resistance, but there was something special about it when the fate of the world wasn't looming overhead.
He spent most of the night dodging glomming attempts from Kaori, a friendly reminder that she is the Fire Daimyo's daughter, and Temari. He enjoyed hanging out with Gaara and laughing at Kankuro's antics. He wished he still had the childhood innocence to enjoy the games the Suna kids were playing, but he didn't feel like forcing himself on his birthday. That was when a wood clone formed out of his back and winked at him, which caused Gaara to raise an eyebrow. Naruto shrugged it off before making three more after issuing mental orders that they were to retain his form.
After Kurama, Yosuke and Hikari escaped their confinement, the party became livelier as the guests were intrigued to see five blonde birthday boys running around. They barely noticed the small differences in speech patterns and mannerisms, but Naruto enjoyed the celebration a lot more after that. The only downside was that he had to pull the wood clone that Rias was inhabiting aside and tell her not to try anything with any of the ladies present. It was weird for Naruto to see himself giving himself puppy dog eyes, but he remained firm, especially after seeing how she hit it off with Tiri.
Kurama ran through the backyard of the Subaku estate like a true child. He still wasn't used to getting out of the seal and it was so invigorating for him to be out in the real world. Naruto laughed as kids attempted to follow Kurama as he dashed through the trees Naruto had grown for his friends. He was sitting on the patio and watching the party when Kinji came and sat next to him.
"You know, Ruto, when I first met you, I could tell that you were bound by a great destiny. It was the way you walked and carried yourself, like the weight of the world was on your back but you were already used to it. Tell me, how can I help you help Fire country?"
"Wow, straight to the hard stuff, eh Lord Kinji?" Naruto answered sarcastically.
Kinji let out a hearty laugh and slapped Naruto on the knee. "Look bud, I knew your father very well and we had great plans for Konoha and Fire country. After seeing what you have done for Suna, yes, I know it was you, I have zero doubts that I should trust you. If you ever assume your role as Whirlpool's Daimyo, you will understand that talk like this happens at these kind of events."
Naruto chuckled before responding. "Look, Lord Kinji…"
Kinji held up a hand and Naruto heeded his request for silence. "Please, buddy, when it is the two of us just call me Uncle Kinji or something less formal. I have people blowing smoke up my ass everyday of the year, I don't need it from you."
"Fine, Uncle Kin, I will do that. If you ask me, the best thing that could happen to Fire country as a whole would be the death of Danzo. I know that may sound morbid and extreme, but you asked. I don't have proof of his crimes because he is a slimy bastard, but I am sure someone of your station could find something."
Kinji dropped his smile and went into his ruler mode. "Naruto, I have worked with Danzo before. I admit the man's methods are extreme, but I am not aware that he has done anything deserving execution."
Naruto reviewed what he remembered from his previous life. The Uchiha massacre hadn't happened yet, but Naruto was sure he had a Sharingan. He clearly remembered his involvement in the land of Rain. He knew for certain that he had abducted orphans and that he had done something to the land of Woods. He was sure that he had done much, much more, but that should be a start. Naruto took out a tag and drew a truth seal on it and explained it to Kinji before he slapped it on his chest.
"Uncle Kin, I have no proof and I can't tell you how I know this as I am bound by a blood contract. I will start with what I know. First, Danzo is the one who revealed that I was the Kyuubi jinchuriki against Hokage's orders. He did so to isolate me in an attempt to eventually gain control of my power." Naruto paused to let the seal glow blue to show he was telling the truth. "Second, he was and still is working with Orochimaru. Third, according to documents provided to my grandmother, Root was involved with Gato for the purpose of human trafficking. Yes, Root is still active, and they are devoted to Danzo, not the village." Another blue glow from the seal on Naruto's chest. "Third, he was meddling in the land of Wood and the land of Rain, without orders from the Hokage. If that isn't enough, Danzo takes children out of the orphanages for his Root program when he kills their emotions, places loyalty and silencing seals on them and the final test for Root operatives is a battle to the death between kids that grew up training together. If that isn't enough, I don't know how to convince you."
