-Konoha's Response – 10days after Jonin Exams-

After Hiruzen and the drunk Jiraiya's return, they were pulled into a council meeting the next day. Hiruzen was relieved to no longer be on the road with Jiraiya and Might Guy, and he was extremely jealous of the Kumo group that simply flew off on Naruto's giant eagle summon. He didn't report in to Fugaku as he wanted to rest his weary bones and think some things over. He had thought about how to deal with Konoha and temper Fugaku's response because he knew the hotheaded Uchiha was going to overreact.

The next day, Hiruzen found himself in the familiar Konoha council room at 9am with the full Konoha council assembled. The room was abuzz, and it was not a positive environment that greeted the Sandaime Hokage. He fixed an impartial expression on his face and took his seat in the Sarutobi clan position. He watched Fugaku walk in with a scowl on his face and Danzo followed shortly after him. Fugaku set the pace for the meeting by flaring an impressive amount of killing intent to silence the room.

"Okay, just so everyone knows, this is not going to be a pleasant meeting and I am in a foul enough mood already. Let's get this going already." Fugaku growled out.

"Dear, could you please inform the council on the status of your son and heir? I can't believe that traitorous demon did that to our son." Mibuki called out, which earned a grunt from Fugaku. He hated when the presumptuous woman called herself Sasuke's mother, as if she would ever be worthy of being called the mother of a true Uchiha.

"Sasuke's hands were salvaged. The medical ninjas in Iwa did a satisfactory job, but he will need extensive rehab to recover his previous strength. As for the jinchuriki, that will be the primary topic of this meeting." Fugaku answered and earned some relieved looks from the council.

Danzo stood and tapped his cane on the ground. "This matter cannot be ignored. Uzumaki Kushina and Uzumaki Naruto have re-emerged into the public light and their crimes can no longer be ignored."

"Crimes? What crimes are you charging them with?" Asked Shikaku Nara.

"Obviously, Kushina will be charged with desertion, treason and assisting an enemy village. Naruto will be charged with the same crimes." Danzo answered in a growl. The civilian council cheered this decision, Tsume growled her approval since she was still bitter about Kiba, but the rest of the shinobi council was confused.

"Naruto left the village when he was a child at the age of five before he was a shinobi, so there is no way to charge him with desertion or treason and he never swore loyalty to the village." Shikaku answered plainly.

Koharu stood to her feet and screeched, "That boy is the village's property. He has no right to flee and join another village!"

Inoichi stood up and addressed Koharu, "Councilor, is this the same Naruto Uzumaki that was repeatedly beaten and ostracized? You claim him as property, so I assume you are referring to the Kyuubi?"

Fugaku silenced him before he could complete his point. "The boy was to be groomed into our weapon and Kushina resisted the will of the elder council. We had a plan to ensure the boy's loyalty and Kushina thwarted that plan."

Chouza growled, "So, Hokage-Sama, rather than treating the child like a human, you all decided to treat him like a beast? Then you are surprised when the boy's mother and our old friend, an Uzumaki that values family above all, concocts a plan to save her son. No! Councilor Haruno I will not be silenced!" Chouza's face was red with rage, Akimichis value family and he had a great relationship with Kushina and …. "Oh, oh! Don't you dare try to silence me! That boy is the son of the Yondaime, and you hid it from us! What gave you the right!"

ANBU squads were attempting to subdue the enraged giant that was no longer gentle. Eventually, after all ninja council heads were lined up in defense of Chouza, Fugaku regained order.

"Enough! ANBU stand down! Elders, sit or I will sit you down!" Fugaku roared and flexed his chakra with his EMS blaring to life. "Damn you, Chouza. That information did not need to come to light!"

It was Hiashi that stood up now, mildly upset about being lied to. "You told us that Kushina was hysterical and there was no relationship between Minato and her child. That is a violation of clan rights because you denied her the Namikaze inheritance."

"Hiashi, sit the fuck down. One woman and child do not constitute a clan and their needs do not outweigh the needs of the village. Do not presume to understand our decision." Fugaku roared out again, veins popping on his temple.

Tsume, never one to be cowed, answered with a growl. "You fools did this! Kushina was loyal to Konoha, and you fools drove her out of the village by threatening her family. Now, Kumo has risen to the top seat of power, and you are panicking. I understand why he went so far against my son now; it was because of old grudges caused by old fools."

Homura rose up, "Enough, Tsume! If you continue you will be charged with treason!"

Hiruzen bellowed out in a full bout of laughter. "Oh, this is rich. You will charge the whole Konoha council with treason because we call you on your bullshit? This all makes so much sense now. The Sarutobi clan moves to pardon Kushina and does not recognize the crimes of Uzumaki Naruto since he was a minor at the time."

Inoichi, Chouza, Tsume and Shikaku supported that measure, but they were heavily outvoted by the rest of the council. The tension in the room remained thick and hung over the Konoha council like a smog. It was smothering and ensured that conflict would be the only solution found. Fugaku decided to pardon the ninja council's impudence and return to the topic of the meeting.

"Hiruzen, please provide us with a full report of your time in Iwa. We were able to watch the fights, but the broadcast missed many details that would surely prove enlightening."

Hiruzen stood and fixed an impassive expression on his face. "After your son attacked and was injured by Naruto Uzumaki, he remained in the hospital until he was stabilized. Jiraiya witnessed the attack and saw Ruto Maki's face before he confronted the group in their hotel. Evidently, his confrontation combined with Ohnoki's suspicion caused them to reveal their identities on their own terms.

During the dignitary dinner, they were unmasked and announced themselves. To the best of my knowledge, they have told nobody except Ai of their reasons for leaving Konoha. Kushina told me that if we leave them alone then there would be no issues. I would advise this council to heed that warning. If you go after the Uzumaki family in attempts to reclaim the Kyuubi and charge them with treason, then you are declaring war on Kumo."

