Hello again! I apologize for the late update, but I've been busy with school, volunteering, and getting everyone to turn in their census form (yup, had a temporary job with the census bureau). Sadly, updates to this fic will be coming to a major slow-down in the future? Why? I explain in the AN at the end.
Now, I said I wouldn't do it, but there is a lemon in this chapter. I hesitated at first mainly because, to be blunt, I am a virgin (just don't have much luck with women). However, because I planned for such events to be at least referenced frequently, I figured I may as well describe them.
Now, do keep in mind, this was rated M to begin with. While FF "prohibits" lemons, from what I understand this happens only if you're reported (I'd wager if the staff stumbled across this fic, they wouldn't care unless someone specifically told them to). So, if such material offends you, either skip the section where it starts or abandon this fic. All I can promise you is that the event and future ones won't be too kinky, it will be tasteful both in description and in context, and please don't ruin everyone else's enjoyment. After all, I rated this M, so if such material offends you all you have to do is press the red x on the top right corner of your computer.
That being said, let us begin!
Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto; with what's coming up, you'll see that's painfully obvious!
Naruto got to work immediately at the rarely used kitchen stove. He didn't know how long Sakura would be; but it was probably best to get started immediately. As pathetic as his fire jutsus were, they were good enough to reheat meals as if they never went cold in the first place. Naruto grinned to himself. "I bet Sakura could never imagine me doing this." However, as much cause as this was for celebration, he knew something serious was about to happen between Sakura and her family, and it would be about her arranged marriage. A part of him hoped that her father felt that her trial alone had brought shame upon them and quickly canceled to save face. But it wasn't right to think that; if anything he hoped Sakura and her family would be closer together in understanding. The one thing that bothered him the most though was that he couldn't help. He wanted to, but it was a personal matter for Sakura, something he had no right to get involved in unless she asked. All he could do for her was wish her luck…
Sakura and her mother walked down the street towards their house in silence, something Sakura anticipated when she kissed Naruto in front of her, but nonetheless didn't like it.
At first, Sakura didn't give much thought about how people would perceive her after the trial. But as she started to observe the people passing by, she saw many looked at her with suspicion. They didn't care that the shinobi who risked their lives for the village found her innocent, just what they had seen on the first tape. "Was this how you felt…Naruto?"
Finally, her mother spoke up. "Sakura…your father will never approve…especially him."
Sakura sighed. "Yeah. I kinda figured that."
"Then why-"
"I love him. That's all you need to know." There was no point in going into detail about it, and her mother would probably never understand herself, as she was never a ninja in the first place.
Her mother looked at her in shock. "Sakura! You know exactly what he is! He's a monster! He will only bring you pain-"
Sakura just stopped, clenching her fists. "Care to prove it, mother?" she hissed in a threatening tone, having it with the Kyuubi excuse. Her mother only looked at her, shocked at her defiance. "I could say a bunch of things on the subject right now…but I think I'll wait. I have a feeling he'll need to hear what I have to say regarding him as well."
As they continued walking, her mother walked up and grabbed her by the arm. "Dear, regardless of who you are in love with right now, your own father has already made a decision for your future! I'm sorry, but it is simply not your place to-"
"Mother, don't you wish you could be something more than what you are now?" Her mother once again just gawked at her, speechless. Though she put up a tough façade, inside Sakura was deeply saddened by what she saw. Her mother clearly never had any say in what she did or her future, from childbirth to present. What stung Sakura more was that she was on the verge of becoming like that. "I was once like you, caring more about being feminine and being a proper bride. I dreamed about serving the boy I had a crush on back then…but it just made me useless and I felt all alone as everyone else went after their dreams. I realized I had to take control of my own life, and found out what was really important." Sakura turned to face her mother. "Mom…I know you are not happy where you are right now. Don't you ever wish that you had the strength to change that?"
Her mother's face seemed to hint at inner turmoil. "It doesn't matter anymore…my fate was decided a long time ago."
Sakura wanted to hold her mother, but realized they just reached their home. "I'll show you what it means to be in control of your own fate, mother."
Sakura entered the house, noting that it had just begun to rain outside. Finally, she found her father in the living room, downing a cup of sake. Sakura remembered how he seemed to do it with increasing frequency over the years. "You certainly seem to be in a bad mood." Sakura said, grabbing his attention.
"Do I have any reason to feel the opposite?" His speech was slurred, if only slightly. Drunk, but not enough to throw off his own shinobi senses and abilities.
"I'm standing right here; did you bother to come to my trial at all?" Sakura asked, trying her best not to sound too accusing.
"It wouldn't matter in the eyes of your new fiancé anyway; the fact you were put on trial alone has questioned not only your honor, but mine as well." He slammed his cup on the table and finally stood up to face her.
Sakura took a good look at her father's face before she answered. As expected, his frown and wrinkles on his face suggested superficial anger. But it was his eyes that got to her. Eyes that were strong with belief, but also contained bottled-up rage. Like Sasuke back then, her father was ready to explode at any minute. Sakura hoped that she would be able to diffuse the situation. "So, does that mean the marriage is off?"
"No, I fully intend to send you off. I served the lord's father long ago, we're good friends. I'm sure any excuse I can give will be good enough."
Sakura breathed, and prepared herself. She hoped this would turn out well; her gut told her it wouldn't. "I'm sorry, father. I should have told you sooner, but with the war I felt it was best to wait to tell you…" Well, that was part of the truth, but the main reason wouldn't do her any favors "… but I can't agree to this."
Her father only looked at her dumbfounded. "WHAT!"