After Naruto was finished speaking, the seal glowed blue. Throughout Naruto's explanation, Kinji's face warped into a visage of divine rage. He was growling and clinching his fists by the end, and he asked one question. "Does Hiruzen know about this?"
Naruto shrugged. "Dunno, I think that he thinks Root is no longer active. I am sure he knows about some of it though. If you confront him, do not tell him where you got the information, please. I just reconciled with the old monkey."
Kinji was still struggling to suppress his rage, but he did so for Naruto's sake. "Very well, I will have my agents look into him. If we find anything substantial, I will order his death."
"Uncle Kin, if you take your shot, take every precaution to make sure you don't miss. He is as slippery as Orochimaru and if he is cornered, he will lash out, station be damned." Naruto added cautiously, which caused Kinji to take a deep breath and think rationally.
"My boy, if you ever feel like sharing how you know all this information, know that you have an ally in me. When the day comes that you choose to trust me fully, I would be truly happy on such a day." Kinji said warmly, despite his lingering rage.
"Uncle Kin, I will tell you that I got a lot of that knowledge from my father when the backup seal activated when I was four. You want me to share a secret with you though?" Kinji nodded eagerly. "Follow me."
Tsunade watched Naruto and Kinji with a smile on her face as she talked with Raza and Madame Shijimi. It reminded her of the time she spent with Minato and Kinji when they were excited to change the world for the better. She offered a prayer of gratitude to Kami when she saw her son securing a truly powerful ally in his fight to make this world a better place.
Naruto and Kinji walked far enough into the trees of the Subaku training ground when Naruto stopped and turned to face Kinji. "Say, uncle, what is your favorite fruit?"
Kinji thought for a moment before replying. "I have always been partial to oranges."
Naruto closed his eyes and placed his hands on the ground. Kinji watched with awe as he witnessed proof that the long-lost bloodline of Konoha had finally resurfaced. And it had resurfaced in this boy in front of him.
"That is amazing …" The normally composed Daimyo was standing there, dazed like a lovestruck schoolgirl and gaping at the fully grown fruit tree. Naruto plucked an orange and tossed it to Kinji, the sudden movement breaking him from his spell and the Daimyo fumbled clumsily with the fruit as he attempted to catch it. The display made Naruto laugh, but his laughter ceased with Kinji's look hardened. "Naruto Senju! You need to be more careful with this, you are lucky I waved off my ninja guardians. You need to be careful with who knows this until you are strong enough to defend yourself."
Naruto waved him off. "I know, I know, Uncle Kin. I sensed that your guardians didn't follow us in. If you couldn't tell, the Subakus know and have known since I was five. Raza is bound by an Uzumaki blood contract to keep it a secret. I have been using my Mokuton to help Wave and Suna and keeping it lowkey. The people that I have helped have proved to be extremely loyal and my secret is still safe, as far as I am aware."
Kinji shook his head, "You never cease to amaze, my boy. Your secret is safe with me, who else knows?"
"I told Hiruzen and Jiraiya when we were upstairs. Finally, Uncle Kin, I need you to put this seal on your chest." Without hesitation, Kinji took the seal and placed it on his chest under his robes. "Kinji of the Land of Fire, will you keep any secrets I share with you here today? Will you hold and protect my trust? Will you promise to guide me and keep me on the path of righteousness in order to make this world a better place?"
Kinji was taken aback by the boy's serious tone, but it was the look in the boy's eyes that surprised him the most. It was a harder and firmer look than his father's and it should never be on the face of such a small child. He schooled his features to match the boy's seriousness and nodded his head firmly.
"I, Kinji, Daimyo of the Land of Fire, offer you my word that I will protect any secret you share with me. I will use my experience and resources to assist you in your goal, guide you down the right path and work alongside you to make this world a better place."
Naruto smiled, not the Gigawatt smile with an air of dignity, but a regal smile. He nodded to the experienced man before locking eyes with the man. "Tsunade and I are the heads of the Neighborhood Watch. I was the one that stopped the Hyuga incident, and we have announced ourselves to the other nations."
Of all the secrets that Naruto could have shared with him, he wasn't expecting that one. He was, of course, aware of the Neighborhood Watch and his spies had been looking for information on the organization. It took Kinji nearly thirty seconds to gasp out, "Holy Kami, bud. That was … unexpected…"
"Are you mad?" Naruto asked cautiously.