Outrage erupted from the council at this statement and interrupted Hiruzen's report. A fully 30-minutes of bickering and shouting was the self-imposed penalty of the council and Fugaku was very near to plunging a kunai into his own heart to escape from this nonsense. Fuck the secret mission to subdue the world, fuck happiness, he just wanted silence. As if his will took over, his rage erupted, and he had enough. His killing intent knocked out every single civilian councilor and cowed the shinobi council into silence.

Ten minutes later, Fugaku folded his hands and rested his chin on them, and his eyes slid over the council. "Now, I do believe Hiruzen was in the middle of his report. The next person to speak up before I grant them permission will be executed on the spot. Now, Hiruzen, please finish your report."

"The Uzumaki clan has created relations between Kumo, Kiri, Wave and I believe that Kushina has revived Uzushiogakore. Friendly talks were offered to Ohnoki, and he plans to accept them. The Uzumaki clan is in the good graces of multiple Daimyos for the quality-of-life seals that they sell to the public. In terms of getting anything from the clan, I believe that it would be a fool's errand.

Naruto also used his father's name multiple times and Kirinji has the proof that he is Minato's son. If they try to make a claim on the Namikaze inheritance, which I know was confiscated by this council and the Fire Daimyo, then the other Daimyos will support him. He is a supremely dangerous political threat aside from being an intimidating battlefield opponent.

As for the boy's skills, he is easily high Kage. He knows Ai's lightning armor, has a kekkai touta version of storm release, his ninjutsu level most likely equals or exceeds my own, his speed matches Ai's and he has shown none of his abilities that being a jinchuriki grant him. If you wish to make an enemy of such an opponent, best of luck to you."

Fugaku's rage built and built further upon itself as Hiruzen spoke. Not only should that have been his weapon, but that was the final target of his mission. How would he defeat such an enemy? Surely a straight up battle would get them nowhere. Kushina is too strong to target as well. They can't get operatives into Kaminari no Kuni and any move on him would be a declaration of war against Kumo.

"Okay, councilors, that is enough for tonight. I want each council to draft a proposition and plan to either retrieve or neutralize the Uzumakis. I also want a plan for how you would get into Kumo's good favor. We will debate this in one month's time to form our response to Kumo."

Mibuki Haruno-Uchiha stood up and paused the exfiltration from the council chambers, "Hokage-Sama, if that boy is the Kyuubi jinchuriki, then doesn't that mean he released the beast during the invasion?" This one question brought the whole room to a halt.

Fugaku growled, having missed that obvious implication. Danzo fumed at the implications of this, Shikaku placed his chin on the back of his hands in a thinking pose and everyone else seemed stumped.

"If the Kyuubi was out, which we all felt and saw, then is it even in the boy?" Inoichi asked, looking toward Jiraiya.

Jiraiya shrugged, "Minato was a sealing master, but maybe he did not seal the whole Kyuubi. Minato used an intricate seal that I couldn't even recognize, but I know for sure that the boy had the Kyuubi in him at one point. Didn't we recover a body of Naruto?" Another dead silence stumped the Konoha council.

It was Danzo that answered first, "Yes, we did. The body was solid, but we burned it after an extensive analysis."

A civilian asked the question on everyone's mind, "Then how is the boy alive."

Hiruzen gasped, which drew attention to himself. "The Uzumaki mask temple…" He said in a voice just above a whisper.

Fugaku's mind was working overtime, "So, the boy died and Kushina brought him back? The Kyuubi was released upon his death and reformed during the invasion? Then where is the Kyuubi? What should we do about the boy?" Fugaku's questions would remain unanswered, they were all lacking far too much information.

-Back in Kumo – Two Weeks After Jonin Exams-

Kushina had called a family dinner because she needed to discuss a change of plans with her family. She invited all of the top ranks of Kumo: Ai, Bee, Yugito Ni, Karui, Dodai, Darui, Cee, Shi and all of the Konoha escapees, including Tsunade. She didn't want to deal with any of the civilian council since this honestly didn't concern them. The group showed up at 6pm and joined the Uzumaki clan for a rowdy dinner around the extended table.

Everyone had been tense when it was discovered that Naruto was forced to reveal his identity and they were wondering what it would mean for the Uzumaki and Kumo. Dinner was cordial as the tight-knit group of friends ate and drank sake. Afterwards, the group moved out onto the porch in the backyard and enjoyed the crisp mountain air. Ai and Kushina stood up and something unexpected happened, Ai took Kushina's hand in his and smiled as he made eye contact with Naruto.

"Okay everyone, I will start with good news. After years of pining, Kushina-Chan has finally agreed to date me. In no way do I intend to replace Minato or dishonor his memory, but I want us to spend the rest of our lives together in happiness. It is more important now than it ever was because changes are coming." Ai's tone was gentle and content as he addressed his 'extended family' as he often referred to the group.

After a round of congratulations, a rap and slap on the back from Bee and a hug from Naruto, Kushina took over.

"As you all know, the Uzumaki name is back in the public. I am hoping that the survivors will see that and rally to Uzu, but the real threat lie elsewhere. After Naruto dismantled Sasuke and made such a pronounced statement at the jonin exams, we will be hearing from Konoha shortly and it won't be positive."

"Fuck 'em, we don't need 'em or want 'em around anymore." Anko shouted as she cuddled into Bee. This was a common sentiment even though it made the Konoha group look down at their feet.

"So, what do we have planned for Konoha and Hi no Kuni as a whole?" Mikoto asked, which silenced the crowd as they waited eagerly for the response.