"This doesn't look good." One of the two guards assigned to observe Sakura from afar said. They both sensed violent intent from Sakura's father; one wrong word and he would snap. "We better get ready to-"
"No." His partner placed his hand on his partner's sword-handle. "This is her fight; don't worry, no matter how good her father is now, Sakura has trained hard throughout her youth. I'm sure she'll come out on top."
The one who wanted to intervene wasn't entirely convinced. "I'm aware of that, but it's our job-"
"Hokage-sama told us to stay out of anything personal regarding Haruno; I believe she anticipated this. Don't worry; if it looks like it will get too out of control, we'll restrain them. I'll inform Kakashi-taichou in any case."
The other guard looked at his partner in disbelief, but finally relented and fully sheathed his sword. "I hope you're right; I don't want to get fired. You act as though you're familiar with her."
The other remained in silence as he observed. If only he knew…
"What makes you think you can defy ME!" Sakura's father shouted, obviously not being used to being talked back at, especially by women other than his own mother. If Sakura's small statement of protest could even be called that.
"I'm a grown woman; you can't tell me what to do." Sakura retorted firmly.
"You're a woman, and more importantly my daughter! That's exactly the reason you must do as I say!"
Sakura had to stop herself from crying. Now was not the time to break down, not in front of him. She had to win this, one way or another...and she both dreaded and relished the thought of the worst-case scenario. "Why should I! You never cared about me! Mom was always the one to take care of me, AND you! You were never there for me whenever I got hurt, whenever I had a birthday, you never asked me how my day was, tucked me in… and when I graduated and became a genin, the one who congratulated me was mom! And to this day that's how it remained! If you never gave a damn about me all this time, why would you now!"
"You're still my daughter, and I intend to make use of you anyway I can, for my clan's honor!"
Sakura didn't know what kept her from loosing it when he said that. "I know our family history! Our clan was decimated during the 3rd shinobi war, and the Kyuubi finished off what little was left! And I know the real reason you never cared for me was because I didn't inherit your Kekkei Genkai! You have NO RIGHT to tell me what to do about my life when it was one you never wanted to have in the first place!"
"And just what do you intend to do!" her father yelled, almost daring her to say more.
"I'm moving out. You'll never have to deal with me again, and you can wallow in your self-pity for all I care."
"You dare disrespect me again, you worthless-"
"You don't know the meaning of respect, father. And I'm not worthless. Ask anyone from my class, ANBU…the Hokage will be more than happy to confirm everything. In fact, I think you should know, she's on her way to my 'fiancé's' family right now."
Her father's eyes widened, and she could swear the fury inside him was manifesting physically. "I will give you ONE CHANCE to kneel and beg for forgiveness. If not…I'm afraid I'll have to teach you the hard way, and show you your rightful place."
That was it. Sakura just created a fight on her hands. A part of her felt that she practically asked for this, and that there was another way around it…but he was already on the edge long before the present; if she truly wanted to be free of him, she had to face him head on Sakura clenched her fists. "Rightful place? I suggest you crawl back into whatever rock you were living under right now, father. I promise you that you're going to be in for a rude awakening if you don't stop this instant."
Her father only stared at her unfazed. "I think not. Do you even know what our family's Kekkei Genkai is?" He held the palm of his hand directly in front of Sakura, and revealed a red eye in it, similar to the Sharingan but without the tomoes. Then, it pulsed. Sakura felt her kidney being torn apart, and fell to her knees in pain, clutching it. "Naibukujogan. I project my chakra from this eye, and I can tear apart my victim's organs from the inside. Don't worry, I don't plan on killing you; just cause enough pain until you give up…"
"No! Please, stop this!" Sakura's mother lunged at him, and directed his wrist away from Sakura.
Without even hesitating, Sakura's father back fisted his wife away from him. Never being a kunoichi herself, his fist hit her square in the temple and knocked her out. Mr. Haruno's face contorted in even more anger. "I'll deal with you later." He inched towards Sakura, who was still writhing in pain. "So, do you understand now? I would suggest begging right now. The louder, the better…" Then, he noticed Sakura's palms were emitting green chakra, which were clutching her sides. "She's healing herself!" He almost got hit by the incredibly fast uppercut that suddenly appeared out of nowhere. He leaped to the other side of the room, and smirked at his ability to dodge it. Until blood spewed out of a cut on his cheek.
Sakura rose, having recovered. "Your one chance of victory was lost once you told me what was happening. Sorry father, but I know I am superior in every way."
"Your medical skills may have saved you, but a good beating will-"
"Father. Did the Hokage ever tell you that I was the one who killed Orochimaru?"
"You don't deserve credit for that! The Hokage wore him down, obviously." he retorted.
"Wrong. Shishou was poisoned, and Orochimaru was at full health. If you don't believe me, you can ask her. Then again…I doubt you'd believe a kunoichi of any kind. I just want you to let that thought sink in for a bit." Her father produced a kunai from his sleeve and moved in to slash her. He cut her stomach open…which then turned into their coffee table. "You're the one who should give it up father. I surpassed you a long time ago." He looked at her in shock when he observed her standing right next to him. He didn't even notice!
Her father screamed in fury and made slashing motions at her again. However, she dodged each one with ease. "After taking so many blows from Shishou, I make it a point not to get hit." Her father retreated and smashed a frame, extracting a sword. He slashed it into Sakura's shoulder, burying it deep into Sakura' clavicle. But to his shock, she turned into wood, and the branches wrapped around him, immobilizing and suffocating him. "Genjutsu! When did she…" No time to ask when and how. "Kai!" The genjutsu vanished, and Mr. Haruno fell to his knees; these days breaking genjutsu were not easy for him.