"No, no, I can't say I am exactly mad. It was infuriating trying to locate and identify the organization, but I am not mad at you, my boy. You haven't done anything that was overtly out of line. Does you sharing this information with me mean that you wish to have me join your efforts?"
Naruto shrugged and replied flippantly, "If you want to. It is not my intention to have you take an active role, but your position grants you a lot of intelligence. If you shared said intelligence with me, I would be able to help you with problems that couldn't be handled through standard channels. If something is serious enough, I would also run it by you first. I am working to create a method of long-range, instant communication, but it is slow going for now. The Uzumaki had a version of it, but it required a whole building and two chakra conduits. Not a realistic option if I wish to lay low."
Kinji chuckled before calming himself and responding. "Naruto, you are going to change this world and I look forward to seeing it. Do this old man a favor and make sure you stay true to yourself. Don't give in to the darkness like so many have before you."
"Sure thing, Lord Daimyo. I give you my word, and I never go back on my word. It is kinda my ninja way." Naruto responded semi-formally.
The two rejoined the party and Naruto was embarrassed to see that his alter egos were still the life of the party. He could tell the one Kurama was inhabiting because the whisker marks were slightly more pronounced and the pupils were slitted, luckily nobody had noticed that small discrepancy. Hikari was running along with the children and acting like most people thought a 10-year-old should. She brought smiles and light wherever she went, which was something Naruto honestly appreciated about her and wished he could revert to that sometimes.
The time for gifts came and evidently more people thought that he was approaching ninja age by the nature of the gifts he received. Jiraiya gave him a hastily written scroll detailing his two unique jutsu, 'needle jizo' and 'hardened hair manipulation'. Seems like he defaulted to those two since Naruto already knew the Rasengan and declined the toad summons. Jiraiya was broken up about that, but he didn't plan to let the issue go. He planned on dropping in on Tsunade and Naruto from time to time before he returned to Konoha.
Tsunade and Shizune collaborated to get Naruto a whole new combat outfit and a haori that he could wear over his civilian clothes. The outfit was a weighted, black tank top that was reinforced with seals and would replace the need for mesh wire. In addition to the tank top, they gave Naruto a black combat jacket with orange lining that had multiple pockets in the front of the vest, chakra conductive threads and an auto-sizing seal on it. On the back of the jacket, there was a hood that could be used for stealth ops since Sunkissed blonde hair wasn't exactly stealthy. The outfit came with chakra conductive bracers and shin guards as well as short-length black boots with hardened tips. Naruto gave both women a massive hug and a Gigawatt smile.
The Subaku family gave him a Suna armband that designated him as an honorary citizen of Suna. This would grant him visiting rights to Suna, even when he became a Konoha shinobi. Hiruzen suppressed a scowl when he saw this, but he knew he had nothing that could prevent it from happening. That right required the review of both lands Daimyos, which meant Kinji and Hoto has already approved it. Naruto winked at Temari and promised to use it to surprise her, which made the sandy blonde girl blush furiously.
Hiruzen got Naruto a set of premium kunai and shuriken, he didn't know the boy that well and felt it was safer to keep it simple. Kinji and Madame Shijimi gave Naruto documentation announcing him as the heir to the Land of Whirlpools and showed him proof that they were the acting custodians of the land until his 18th birthday. Hoto gave Naruto a set of high-quality, handheld battle fans called Sensu. Naruto appreciated the sentiment since the people of Suna knew that he was a wind user, but he honestly planned on giving them to Temari. The rest of the gifts weren't noteworthy, but Naruto appreciated the fact that he actually had people he could call friends in Suna.
After the big birthday party ended and everyone left, Naruto used the rest of his time in Suna to bond with Temari during the day when Gaara and Kankuro were in the academy. He was leagues ahead of her in wind manipulation, but that didn't discourage the blonde kunoichi. She loved Naruto's company, and he was a great and patient teacher with her. She was never one to think much of boys, and most guys feared her father and brothers, but that wasn't the only reason she never entertained the numerous guys that worked up the courage to ask her out. In her heart of hearts, she was completely smitten by the Sunkissed blonde boy that had made such a difference in her family's life.