"It means that we will be moving to Uzu along with a couple shinobi from this village and a few civilians that opted in. We can no longer leave a minimal presence there and we will need a shinobi force. Naruto secured a defense contract with Wave that will provide regular missions and if Konoha moves anywhere, it will be against Wave." Kushina answered.

Ai spoke up to add to Kushina's statement. "I have talked with Kirinji, Mei and Tsunami and this move is supported by the Daimyo. Kushina was the last Princess of Whirlpool and retains full rights to the island. We have three strong posts on the Elemental Ocean and will control the sea routes on that side. We are strengthening our defenses and patrol routes along the Hi no Kuni border, we will up the shinobi presence in Wave from a platoon to a division and we will be more active with Uzu."

"Ka-Chan, what about the security risks to Uzu? Is it ready? And what about my sisters here? Rias and Karin are mostly non-combat at this point even though they are both learning to control their bloodlines." Naruto asked and he took Rias' hand to comfort her.

"For the time being, they should come to Uzu and continue their training. They are both fuinjutsu journeymen and should be able to contribute to Uzu in that way. Tazuna has finished building the shinobi district and we will be placing the security seals on it. Security around the island is tight and we have held the attempted infiltrations at bay so far." Kushina answered.

Naruto looked sad, but Ai stepped in. "Ruto, since you can fly, you are our number one emissary between Kumo, Uzu, Wave and our allies. The communication scrolls will fill in the communication gaps and we will see them monthly. Its just more motivation for you to learn the 'Hiraishin', kiddo."

Naruto looked up, "Yeah, my dad was a genius with that beauty of a seal. I have modified the fuin shiki that acts as a beacon, but I am slow at activating the jutsu and my range is only a mile at this point. It would be faster for me to fly or activate my lightning armor and run to Uzu."

Kushina cupped his face and lifted his chin. "You will get it, Sochi. Of everyone that has studied the seal in our family, you are by far the closest. Just keep at it."

Darui stepped in, "I don't mean to be a drag, but aren't we underestimating Konoha's response here?"

Ai coughed into his hand and firmed his posture. "Look, Konoha is a threat, but we will not do anything to antagonize them further. We will focus on establishing diplomatic ties with Kiri and open talks with Iwa. Ohnoki isn't stupid and he should come to the table willingly. Mei is more than excited to join us, and we will get an increase in missions to properly seal Kiri and its ports. Those talks are happening next month, and I expect them to go well."

Cee piped in here, "You don't think the old goat will be scared of us having three powerful jinchuriki when he lost one of his?"

Karui replied, "That old fart will definitely be scared, and he damned well should be. However, he isn't one to take unnecessary losses after what Minato did to him in the 3rd war. He will not provoke us so long as we play nice and help him out a bit. When Ohnoki and … fuck … what is that old earth Daimyo's name … ah, thanks, Suchimaru, yeah, well when they tour through Kaminari no Kuni they will see what benefits working with us will bring."

"On top of that, that old fucker will be shitting his geriatric fucking pants when he thinks about stepping to our un-fucking-real power. Plus, that old fuck wouldn't ally with Konoha if Fugaku offered to suck him off personally." Tayuya piped up merrily.

Kushina sighed and face palmed. "Thanks for the colorful contribution, Tayuya-Chan."

Amie decided to ask a question. "What about Ame? Do you think the Leaf or Stone would make any moves that affect Ame?"

"Nah, we have all of the attention on us, and our alliance is a more private matter. They know we have sold you our seals and services, but the alliance has not been announced to the public for that very reason." Karui answered before Ai could, but he just grunted his approval.

Bee hopped to his feet and began his dancing gyrations, which was promptly shut down by Anko before he sat back down with a lump on his head. "Ey, yo, Kumo don't need to fear, We got Ruto, Bee and Ni near, plus if they attack the island paradise then we will stack their bodies on ice. Family is what matters so just let the riffraff pratter."

Atsui broke out into a smile as he pulled Tayuya into his chest. "That's right Bee-Sensei. They are paralyzed with fear at this point, and they will be too scared to make a move."

"No, that's not right, you knuckleheads. It may hold them off for now, but that group that is calling themselves 'Akatsuki' has multiple 'S' ranked missing nins that don't seem to have any trouble with killing innocent people. If our speculations are right and it is Konoha behind them, then Wave could be taken out before we can respond. I don't give a flying fuck about vengeance, I care about my family, friends and allies." Naruto shot down Bee and Atsui's overconfidence.

Ai growled at the thought of the Akatsuki. "That's right. We have the SOS seals in place, but they still pose a significant threat. Our intel division is on their trail, but it is proving difficult. Look, the point is that nobody should get complacent. If anyone encounters the black cloak and red clouds, then they should retreat and call for backup. At least until we know what we are dealing with."

Mabui chimed in here. "Does the move delay the weddings? I really hope not."

Kushina smiled, "You think I would put off officially making you my daughter? Hell no. Those weddings will happen, and we will host them in Uzushiogakore to show our close friends and allies the progress we have made on the island."

"Kushina-Chan is right. Kumo never has and never will give in to fear. You five are set to be married on Uzu on Naruto's 17th birthday. That give us roughly a year to get it set up, make sure our security is tight and screen the guest list."

"Kushina-Kachan, we are going to keep it small, right?" Itachi asked with a blush on her face.

"Yeah, a couple hundred or so. We are still waiting on RSVPs, but the important people have already confirmed."

"Did daddy say he will make it there?" Amie asked excitedly.

"Yes, Kirinji and his family will be there as well. That was the only diplomat we let squeeze through. Oh, Mei and a couple of her people will be there as well." Kushina answered.

Naruto heard the mention of Kiri again and decided to ask. "Okay, Ka-Chan, Maya told me that Kiri was stable, and they were going to send two bloodline carriers to us. Any update on that?"