"Father, please. I don't want to hurt you." Sakura stood right behind him. Mr. Haruno found an opportunity to use his Naibukujogan, and shot his hand out. But before he could activate it, Sakura quickly side-stepped and wrapped some paper around his hand. Sakura's father made a motion to rip it off, but it stuck to his skin. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. I've smeared that paper with normal glue, and used my chakra to quicken and enhance its cohesiveness. You won't be able to use that eye for 48 hours. Rip it off and it will come off with the paper." After some struggle, her father finally gave up, and sat in a relaxed, defeated position. Sakura slowly inched towards him, and then kneeled to his level.
"Father…I'm sorry. But this has gone on for too long. Your family is more important than your bloodline." Nothing. "I…I know that things didn't go for you as you hoped when you were younger. But please, don't shut us out. We can put this behind us, make a new life for ourselves." Sakura held her hand out towards her father. As expected, he seemed torn, hesitant. Finally, he reached out and touched her hand. Sakura's eyes watered; she just felt overjoyed that her father was going to give them being a real family a chance.
"Real shinobi never let their guard down." He whispered as his frown turned into a sneer. It was too late for Sakura to pull away, and her father thrust another kunai towards her abdomen. Sakura moved out of the way to avoid a fatal blow, but it still cut deep into her side. Sakura tried to run, but her father held her tight, and threw her against the wall. "Futon! Fuutama no Jutsu!" Sakura rolled out of the way as wind bullets tore the walls in her small house. A direct hit would result in severe lacerations; as it was now she was cut up pretty badly.
"Don't make me laugh! I would never want to settle with raising a family! My own father was cold and calculating, and was always treated with the utmost respect! He made all the decisions, nothing else, and as his eldest son, that was what I was destined to be! If that is so wrong…why did the village treat us so right?"
Sakura's eyes widened as she realized the truth: her father was so set in his ways, almost to the point of insanity. Like…"…like Danzo…" Sakura wiped away her tears, and came out of her corner in the hallway. "If you kill me now, you'll be thrown in jail for the rest of your life, and that's if Shishou pities you. Hell, just for backhanding mom you'll be doing some time. But I am going to give you one more chance, you let me AND mom go, and we'll leave you in peace."
"And if I refuse?" her father asked mockingly, his face contorted in insanity.
"I am going to put a premature end to your career as a ninja."
Her father only laughed maniacally in response. "Let's see you try it! Futon! Shippu Nodachi no Jutsu!" A tornado formed in her father's hands as if it were a sword, tearing the house to shreds as he swung it towards her. Most ninja would have been unable to dodge it. Most, that is. Sakura leaped over it with ease, and rolled towards her father. All her father had to do was bring the blade down. But of course, Sakura knew that. She quickly threw a smoke bomb she retrieved in one of the cabinets while her father was caught in the genjutsu earlier, causing her father to break his concentration.
Once the giant wind blade dissipated, she rose and landed a devastating kick onto her father's kneecap. With her strength, his leg bent like a flimsy piece of plastic, the knee shattering like glass. Her father doubled over in pain, clutching his leg. "NO! THISAAUUGGHHH!" Sakura's father was in too much pain to form coherent words, and was reduced to clutching his leg. Sakura's heart dropped when she realized something else; she could see in his eyes that he was also loosing his mind. Sakura held back her tears as she tried to hold herself together. She already tried reaching out to her father a minute ago; he was beyond help the day she was born.
Just then, someone came through the door. Sakura looked up, stunned. "Kakashi-sensei?"
Kakashi sighed with regret. "I apologize, Sakura; I wasn't informed of this until a minute ago…" Kakashi seemed hesitant to continue. "…I saw what was happening, but I realized this was something you had to do on your own, or else you would never be able to get over it. I…I'm sorry."
Sakura looked down, watching her father finally pass out. "No. You're right. It was meant to be. I'd have been upset if you or who ever's watching me interfered, even if it was to save my life." Sakura looked at Kakashi, with a melancholy look. "I…I just felt I had to prove myself to him. Even though a part of me knew it was fruitless."
Kakashi walked up to her and patted her shoulder. "Sakura…your father may never be able to see it, but you have grown into one of the most amazing kunoichi I have ever seen. Don't ever tell yourself different."
Sakura's guards and protection then entered. One went to her father and immediately got to work on stabilizing his leg, the other checked up on her mother. "She's okay, she'll have a bruise, but I think our medi-nins can fix that easily."
"What about him?" Sakura asked, referring to her father.
"Hokage-sama would be able to put his knee back to optimal condition through therapy. However, considering what he did to you, I doubt that's going to happen anytime soon."
Her mother regained consciousness, and the ANBU debriefed her about everything that happened. She could only look at her daughter in shock. Sakura rushed over to her mother, who was sobbing. "Why…?"
"It's okay mom, we're safe. He won't ever hurt you again." Sakura smiled. "Now, you'll be able to truly live, mother…"
"Why couldn't you have just done what he said?"
Sakura's small smile dropped dead upon hearing that. "What?"
"If you had, it would never have come to this!"
Sakura couldn't believe what she just heard. After all he said, after what he did when everyone could have walked away peacefully…firmly, she gripped her mother's shoulder. "Mom, open your eyes! He tortured me, he tried to kill me…he hit you! He doesn't care about us, he said it himself!"