Naruto noticed as he watched Temari practice wind manipulation by making the desert sands dance around her that he wasn't having as many flashbacks as he used to have in Suna. The haunting memories were being overpowered by the positive, newer memories. He also realized that he felt empty when Kurama, Yosuke, Hikari and Rias were out of the seal for extended periods of time. He had been using wood clones for them to inhabit and had been trying to respect their independence. He knew that granting them their freedom was worth putting up with the empty feeling, but it still pained his heart a little bit.
Naruto was broken out of his musings by a slug to the shoulder from a panting and sweaty Temari.
"I am done for the day, Ruto. If I push anymore, I will collapse from chakra exhaustion, and I don't want to waste the rest of my time with you." She said while fluttering her eyelashes at him.
Naruto rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Oh, okay Mari, whatever you want. You don't have any genin duties?" Naruto knew that she wasn't assigned to a team, and she was on the reserve roster so that she could join a team with her brothers when they finally graduated, but she still had duties from time to time.
"No, you know daddy always clears my schedule when you are in town." The tomboyish blonde suddenly looked sheepish and put on hand over the other in front of her stomach before she shot a shy look at Naruto. "Umm, ya know … Ruto … I was, I was thinking that maybe … maybe we could go for a swim in the lake … t-t-together."
Naruto smiled and blushed a bit as he reached over and raised Temari's chin to make eye contact. "You don't need to be nervous with me, Mari. I would love to go swimming with you. I almost forgot that they opened up the lake to the public."
Temari answered the intimate gesture with a cherry-red blush that rivaled what Naruto remembered of Hinata. She was only able to nod, too scared that her words would betray her feelings to the young boy. They went back to the mansion and grabbed their swimsuits before the made their way to the new lake. As they walked, Naruto noticed the smiles and knowing glances from the adults. The two of them were a common topic in Suna's rumor mill and most of the public wanted the two children to end up together. It might be too early for such things, but when the gossip is hot enough, people tend to set aside social norms.
They made it to the lake and Naruto was left breathless as Temari took off her shirt to reveal a black, two-piece swimsuit. It was nothing crazy, but it was enough to make Naruto gulp and kickstart his more mature urges. He had given up on thinking about the implications of 'real age difference' or other reincarnation related issues a while back. He decided to just enjoy whatever presented itself when it came to his female relationships. He had three separate girlfriends in his previous life, and he had residual feelings for them that were unresolved.
Hinata was the first, but that ended before she died because they both realized they were better as friends than lovers. That didn't stop the formation of a 'friends with benefits' relationship since both of them needed the escape from the atrocities of the war. Naruto could never forget the soft scent of lavender, the beautiful eyes with the lavender tint, the soft caresses or the submissive freakiness in the bedroom. Hinata was his first love and embers would always remain when it came to her, regardless of how much time passed.
Those benefits ended when Naruto started dating Temari in between the crazy mission load of the resistance. That lasted until Temari died at the hands of a Kumo Bolt team. Naruto always regretted not going with her on that mission and there were many unresolved feelings, feelings that were being reforged into intimacy in this life. The love of the past was willingly converting itself into hope for the future, but it wouldn't be easy due to being from separate villages.
The final woman to own a piece Naruto's heart was Ino. She was his therapist for the last year and a half of the war after Temari's death. She was a strong, independent and loyal to a fault. She singlehandedly brought Naruto back from the edge of the abyss when he was thinking about turning himself over to spare his surviving friends. He was so broken before she saved him and he smiled at the memory of their first kiss in the middle of a counseling session that she forced him into (Don't worry, the memory will be shared at a more appropriate time). The lingering feelings for the flowery blonde were one of the main reasons that Naruto told Tsunade not to accept any marriage contracts with Temari. He knew he needed to spend time with Ino and make a decision before he could commit to a girl.
Shaking off memories of the past and thoughts about feeling that wouldn't be resolved anytime soon, Naruto smiled at Temari and gave her a compliment.
"That really suits you, Mari. You look beautiful in that swimsuit." Simple, sweet and to the point.