Ai stepped in. "We are currently negotiating. Mei offered her daughter on the condition that she could marry you. What do you girls think?"

Samui chimed in here. "I talked to her at the jonin exams. Her resolve is strong, but I think it is more of a crush than true love. I am not against giving her a shot, but I would add into the treaty that it is conditional on finding love."

"I agree with Sami-Chan. No sister of mine will share my Ruto-Kun with ulterior motives." Mabui said protectively as she snuggled closer into Naruto.

Naruto shrugged, "I am honestly happy with what I have. Once I add my duties to the Uzumaki girls it will be a lot, but as I said, if it is for the betterment of Kumo and her people then I will do what is required of me."

Itachi putting a loving hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Naruto-Kun, do you have an off button? Is there anyway to disengage the female magnetism?" This earned a round of laughter from the family, especially since the joke came from the usually quiet Itachi.

Naruto mock pouted. "Look, Korasu-Chan, I don't do anything. I don't go out of my way or ask for any of this."

"Poor Hikari-Chan, what does she say about having to share you with so many beautiful human girls? Wouldn't she get possessive and then destroy Kumo in a fit of rage since her promised mate is such a womanizer. Then if Kumo…" Omoi asked before getting bonked on the head by Atsui and an ice cube to the forehead from Tayuya.

Naruto surrendered control of his body and his eyes turned blood red and slitted. "Oh, I don't mind. Naruto-Kun and I are soul-linked now so every time one of these beautiful girls shares my mate's bed, I share them. The male experience is truly interesting, especially when he brings out the shadow clones." Hikari started drooling, which meant that Naruto was drooling. This earned laughs from everyone that wasn't banging Naruto and blushes from those that were. "As far as Maya, we can give her a trial run, but if she doesn't prove committed enough then I will send her away or eat her, whichever one is more convenient." This left the group stunned as Naruto's eyes returned to normal and he scratched the back of his neck nervously.

"Heehee, she's just kidding, but you have your answer." Naruto finished sheepishly.

The family meeting broke down into a family party. One thing about the Uzumakis is that they know how to party, and party hard they did. The raucous laughter lasted well into the night and each family member partook liberally of the sake. Kushina took advantage of a drunken Naruto and had him sleep with Rias, who was ready to start the new generation of the Uzumaki. Truth be told, she didn't have to press that hard since the two were already close and Rias was more than ready. Naruto already had multiple clones out tending to his girls, so nobody missed him when the real Naruto spent the night with Rias.

Even though the Naruto clones performed their duties well, the whole family smirked knowingly when Rias walked into the dining room with a limp for breakfast. She was positively glowing and didn't mind the limp at all, but she did blush furiously at the never-ending flurry of innuendos that were sent her way. Since Itachi had committed to Naruto, she was dubbed the closet nymphomaniac of the family and she was probably the best at delivering the kill shot at the opportune moment with her innuendos. The said 'kill shot' got Rias to bury her face in a plate of pancakes in attempt to hide herself from the embarrassment.

"So, Rias-Chan, do you want some whip cream with your waffles, or did you get enough cream last night?" Itachi said with a smirk on her lips and a gleam in her eyes.

-An Old Wrinkly Man and an Exquisite Siren-

A month had passed in a flash as Naruto focused on moving his family to Uzushiogakore. Mikoto decided to go with Kushina and work as her second in command and she took Sasumi with her. For a girl Naruto's age, she really didn't talk that much. She had a crush on Naruto but after Itachi claimed him, she pretty much shut that down. It seemed like she struggled with leaving Konoha and adapting to the Kumo environment, despite the warm welcome.

Naruto spent a portion of the trip to Uzu talking with Sasumi and getting to know her better and he found that she was excited for a new start. Turns out that part of the reason for her shyness was learning about what her father had done since he took over as the Hokage. She repeatedly apologized to Naruto for his treatment and each time he told her it was completely unnecessary for her to apologize. By the end of the weeklong migration trip to Uzu, Naruto considered Sasumi a friend, which was good considering she would be his sister-in-law soon enough.

Naruto spent a week in Uzu helping people get settled in, applying protection and genjutsu seals around the island, checking the whirlpool defenses and helping his mother with anything she needed. He spent the nights with Rias and Karin, who were sad that they would no longer be staying with him. While Rias was more than ready to 'fulfill her duty' as Kushina put it, Karin was still hesitant, and Naruto respected that.

During the Uzumaki repopulation discussion that Kushina held in the clan, it was decided that any Uzumaki female would bear a minimum of two Uzumaki children with Naruto. That didn't mean that the girls would need to sleep with him, since artificial insemination was an option, but each girl elected to do it naturally. Karin liked Naruto, but she wasn't ready for children yet. She would much rather spend her time in Uzu's new R&D department and focus on sharpening her skills. Naruto respected that and he got to know Karin by offering shadow clones to test her new seals, untested equipment and other experiments.

After the week break, Naruto tried to summon Virginia, but Montana answered the summon call instead. The massive eagle bowed its head to Naruto and received a scratch under the beak and some jerky for the show of respect.

"Heya, Montana, how have things been for you?" Naruto asked as he casually hit the universal pleasure spot for the eagles.

"Good Naruto-Sama, the eagle clan is delighted to have a summoner again. It has got everyone practicing their wind techniques again and the clan is far livelier."

Naruto gave Montana one of his Gigawatt smiles, "That's great to here. So, where is Virginia today?"

"She is training with the Sage, Old York. That grumpy old bird insisted on training her in the sage arts so she may better prepare you." Montana replied after snatching some venison jerky out of the air.

"Oh, okay. Well, nothing fancy today, just need a ride home. I will pay the standard price if that is alright with you. You want Uzu fish or Kumo fish?"