Her mother didn't hear her. "If you only had done what you were told…"
"Whether or not he was provoked, that doesn't change the fact that he always felt the way he did. I'd imagine it wouldn't have taken much more sake to drive him over the edge anyway!"
The two only stared at each other in silence. Sakura knew her mother was raised to be a traditional and proper woman. But surely she could see her chance to escape a hell she was forced into…right?
Mrs. Haruno turned away from her. "Now…you can never come back." Sakura's body trembled in disbelief, and tears flowed down her face freely. Her mind stopped thinking, and she ran out the house.
"Sakura!" Kakashi yelled, trying to reach for her but she was too fast. Kakashi sighed, feeling her pain. "My father is dead because of tradition. I know how you feel, Sakura." Tsunade was going to chew him out for this, and that was if she was in a good mood. He figured now would be the time to do what the council and Tsunade ordered him to. "Follow her. Keep me posted." He then stared intently at one of the guards. "And this time, if something happens, you will do your job properly, or else I'll make sure I have a partner scrubbing the toilets when Hokage-sama gets back. Are we clear!" he almost shouted.
"Yes, Kakashi-sama!" The one attending to her mother said as he sprinted out.
One of Naruto's clones wiped some sweat off his brow as he continued to cook. "Done." Just then, the doorbell rang. "If it's her, the timing couldn't be more perfect!" He handed the dish to his clone, and walked towards the door. "Sakura-chan, is that you?" he shouted before he reached the door.
"…yeah…"
That didn't sound good. Naruto quickly opened the door, and his jaw dropped at what he saw. Sakura was covered in cuts and bruises, her hair was a mess, and she was soaking wet from the heavy rain. But what really caught his attention was her eyes, which were deep red from crying. Sakura embraced him and cried more. Naruto didn't do anything but hug her back as if her life depended on it. He didn't know how long they stayed like that…but it had been a while, that much he could discern. During that time, he wished Sakura told him what happened, but knew it was best to wait until she was ready to tell him. However, he had a hunch, one he hoped was wrong. If he wasn't, she was going to stay here, no ifs ands or buts.
Finally, her sobs quieted down to nothing. "Sakura…you're soaking wet. We need to get something dry for you, and warm you up too. I know you probably don't care right now…but I'd very much like it if you didn't catch a cold."
Sakura nodded weakly, and Naruto ran to the bathroom, while one of his clones handed her a towel. "Thank you." Sakura weakly replied.
After a few minutes of the bushin comforting her, the real Naruto came back. "Okay, Sakura-chan. I got the bath ready for you."
Sakura looked at him in surprise. She expected nothing more than a shower! "Naruto…you didn't have to go that far…"
"Don't be ridiculous." Naruto scoffed. "I'm not going to allow you to stress yourself out more than you already have. You've been through hell with your possession, your trial…and whatever just happened to you. So, just kick back and relax. I'll get some clothes for you while I dry yours…" He then got a good look at Sakura's clothes, realizing that while not reduced to rags, they were torn badly. "…well, I'll at least get you some dry ones until we figure out what to do."
Sakura smiled slightly, and kissed him. She then made her way to the bathroom while Naruto looked through his laundry.
"She went straight to Uzumaki Naruto's apartment, Kakashi-sama." The voice over the phone said.
Kakashi, back in the Hokage's office, smiled slightly. "Watch the apartment, but don't concern yourself with what goes on inside. She'll be safe with him."
"Affirmative."
With that, Kakashi hung up the phone. "If it weren't those two, I would say that a great edition of Icha-Icha would be on the way." He then looked at some of the paperwork Tsunade left behind and sweat dropped. "Help me…"
Sakura closed away the last of her cuts with her medical ninjutsu. She used up a lot of chakra right after getting it back, but it was worth it; no matter how emotionally traumatized she was, Sakura was not going to let her physical body fester from infection, and at least kill the pain. Sakura smiled slightly and sighed as she leaned deeper into the hot water. Despite what she just went through, the hot bath put her almost completely at ease and forget her troubles. If there was a heaven, this had to be it. Naruto went an extra mile and even made it a bubble bath. Sakura giggled at the thought. It was childish…but the bubbles had an aesthetic appeal to them, which only served to relax her more. "Now if only Naruto would join me…" Sakura had to hold back another giggle at the thought. "Then again, at this point that's probably not too far-fetched…"
"Aw, come on…" Naruto searched through his room, but realized almost nothing he had was clean; he was still something of a slob, and Sakura's trial threw off his laundry schedule even more than usual. The only things he could find that were clean were a large wife-beater t-shirt, a pair of boxers, and his robe. Naruto groaned, fearing he was going to ruin Sakura's evening even further. It was either this, or Sakura would have to spend the evening in nothing but a towel. While a nice and common thought that entered his mind, this was the absolute worse time to piss off Sakura.
Naruto returned from his room and knocked on the bathroom door. "Sakura…there's a slight problem."
"Yes, Naruto?" Her question didn't have any frustration or annoyance in it…in fact, it was quite cheerful, especially compared to her demeanor earlier.
"I couldn't find any clean clothes for you to wear, not out in public anyway…all I could find was my robe and some underwear."
"Open the door just a crack, and hand them to me." Naruto, surprised by the pleasant tone in her voice, did so, and felt them snatched out of his hand. "I'll be a few more minutes, okay?"
Naruto nodded. "Take your time." He was relieved that went well, and decided to reheat the food he cooked.