Temari blushed furiously and avoided eye contact for a bit. She used the time to take in the sculpted and slim figure of Naruto. His muscles were slim and streamlined, line a young Olympic runner, except more boyish. She couldn't stop thinking about how he would look when he grew up, and she was so lost in her thoughts that she started drooling. Naruto's knowing laugh brought her back to reality and deepened her blush.
"S-s-shutup, b-b-baka." Temari's embarrassed stutter made Naruto laugh more.
"Oh, is my desert lily embarrassed that I caught her checking me out?" Naruto was able to stop his laughter long enough to tease her more.
Temari, having enough of the teasing, grabbed the much younger boy and threw him into the water. Naruto surfaced with his shit-eating grin still plastered on his face before he splashed water onto the princess of Suna. This prompted the young kunoichi to jump into the water and begin a mixture of roughhousing and water fighting. Unfortunately for Temari, Naruto now had a water affinity, which meant that he was far more suited to a water fight than Temari. After repeatedly drenching the beautiful girl and dodging her attempted counter attacks, Naruto finally wrapped her up from behind and dunked her under the cool water with him.
Temari was surprised by the mutual dunking, but she turned around and emerald locked with azure under the clear water. In a moment of youthful inhibition, Temari leaned forward and placed a quick kiss on Naruto's lips before she broke out of his stunned hold and floated to the surface. Naruto sat underwater, completely stunned, unable to break himself out of his flustered state. He remained hovering under water and watching air bubbles escape toward the surface. He had no inclination to follow them, seemingly content to remain underwater among the dulled and peaceful sounds, or at least he was until Temari's hands linked under his arms and dragged him to the surface.
As Naruto caught his breath, he failed to notice the severe blush on Temari's cheeks or the uncertainty in her eyes. Finally, he was able to notice her nervous state and was able to break himself out of it and act like his usual confident self. He swam over to her and pulled her into a hug before whispering in her ear.
"Thanks for that, Mari. I like you a lot, but I am only ten. Before you think that I don't share your feelings, I do. You are my best friend, and I don't want to lose that because we rushed into something we weren't ready for. If you want to keep kissing me, I won't stop you though." Naruto finished this with a quick kiss to her cheek.
Temari's brain was overheating, as her blush clearly indicated. She knew he probably wasn't ready for anything yet because he was still too young. That didn't mean she wasn't old enough, especially as the effects of puberty were kicking in for the beautiful blonde. "I, I know we are young, Ruto. I just wanted to let you know that you are the only one for me. When you are old enough, I will be waiting for you." She whispered back into his ear and placed another tender kiss on his cheek.
Little did the two know that Rias and Kurama were hanging out at the lake as well and had seen the whole thing. Kurama couldn't suppress the chuckle and Rias was smiling like some proud older sister. As the older sister, she would have to talk to Naruto and guide him through this. This was her terrain after all, and Naruto would need her help sorting his feelings out. Kurama watched on fondly, since he was synced with Naruto for the whole war, he knew about the feelings he had for each of his girls. In truth, Kurama realized that Naruto's humanity had rubbed off on him and he shared most of those feelings with his previous human mates. If only the bastard Uchiha didn't drag the whole world into war, then his partner could have found happiness with any of the three.
Naruto and Temari spent the majority of their free time at the lake. The lack of clothing and shelter of the water letting the two youths grow closer and develop their feelings. Every touch would be cherished, every laugh a deterrent to the nightmares of the past, every kiss a special moment of light in the darkness of the shinobi world. The citizens and shinobi of Suna saw the increased level of intimacy, which led to a betting pool being opened for the date that the marriage would be announced. It would be open for quite a while and it would grow to a substantial sum, but if you asked anybody from Suna, it was a matter of if, not when.
At nights, Naruto and the Subaku siblings were inseparable. Whether they were tearing through the town or just hanging out at the mansion, Naruto was accepted as the fourth Subaku sibling. Sadly, two weeks passed in a flash, and it was time to return to Wave to resume his training and preparations to return to Konoha. Naruto never got used to the teary goodbye kisses with Temari or the manly hugs with Gaara and Kankuro. This life was truly better with each of them in it, but this happiness motivated him to fight. He would fight to sustain this happiness, not only for himself, but for everyone he loved.