"I am partial to the fish here on Uzu, Naruto-Sama."

After creating a water prison with a hundred fish or so, Naruto let Montana eat her fill before she flew him back to Kumo. Naruto really enjoyed the flights because it gave him time alone with his thoughts. Things had been really hectic, and it wasn't looking to end anytime soon. He had a lot of people that he needed to protect that were spread out quite a bit. He needed to get the 'Hiraishin' down, at least for travel purposes. The thoughts of not being able to react in time to save his family or those he loves haunted his nightmares and said nightmares were becoming more common now that he had been unmasked.

He took solace in knowing that one of his mates would always be safe so long as he lived. The fiery red vixen had turned into the biggest blessing of Naruto's life. If he could choose again, he would change nothing. A couple years of torment were nothing compared to the love of his biju mate. The soul bond they shared had heightened everything and deepened their relationship to an absurd degree. Even if they had only spent a total of a month together outside the seal, Naruto spent almost every night away from Kumo in the seal with her. Her presence felt so right, and he knew that it was only a matter of time until she could safely leave his body for good to join her growing family in the outside world.

His thoughts flickered to Mabui, his silver-haired beauty that had been with him the longest. She was a soft and genuine soul that bore an immense love for life and those close to her. He could see her soft smile each time he closed his eyes, and it filled his heart with peace. That peace could only be eclipsed by the passion she shared in bed. Her soft, milk chocolatey skin, luscious lips and the deep aqua blue eyes. Naruto had given her his mating mark a couple months back and they have continued to bask in each other's presence.

Then there was Samui, who was a unique character all on her own. She had grown so strong, and she was an independent woman that expressed a lot with very few words. Yet, when she was in bed her cool personality melted and she became quite submissive. She was also the girl that liked trying new things in the bedroom. She was the first one that made Naruto transform into his female transformation and spend a night together like that. The kitsune transformation was some kind of magic because everything Naruto felt was very real, even the feeling of Samui's strap on ravaging a hole that shouldn't even be there. Naruto nearly fell off Montana as he reminisced upon that memory, but the sudden shock caused him to recenter himself and wipe the trickle of blood from his nose.

Amie was unique amongst his girls. She was fiery, passionate, dominant, expressive and for some reason she loved him deeply. It was an awkward one-sided feeling at first, but her persistence and strength broke through with Naruto. The girl loved her family and village with a protectiveness that Naruto could identify with. The trips to Ame were fun for Naruto and the people of Ame were a jovial people despite the heavy rain. Despite Amie's ferocity, she was the only girl that Naruto had yet to sleep with. She claimed she wanted to honor the treaty and uphold her family's honor and clan traditions, but Naruto could feel that she was just nervous about being that vulnerable.

The bond with Itachi held a special and different place in Naruto's heart. The time from his childhood feels more like a lucid dream than a solid memory. The reemergence of a childhood promise was the spark that lit the fire of long-lost childhood feelings. Feelings of innocence, safety and love willingly converted themselves into fond reminiscence, lust and companionship. Naruto could say that he loved Itachi, but it doesn't need to be said between the two of them. Naruto is the only one allowed past Itachi's walls and he is the only one that has held the soft, gentle and warm side of the woman.

Thinking about all that, he really didn't know if he wanted to add Maya to the group. There were so many things that he already wanted to do with his current girls that it felt … redundant … adding another girl in before he fully bonded with the girls that currently held his heart. He meant what he said when he said that he would do what is best for Kumo, but is him marrying Maya best for Kumo? Doesn't he know a plethora of good guys he could introduce her to that would be able to win her heart? Well, if Naruto knew one thing, he knew that love couldn't be forced. When it came to this matter, he would simply go with the flow and see where the winds took him.

As the familiar mountain ranges of Kumo came into view, Naruto noticed a caravan that was headed for Kumo and noticed the flags of Iwa on the carriages. He patted Montana on the neck and willed her down, which she responded to immediately. The rush of a free dive on the back of such a magnificent creature was intense and Naruto could never get enough of it. The pure adrenaline when he hit terminal velocity was addicting and the roar of the wind felt deafening and completely natural at the same time. Like it was his true state of being.

Montana broke out of her free dive to glide a couple meters above the surface and Naruto laughed at the looks on the Iwa caravan's faces. Montana banked and circled back around to slow her speed and Naruto landed in front of the Iwa caravan. Samurai and ninjas alike rushed to the front of the caravan to protect their masters with deadly serious looks on their faces. They maintained their postures even when Naruto hopped down from Montana's back and greeted them. The tension lasted until a massive man with a truly bulbous nose stepped in front of the ninjas and waved a massive hand at Naruto.

"Hey there, Naruto-San, I am Akatsuchi and that was quite the entrance you made. Might I inquire as to the reason of your surprise visit?" The giant of a man spoke in a goofy and nasally voice.

"Hiya, Akatsuchi-San, I was flying back to Kumo and saw y'all here. Thought that I would get some quality time in with our potential allies. Mind if I join you for the rest of your journey to Kumo?"

A tiny old man with a similarly bulbous nose floated over Akatsuchi's right shoulder. "That would do just fine. You may join the Earth Daimyo and myself for the remainder of our journey."

Naruto dipped his head in a show of respect, "Thank you for the honor, Tsuchikage-Dono."

Naruto climbed into the sizeable carriage with Ohnoki and saw the Earth Daimyo sitting with his wife. Naruto noticed the woman must be ten years or more younger than the Earth Daimyo and he admitted that she was a beautiful woman. Naruto bowed his head to the two sitting across from him.

"Suchimaru-Dono, forgive me for not knowing the name of such a beautiful woman, but I cannot recall the name of your wife."