All good things had to come to an end, and Sakura reluctantly pulled the plug to her first hot bath in months. Stepping out of the bath, she dried herself off with Naruto's towel, and proceeded to pick up the robe and boxers. But something caught her eye; not on the floor, but in the bathroom mirror. She didn't know why; she had seen her own naked body several times before. But, it was different now. Back when she was still a cadet, she always tried to make herself look pretty to cover up her "flaws". Overtime, as romantic interests dropped in her priority lists, she decided to accept her body as average. Of course, she would clobber anyone who would claim she was ugly, namely Sai. Plus, she always made it a point to look well-groomed and fit, and would dress nice when the occasion called for it. But now, she had fallen in love again, and the desire to look womanly struck her. While Naruto had claimed over and over again that she was beautiful, she dismissed Naruto as being the type to see the "inner-beauty". Granted, that was not a bad thing, and arguably more important than physical beauty. But for any relationship between adults to work, there had to be some sort of physical attraction. Sakura knew that she was attracted to Naruto. But him to her?
Sakura began to inspect herself…and was starting to feel that she had been harsh on her physical appearance in terms of being womanly and sexy. While not as thin as Ino, she did have a healthy hourglass shape body. Her legs were toned, but conveyed softness as well. She used to think of her pink-hair as weird, but when picturing herself in other hair-colors, she realized she wouldn't have it any other way, and it made her feel unique. She then moved on to the one part of her body that she hated the most going through puberty…her breasts. But looking at them now, she couldn't remember why she did. As they were now, they were pert and perfectly round. While not particularly large, calling her small-breasted would have been an insult. For her, they were perfect. Beginning to feeling a bit more confident about herself, she turned around to get a good look at her posterior…and blushed. "Oh my…no wonder Shishou insisted on me wearing those skirt-shorts …" If anything, her body became that of a reverse Tsunade; she did fill out exceptionally in one area like her teacher, except in her case it was below her waist.
She was startled out of her thoughts when she heard a knock on the door. "Sakura-chan? Is everything okay? I heard the water drain, and you've been in there for a while now!"
Sakura quickly gathered the garments. "Sorry, Naruto! I was…lost in thought." Sakura quickly dressed in what little Naruto had to offer.
Sakura came out of the bathroom, wearing Naruto's orange robe and the undergarments he provided, not that he could see them. If it weren't for the somber mood, Naruto would have smiled and told her she looked cute in his robe. "Feeling better?" he asked instead.
Sakura nodded slightly. "Yeah. Thanks. That felt really good."
Before Sakura could speak, Naruto guided her to the dinner table. Her eyes widened as she saw the Miso Soup, rice, and Tonkatsu on two dinner plates. She looked to the sink and oven, and realized that Naruto cooked it all, judging by the fresh burns on the pan. "I know that given whatever happened, you're probably not in the mood to eat." He pulled up a chair for her. "But you can just tell me whatever happened while I eat. Or not. It's up to you." Naruto stroked her cheek and smiled. "I just want to make you comfortable."
Sakura took her seat and gave him and appreciative smile. "No, I appreciate it, and I don't want to let such a good meal go to waste. I've had nothing but food pills for nearly a whole month, basic rations for the last 3 months, and no matter how bad of a mood I'm in…I'm still damn hungry. Besides…when a woman is upset, we do nothing but eat." She chuckled at the last part.
She and Naruto sat and ate in silence. Sakura was impressed; Naruto knew how to cook, and to cook well. And that just wasn't her stomach talking. "Every time I think I have you figured out, you pull something that only impresses me more." Sakura said as she wiped her mouth.
Naruto replied "Well, it wasn't always convenient to go to Ichiraku's, and there were a lot of times where I just wanted to be alone. So, I kinda had to learn. Took me forever though, and during our training trip, Ero-senin helped me out a lot." Naruto folded his hands together and looked at Sakura seriously. "Now, about what happened…I'll understand if you don't-"
"I came here fully intending to tell you what happened." Sakura went on with the story, doing her best to stay strong.
Naruto's heart dropped as he listened to her. Sakura had grown into an amazing and kind person…it broke his heart to see her get beat down like this again. After she finished, he embraced her, with Sakura returning the embrace. "I'm so sorry, Sakura. I honestly don't know what to say…you've been through so much. You don't deserve any of this." Sakura nodded silently, and let Naruto guide her towards the couch.
They sat there in silence, with Sakura leaning her head on his shoulder. Both were content to simply be in each other's company. But as the minutes passed…Naruto realized he contributed to her suffering these past few months as well. When Sakura confessed that she knew about his heritage, Naruto shut her out like everyone else. Neither was able to think straight for a long time, and nearly lost one another. And that's when Naruto had an epiphany. He had kept something from Sakura for years as well…when he disguised himself as Sasuke. He even tried to kiss her, but it was Sasuke she was falling in love with. He realized that in the end, it probably made Sasuke's departure so much harder on her than it would have otherwise. "Sakura…."
"Hmm?" Sakura asked, not looking.
"Listen, about earlier, about my father…"
Sakura hushed his lips. "Don't apologize; you had every right to-"
"No, that's not what I meant." Naruto sighed realizing that this probably would go badly. But it was the right thing to do, and the right thing to do was often the one thing you really didn't want to do, and would sometimes pay most dearly for. "I had no right to turn my back on you for keeping that from me…because there is something I've been keeping a secret from you for years, something important." Sakura just stared at him, then faintly gestured for him to continue. "You remember when we graduated, back then? After Iruka-sensei acknowledged us as genin?"