"Oh ho, such flattery, my name is Joanna, and you must be the Naruto Uzumaki that everyone is talking about." The woman introduced herself with her face hidden behind an ornate fan.

Ohnoki grunted, "Indeed he is, Joanna-Sama. So, Uzumaki-San, to what do we owe the pleasure?"

Naruto rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Well, I have never really been one for formalities. I saw you travelling and thought that we could have a long overdue talk. In return for your hospitality, I will give you some free demo seals that will alleviate your back pain, Ohnoki-Dono. I could offer you something as well, Lady Joanna."

Ohnoki's eyes sparkled at the thought of getting rid of his back pain. "Well, you have my attention…"

Joanna cut him off, "Oh, please, Ohnoki, don't ruin such a moment. Tell me, Naruto-Kun, what could you do to get rid of my back pain?"

Naruto smiled, "Well, Lady Joanna, we have been working on seals that make everyone's life just a bit more enjoyable. I have some fairly well-endowed fiancées and they suffer from back pains due to their busts and the uncomfortable braziers that they wear. We developed a woman's bra with fuinjutsu that lightens the load and alleviates back pain related to such womanly issues."

Joanna rose from her seat and took both of Naruto's hands in her own. The woman wasn't dainty, and her DD breasts were not small as her cleavage showed more in her current position. "Oh, that is most kind and fascinating of you. Are you saying that you will offer these products to me?"

"Of couse, Lady Joanna. In return, we ask that you test them and put in a good word with your friends. One of the items for discussion is to allow the building of two Uzumaki shops, one in Iwagakore and the other in the Earth capitol."

Joanna sat back in her seat and fixed a firm gaze on her husband. "Suchimaru, if you love me and the people of Iwa then you will do what is necessary to make this happen!"

Suchimaru chuckled heartily. "Hohoho, Naruto-San, you are quite the political maneuverer. Already recruited my wife to your cause."

Naruto shrugged. "Suchimaru-Dono, you use whatever cards are in your hand. We will be sure to give you a couple of our finer products, Lady Joanna. Now, I wanted to talk with the two of you to get a better understanding of Iwa's stance on me, as the legacy of my father."

The mood in the carriage fell a bit, but Ohnoki finally grunted. "It is not good. Your father left quite the impression on the people of Iwa. While I understand that it was wartime, the fact that he killed over 1,000 people left a deep scar on the broken families that remained."

"Indeed, Naruto-San, that is the case. I don't believe that the sins of the father should be shouldered by the sons, but I would be among the minority. That will be a big issue moving forward." Suchimaru added.

Naruto sighed, "Look, I figured as much. I am not asking that they forgive and forget, but open hostilities will not be tolerated. We have worked hard to help the people of Kaminari no Kuni, Wave, Kiri and we are willing to help more. I just don't want old grudges to obstruct the path to a brighter future."

"That is commendable, Naruto-San. If we didn't believe it were possible then we wouldn't be here now." Suchimaru answered in a professional tone.

"If these seals work as well as you say and these reforms help the people of Iwa, then that will go a long way in making amends." Ohnoki added.

Naruto smiled coyly, "Look, gentlemen, while we want that, we will conduct fair business. The grudge card can be played both ways, although I admit it is not a hand I wish to play."

Ohnoki and Suchimaru shifted uncomfortably, neither one of them needed to ask what he was referring to. The answer was clear, Uzushiogakore. Ohnoki, never one to be cowed for long, fixed the young man with a fierce gaze. "Uzumaki-San, many things happened in the past. Some of them are cherished as great achievements, some are left to rot on the shelves of history, others create black marks on the ledger of history. When you have lived as long as I have, sadly the black marks stack up. I will say this, I apologize for the near destruction of your clan."

Naruto was pleasantly surprised by the apology, but he kept his face schooled and dipped his head in a show of respect. "It is clear that your experienced has granted you wisdom, Ohnoki-Dono. I would likewise like to apologize on behalf of the Namikaze family for the suffering my father inflicted on your people." Naruto raised his head and met Ohnoki's stern gaze. "It is my hope to lay old grudges to rest and look forward to a new and better world."

The carriage ride lasted for another 30-minutes before Naruto hopped out of the carriage and gave a casual wave to Ai and his mother. He walked up and stood behind them as they went to greet Ohnoki and Suchimaru. Ai got a positive message from Naruto's smile and the gleam in his eyes, which started the negotiations off in a positive light. The Iwa contingent chose to dismount from the carriage to better absorb what was clearly a new and improved Kumo as they walked up to the Raikage Tower.

"Ai-Dono, it is truly inspiring to see your nation prospering after your recent changes." Ohnoki started with some flattery.

Ai chuckled, "Thank you for the compliment, Ohnoki. Could we drop the honorifics when we are not in a formal setting? The Uzumakis have rubbed off on me and I find them quite burdensome."

Suchimaru let out a hearty chuckle, "I always liked that about you Ai. So, tell me, how did you cultivate such mountainous terrain and make it productive for harvesting crops?"

Ai looked to Kushina, who took over, "Well, I would say it comes down to using ninjutsu as a tool and understanding what you are cultivating. In the old days, Uzushiogakore used to be able to grow a myriad of crops all in a tropical environment. So, we applied that principal to Kumo. What the natural environment lacks in nourishment, we can provide with ninjutsu or fuinjutsu."

Ohnoki put a hand to his chin in a clear show of thought, "Hmm, that is interesting. What kind of ninjutsu?"

Kushina smiled coyly at Ohnoki, "Isn't that what you are here to find out?"

Ohnoki grunted and hmphed, but it was Suchimaru that broke the tension, "Yes, yes, that is why we are here. Am I to understand that if negotiations are favorable that you would be willing to share such secrets?"