Sakura nodded. "Oh man. I remember...I was so thrilled to be on the same team as Sasuke…" Sakura looked away, embarrassed. "And, kind of embarrassed I was stuck with you."
"What did you do after class?" Naruto asked, already knowing the answer.
Sakura hesitated to tell him at first. But, she reasoned that they both knew that back then she had a huge crush on Sasuke, and that it was in the past. "I went to a bench near the academy, just thinking about getting Sasuke's attention. At the time, I didn't think I was particularly attractive, so I was kind of down." Sakura waited for Naruto's approval to continue, and he gave it. "Anyway, Sasuke came by and said-"
"You have a cute and charming forehead. It makes me want to kiss it." Naruto finished for her. "Here it comes…"
Sakura looked at him in shock. She was about to ask "You were there?", but then it occurred to her. Her eyes widened, and she suddenly grabbed Naruto and pinned him to the other side of the couch. "That…that was you!" She was visibly upset at this revelation, and it hurt Naruto that he did that to her.
At first, he didn't say anything, just looked at her with regret. After a tense minute, he spoke. "I'm so sorry, Sakura. I never meant to hurt or trick you. I only wanted to get closer to you, at least for a few minutes. I know it was wrong of me to do, but I was too young to know better…and you wouldn't have talked to me otherwise."
Sakura relaxed, and lay down on his chest, stroking his hair. It felt comforting in a way Naruto never felt before. "I said such terrible things about you. You must have been crushed…"
Naruto replied "A little. But I just got the idea of making you hate Sasuke…"
Sakura tensed up once again, and almost shouted. "You mean…that was you too?"
Naruto blinked and said "Huh!"
"After you backed out of kissing me…either you, or Sasuke, came by. I bragged about what an idiot you were, but whoever it was gave me a lecture about how I knew nothing…and said 'You make me sick'."
Naruto eased Sakura off him, and looked her straight in the eye with a stern expression. "Sakura…I know it wasn't too long ago I said something that hurt you terribly. But to say those exact words to you…I could never imagine myself doing that. Not back then, not now."
Sakura just looked into her lap, a sad smile adorning her face. "Yes, of course. Before Sasuke left for sound, he said those exact same words to me." Naruto wrapped his arm around Sakura, just glad that she accepted the truth and simply wanted to live in the present. "Naruto…about what I said…"
"It's okay. You were young, and I didn't exactly leave a good impression on anyone the first time I met them. Looking back, I can't blame you…I was pretty annoying." Naruto's private lessons with Iori were almost like looking into a mirror of the past.
Sakura looked away, and frowned. "The truth is, I only said those things to impress who I thought was Sasuke."
That got Naruto curious. "Oh? Then…what would you have said otherwise?"
Sakura leaned into him and clasped his hand. "There were times when I thought you were annoying. But I also thought you weren't a bad guy, and I always had this sense that you were lonely. I hoped that despite our differences, we could all become friends. I even believed that with our support, you could become the ninja you wanted to be, because no matter how impossible it seemed, I always admired you for chasing your dream. And it would be the most amazing thing…" Naruto just looked at her stunned. Sakura looked up at him, feeling disappointed in herself for falling in with the crowd back then. "I'm so sorry I didn't have the courage to say what I really thought. But if it makes you feel any better, there is one more thing from that incident you should know…"
Naruto almost didn't want to know. It just frightened him so much how much that one incident revealed about themselves. "Before you showed up…I was imagining all the nice things Sasuke could say to me if he approached me. The only thing I could imagine him saying was 'You have a cute and charming forehead.'". Naruto's eyes widened in shock. Even if he was in Sasuke's form at the time, Sakura just confirmed that they were meant to be. "You have always understood me better than anyone else. I wish I could have been nicer and more open to you back then…but know this: I love you now, and while there are things I wished I've done differently in the past, I realize now that they were stepping stones to make me see the real you. There's no one else I'd rather be with!" Naruto hugged her tightly, and gently laid her on her back. Then, he started kissing her passionately, their kisses becoming more intense…
Iori looked out the window, watching the heavy rain outside, listening to its noise as it made contact with the glass. The occasional lightning bolt was the only thing to break the pattern. Storms like these used to scare Iori; back on her home island, typhoons would come a few times every summer. As a little girl, she would always get scared, and her father would comfort her, watching nature unleash its fury outside their own home, praying they would be spared. Now, in Fire Country, storms were nothing more than a nuisance; in fact, at times like these, it was relaxing.
She was then startled out of her thoughts by a knock on her door. "Coming." Iori walked to the door, thinking maybe it was Naruto. It was fairly late though, and surely he was with Sakura, assuming she was released (she couldn't know due to her house arrest). When she opened the door, she was greeted with a surprise. "Yuji?"
Yuji placed the soaking umbrella in Iori's basket, and hefted a fairly large bag he had been carrying. "Hey. Long time no see."
Iori closed the door as Yuji made his way in. "Yeah."
"Sorry I haven't been stopping by lately. You must have been bored out of your mind for a while now."
Iori smiled at his consideration. "You had to attend the trial. I'm only sorry I couldn't be there; I would if I could." Iori then realized she did not know the outcome. "Speaking of which…"
"Sakura was cleared, but they are still paranoid about what they saw on tape…so she has restrictions." He answered, making himself comfortable on Iori's couch.
Iori took her seat on the couch and replied "I'm glad. Restrictions here are still better than prison." It was then that Iori noticed the bag and its contents. "What are those?"
Yuji proceeded to take a few of the items in question out. "These? These were just a few things I own that I wanted to share with you while I kept you company. I'll even let you borrow them for a while if you want. As I said before, I figured you were bored, so I decided to see if these could keep you entertained."