Kushina shrugged innocently, "Hmm, I don't know. That would be up to the big man. I can only speak for Uzushiogakore."

Ohnoki's head snapped to Kushina, "So, the rumors are true. I assume that if you are ready to share this with us then the Whirlpool Country is ready to come out of hiding?"

Ai put a calming hand on Kushina's shoulder, "Ohnoki, we have worked over the years to help restore the damage done to Whirlpool country. I have no problem sharing the fact that it is allied with Kumo. We would also appreciate it if you kept it under wraps until we are ready to release this information. Konoha will not be happy to hear about their former ally's resurrection."

Ohnoki frowned, "Yes, that accursed village. Can you believe the son of the Hokage violated international law like that?"

It was Kushina's turn to frown and growl, "You have no idea old man. I came so close to unleashing the Red Death upon Konoha for that offense. If my sochi had been maimed, then these talks would have needed to wait until Konoha was an ash pile." Kushina's hair was starting to tail up along with her signature, menacing aura. Once again, she was comforted by a big, dark-skinned hand to her shoulder. A fact that wasn't missed by Ohnoki nor Suchimaru.

"And you would have been in the right to do so." Suchimaru stated firmly.

"Indeed, speaking of Konoha…" Ohnoki began but Ai raised a hand to silence him.

"Let us wait for such serious topics until we are in a place where our privacy is ensured." Ai said firmly.

Ohnoki smirked, "Oh please, every nation knows that spies have been unable to breach Kumo for years…"

Kushina's foul mood calmed down, "Yes, thanks to the miracles of fuinjutsu."

The conversation remained cordial and casual until the group entered the conference room. In the conference room was Karui, Ai, Kirinji, Bee, Yugito, Naruto, Kushina, Mikoto as Kushina's 2nd, Ohnoki, Suchimaru, Joanna, Kitsuchi (Ohnoki's son and chosen heir) and Akatsuchi. The conversation was to be about the relationship of Iwa, Kumo and Uzu going forward.

Ai stood up and started the official part of the meeting after introductions were finished. "To start, let me welcome those of you from Iwa to Kaminari no Kuni and Kumogakore. We meet today to see if we can start as economic partners and lay out a path to move forward. I will leave the floor for Iwa to share what they wish our relationship to be moving forward."

Ohnoki looked to Suchimaru, who nodded at him, and Ohnoki stood up. "Thank you for the warm welcome. To start, I will share what we wish to gain and ask what Kumo wishes for in return. For starters, we wish for the protective seals and the quality-of-life seals that I have seen demonstrated in Kumo."

Ai looked to Kirinji and then nodded to Kushina. Kushina stood up and dipped her head slightly to the Iwa contingent. "It is at this point that I should officially announce that I am the Uzukage of New Uzu. I do not use the title Kage to be presumptuous but rather as the common designation for the leader of a shinobi village." Kushina paused here and took a deep breath as she locked eyes with her son. "I admit myself reluctant to give the very treasures that my clan died to protect to those that plundered my nation." Ohnoki started grumbling and Suchimaru didn't look pleased, but that paused when they saw Kushina close her eyes, clamp her fist and she continued speaking after a big, deep breath. "That being said, I am willing to forgive past grudges in order to move forward to a brighter future."

Kushina sat down and Ai put a comforting hand on her shoulder, which was mirrored by Naruto on her other shoulder. Before Iwa could respond, Naruto stood up. "Forgive me for speaking out of turn. Tsuchikage-Dono and Daimyo-Dono, it is as we spoke of earlier. I too wish to make this world a better place. I too do not wish to hoard our resources and blessings. This cycle of hatred is what drags us all down and keeps the world in a state of unrest. I want to be a force to break that cycle. I want to recruit your aid in breaking that cycle. I want to show the world that the deepest set old grudges cannot stand in the face of those working toward a joint goal. I ask that no matter what agreement is made here today that you take a solemn vow to help your people move past old grudges." Naruto finished his elegant and passionate address with a bow and took a seat while placing his hand back in his mother's.

Suchimaru, Ohnoki and Kitsuchi sat in a stunned silence and mulled over the words of the two Uzumakis. Finally, Suchimaru spoke up, "We are grateful for your consideration. I find your goal admirable Naruto-San. I also find your terms agreeable. What say you Ohnoki-Dono?"

Ohnoki shuffled uncomfortably because he was directly involved in both key incidents. He took an additional minute to think over his words. During that minute, his old and wizened eyes locked gazes with each of the important figures sitting across the table from him. "The boy is to be the next Raikage, correct?" Ohnoki processed Ai smiling and nodding. "Very well, Kitsuchi is to be my replacement once he has completed his training and I feel that he is ready. Kitsuchi, as the future leader of Iwagakore, what say you?"

Kitsuchi stood up and looked directly at Naruto. The two gained tunnel vision as their eyes engaged in a battle of wills and a searching of souls. Finally, Kitsuchi broke the high stakes staring contest and spoke. "If Naruto agrees to work toward peace, and make no mistake, it will be a long and arduous path should we agree to endeavor upon it, then I am willing to try."

Kirinji, wanting to alleviate some of the tension, clapped his hands and slapped a jovial smile on his face. "That is great to here. Let me tell you, Suchimaru, if you integrate similar reforms to what we have, your nation will prosper and rejoice in your reign."

Suchimaru nodded, "That is the plan. So, it seems we are amenable then. Tell me, Raikage-Dono, what would it cost us to gain access to these seals?"

Ai deferred to Kushina again and his woman took the lead, "With respect, I believe a ramping up would be appropriate. Give your people a taste, let us put up a couple shops and see if they are willing to forgive and move on. For the bigger projects, if a treaty is agreed upon, then you can pay for missions for the more intricate sealing projects."