Videos, manga…he even brought his Saga Resurrection console with him. "Thanks. I usually don't make much time for these sorts of things, so forgive me if I don't sound too enthused."
"No problem. I just wanted to keep you company now that I don't have Sakura-nechan on my mind."
Iori looked back at the door, realizing someone was missing. "Hey…isn't Shiguri coming?"
Yuji sighed sadly. "No. He didn't want to brave this storm, so he's staying at my place. But he says hello."
Iori, realizing Yuji's and Sakura's special relationship, then asked "Shouldn't you go visit Sakura-sensei as well?" Yuji slumped into the couch, sighing in response. "I wanted to. But I have a strong feeling she's going to want to be with Naruto-sensei alone, assuming she's not in his apartment already. Besides…I heard something really bad happened at the Haruno residence."
"What!" Iori shouted.
"I don't know for sure what happened, it's only things I overheard from some of the villagers on my way over here. I asked a few people I recognized from the police department, and they said Sakura-nechan's father went crazy. He assured me she was alright though…physically anyway."
Iori looked away from Yuji in deep thought. "Sakura-sensei has been through so much…" Yuji nodded silently, he couldn't agree more. "I wish to be as strong and beautiful as she is." Iori added to Yuji's surprise.
Yuji debated with himself whether or not to make a move. Figuring that it wouldn't be taken as romantic, and that he should do something to comfort her in either case, he placed a hand on Iori's shoulder. "You will." Iori was clearly surprised by his support…but she slowly smiled and took his hand in hers. Yuji was momentarily stunned by the touch of Iori's skin. "Whoa, she feels really soft…"
Iori thought "He's such a good guy. I feel so bad for treating him like dirt before…"
The two, embarrassed by their innocent yet intimate contact, broke away and looked away in the opposite directions. "So…"Iori asked, breaking the ice. "…what kind of movies did you bring?"
Yuji's eyes lit up, and screamed "I'm glad you asked!"
He dug through the contents of the bag, rambling about the significance of his tapes incoherently. Iori just closed her eyes and forced a grin. "He's still kind of a dork though…"
Naruto and Sakura finally stopped their kissing session, but Naruto lay on top of Sakura still. It was comforting to both, and they didn't want to completely pull away from each other yet. Then again, family incident or not, Naruto wanted her here for a reason. He finally broke the silence, asking "Sakura-chan?"
"Hmm?" Sakura didn't bother opening her eyes, feeling completely relaxed with Naruto acting as a blanket. A minute longer and she probably would have dozed off.
"What time is it?"
Sakura finally opened her eyes, and tried to get a good look at Naruto's clock. "Ten o clock."
Naruto grunted as he got up, much to Sakura's disappointment. "It's not too late, then." Naruto walked to his room, leaving Sakura clueless. He came back, with a VHS tape in hand. Though Sakura wasn't in the mood for watching a movie, she knew Naruto wouldn't pull something like this unless it was important. Naruto then took a seat next to her, looking away from her nervously. "Sakura…listen, I truly do forgive you and everyone about my father. But I need to know…did you ever know anything about my mother?"
Sakura shook her head, replying "No, Naruto. After I found out who your father was, as well as about Kyuubi, I got scared and closed the folder. I promised myself to never look in there again afterwards. I'm sure Shishou and Jiraya-sama know…"
Naruto answered. "They do." He held up the tape for Sakura to see. "I got this from Ero-senin. He says that it is a memento left over from my mother."
Sakura looked at the tape, probably as curious as Naruto himself was. But there was one thing she knew she lacked; Naruto was afraid of what he would see. He had no reason to be, but at the same time, Sakura couldn't blame him. "You want me to watch it with you?" Sakura clasped his hand and squeezed gently. She smiled when she answered for him "I'll be happy to."
Naruto's eyes watered in gratitude, and gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek. Naruto walked over to his TV and put the tape in. At first, there was nothing but snow on the screen. Naruto and Sakura held hands as they were about to witness everything they ever wondered about his mother.
Finally, an image came into focus. "Is this thing on?" A hand waved in front of the camera, and the voice belonged to a woman. The voice sounded beautifully feminine, but Sakura could hear from the tone of touch of Naruto. The camera spun around what seemed to be a small apartment. "Well, this is Uzumaki Kushina speaking, and what you are seeing here is the new rave! The video camera!"
"Oh yeah, that's definitely Naruto in female form." Sakura thought, chuckling softly. Naruto only stared at the screen nervously, still not satisfied.
"And who's our big star tonight? Why, it's little Naruto-chan!" The camera turned to a baby probably no more than a year old, and Sakura was swooned by how adorable baby Naruto was. He was chubby with round little cheeks, and only a handful of his blond hair. But his blue eyes were large and stunning. His mouth was a mess, explained by the bowl of baby food and juice on his stand. Sakura smirked at the bib, which had a frog in the middle. "Look, Naruto-chan! You're on TV! Say 'Hi, Mommy!" Baby Naruto simply looked at the camera as if it was some kind of intruder getting in his face. Suddenly, he hurled his apple juice bottle at the camera, splashing fluid and making a crack in the lens. "AHHH! DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THIS THING COSTS!" The TV turned to static again.
"Jeez…I guess I was a brat even then…" Naruto thought.
"You were adorable back then, Naruto…" Sakura corrected him.
Naruto just chuckled "I bet that's not what she was thinking at that exact second."