Ohnoki grunted, knowing that this would cost a lot. "Okay, can you put this in perspective for us? What would it cost for the seals such as your enhanced privacy barriers? What about the seals Lady Joanna requested? What would it cost per acre to treat and convert our lands?"

Kushina smiled, "Well, for those things, the privacy barrier seals are 200 Ryu for the single use seals, if you wish for permanent ones, then that cost a 'C' rank mission. The seals on the woman's clothing, those being the push-up bra with pain relief and the underwear with anti-rape seals, are 350Ryu per set. The seals we use on the converted land … hmmm… I would say you are at about 150Ryu per acre, but that agriculture is more about ninjutsu and regular upkeep."

Suchimaru clapped excitedly, "That seems reasonable. Could you explain the last part a bit more?"

Ai took over here, "Please understand, Suchimaru-Dono, that we wish to have our agreement down in writing before we share such details."

The Iwa side relaxed and was forced to accept that. Ohnoki spoke, "Very well, Iwa is open to non-aggression pact for a ten-year duration. I propose we review this agreement every other year and see if each nation is ready to progress further."

Ai remained stoic as he addressed that, "That sounds acceptable. So, you wish to leave it at non-aggression? Do you wish for mutual trade as well."

Suchimaru waved a hand casually in front of his face, "Of course, of course, that was a given."

"Very well, moving onto our next item. I think it is something important to you and we want to offer this information freely." Ai stopped here, building up the anticipation.

"Well, out with it then youngblood!" Ohnoki said exasperatedly.

"It has to do with your missing jinchuriki…" Ai started before getting interrupted by Ohnoki standing up and slamming his fists on his desk. "Calm down, Ohnoki!" Ai said firmly. "Calm down, old man. It wasn't us."

Ohnoki grumbled but sat back down. "Very well, what do you know?"

Ai sighed, desperately hoping that Bee would stay quiet. "We have had inside men in Konoha since Kushina left. They came to me a couple years back with information that Konoha was going after jinchuriki since they were out the Kyuubi." Ai raised his hand to stop Ohnoki and Kitsuchi's interruption. "Before the chunin exams, we received word that a group of apostates that call themselves the Akatsuki. Among the members my intel named was Kakuzu the Immortal, Kisame Hoshigake, Sasori of the Red Sands, Hidan the Jashinist and Daedara…"

The last name drew shouts of anger from the Iwa side. He was their missing ninja after all. A growling Ohnoki calmed Kitsuchi down and then turned to address Ai. "Is this confirmed?"

Naruto stood up, "Look, old man, I am going to tell you something so that you trust us and understand how personal this is to us. You already know that I am an Uzumaki and a Namikaze. What you don't know…" At this point Naruto paused and released his transformation. "What you don't know is that I am the Kyuubi jinchuriki. Although, I am a bit different, and I have grown tired of hiding who and what I am."

Silence, pure, unadulterated silence. Ohnoki gawking and pointing, Kitsuchi's iron jaw hit the table, Suchimaru looked a mix between keenly interested and terrified while Joanna looked like all she wanted to do in her life was pet Naruto's blonde tails and rub her face in the white tips. Ai, Kushina, Bee, Yugito and Naruto all smirked at the reactions of the Iwa contingent. After five minutes, the shock seemed to clear up enough for Kitsuchi to speak.

"Naruto-San, could you … could you explain?"

Naruto shrugged and let his tails sway in a relaxed motion behind him, "Long story short, the night of the Kyuubi attack my dad made a deal with the Kyuubi. He signed a mating contract with her and since I gestated with her and she resided in me I became a Hanyu, a half demon. This transition had some … side effects…" He said gesturing to his ears and tails.

Ohnoki rubbed his eyes, that were big as saucers, and rubbed again after blinking. "Wow, okay. So, that aside, you are telling me that this Akatsuki group took Roshi?"

Ai spoke up again as Bee began patting Naruto's ears. "Look, it has been difficult gathering information on them. Here is what we know thus far, Suna was destroyed by puppets and extensive bombing after the invasion. That could be attributed to Sasori and Daedara. Taki was attacked by Kakuzu, Kisame and we believe Hidan and their jinchuriki is still missing. Then we add in Roshi, my condolences by the way. Did your intelligence pick up anything in concern to how he was abducted?"

Ohnoki looked to be in a truly fowl mood with his frown threatening to stretch down past his chin. "Hmph, there was a sizeable battle at the volcano. We noticed that there were water, wind and earth jutsus used. Then the battle came to a halt and some point and there were two patches of significant amounts of blood. Once of those patches was Roshi's."

This wasn't good news to the group, and it was Bee that summed it up. "Well, this ain't good, we miss three of nine, we don't know but we should, ain't no way dat's fine."

Bewildered, the Iwa contingent looked toward their Kumo counterparts for a translation. They waited until after Ai had 'Iron Clawed' Bee for his transgression before a laughing Naruto translated for the group. "He means three of the nine jinchuriki are missing and linked to Akatsuki. Then, the Ichibi is MIA after the invasion and the Sanbi is reforming. That means that Han with Kokuo and Utakata with Saiken, along with us three in this room, are the only ones accounted for."

Ohnoki and Kitsuchi growled, "So, we only know for sure that they don't have four of the biju. That makes me wonder, why are they going after the biju?"

"Unknown." Was Ai's simple response.

The rest of Ohnoki's time in Kumo was actually pleasant for the old man. As a going away present, the Uzumaki clan gifted him a belt that acted as a back brace and relieved his pain. The old man was so overjoyed that he flew into the skies around Kumo and flew around the mountain. Lady Joanna bought two scrolls full of the women's underwear with a look of absolute glee and content on her face. There was a sealing squad going to Iwa for the first round of seals that they qualified for under the new non-aggression pact.