Finally a new image came on the screen. It was pointing towards a sink. "It's 8'o clock, and you know what time it is?" Kushina's voice asked in an enthusiastic manner. Judging by the giggling, it seemed Kushina was doing something she knew would be sadistic. She asked "Care to take a guess?" A moment passed. "Here's a hint: When Naruto-chan grows up, he's going to be so mad at me…" Thought they couldn't see it, judging by the evil laughter she was probably holding her hand to her mouth.
Naruto's eyes twitched, thinking about what it could be, and one thing came to mind. "Wait…she's not…"
"Still can't figure it out? Okay then…" she then panned towards the bathtub and its occupant. "It's Naruto-chan's bath time!" A naked 2-year old Naruto, oblivious to shame, waved his arm at the camera.
Naruto's face when pale and his mouth hung wide open, while Sakura struggled to keep herself from laughing. "MOM! HOW COULD YOU!"
As the TV showed Naruto lowered into the tub with his toys, Sakura patted Naruto on the back, failing to hold in her giggles. "Oh relax. You're just too cute like that!"
"Of course. You already saw everything."
Sakura's face turned as red as most of her casual attire upon the mention of the "incident", and turned away. "Babies and adults are two different things." She muttered.
They watched as toddler Naruto splashed everything in sight. "My my, Naruto-chan! You seem to be having a fun time! Well, are you? Tell us!" Naruto looked at the camera, like it was something to be suspicious of. He lowered his chin into the water. "Aww, Naruto-chan's a little shy…" Suddenly, he jumped forward and spat at the camera. "ACCCKKK! NOT AGAIN!"
The screen returned to snow. "Gosh…I must've been a real terror back then."
Sakura nodded her head in agreement. "Don't worry…I've seen lots of kids who are worse than you were, even though they have good parents." Sakura then hugged Naruto. "Besides, when I have your kids…I'm prepared for the worse."
Naruto looked at Sakura in amazement. "You mean…."
Sakura immediately gave a look of fright and shouted "NO!" Seeing how frightened…and possibly hurt, Naruto was…she rephrased that. "What I mean is…not now, no. I'm not ready yet. I just figured it would happen eventually, but I think I have a good idea of what our kids will be like…especially if they take after you."
Naruto gave a nervous chuckle. "I don't think it would be that bad…"
Another image showed up on the screen. This time, a young Naruto, perhaps three years old, ran in front of the screen. He wore orange pajamas, and a frog cap. "Hey…didn't you wear that even as a pre-teen when you went to sleep?" Sakura inquired Naruto, teasing him. Naruto turned scarlet red.
"HI!" the little Naruto waved at the screen. Then someone else walked into view. At first, all Naruto and Sakura could see were a pair of legs, covered in green pants. The shape told them it was a woman, but for them that was not nearly enough. Until she leaned down to Naruto's height, and that's when Naruto and Sakura stared in awe at Uzumaki Kushina's face. Long, flowing red hair that showed beauty yet fierceness like no other. Her feminine face suggested grace yet the experience of a seasoned kunoichi. But her eyes, her sky-blue eyes, the ones Naruto inherited, projected a strong and unyielding, yet mischievous and kind soul.
"Naruto…your mother…she's beautiful!" Sakura cried in awe. Naruto only nodded in shock. He couldn't believe this was the woman who's personality he took after.
"It's Naruto-chan's bedtime, but there's a problem, isn't there? Don't you want to go to bed, sweetie?"
Naruto folded his arms and shook his head, shouting "NO!"
"Pretty please?" Kushina "begged" him, not at all frustrated with him. In fact, she seemed endeared by his stubbornness.
"NO!" little Naruto repeated.
"How about I sing to you?" she asked, still amused by his behavior. Naruto looked at her briefly and turned away, thinking about it. Kushina added more to the bribe. "I'll read a story to you too…"
Naruto and Sakura could tell she was planning on that anyway. Little Naruto turned to face her. "Hmmm…OKAY!" he shouted in a much more jovial tone. Little Naruto got into his bed, which Kushina tucked him into. She then read him a story, something about a young boy in a wolf costume going to an island filled with monsters that made him their king. After she finished, she sung him a lullaby. Naruto, as he watched it, felt himself relax and nod off as he listened to it. It felt…familiar. Finally, little Naruto fell asleep, and Kushina rubbed his tummy lovingly. "Good night, sweetie." She kissed the toddler on the forehead, and walked to the camera, turning off the recording.
Naruto clenched his fists. His earliest memories were around three years old. Yet he couldn't recall his mother. Sakura wanted to say something, but what could she say? While she and Naruto had family problems, they couldn't be anymore different. A few seconds later, another image came on the TV.
This time, Kushina was sitting in a chair, facing the camera and fixing her hair. "Naruto…if you're watching this, it means something has happened to me, and you're probably a grown man by now. I've had a good track record of coming back home thus far, but, you know how it goes; no one's perfect." Kushina chuckled nervously, realizing she probably just jinxed herself. "Anyway, I'm recording this for the event of my death, or something of that nature. I'm sure at this point, you know of your true heritage…and the Kyuubi."
Naruto almost wanted to turn away. He was about to get the biggest questions he ever had answered, but was scared of what he might find out. Naruto waited…but nothing came. He looked at the television, and noticed it was paused. Turning to his side, he saw Sakura holding the remote. Before he could ask, Sakura smiled at him and reached over, holding his hand. Naruto understood, took her hand in his and gave Sakura the go ahead to push play.
The video continued. "I'm sure you are saddened, likely very angry as well. I cannot blame you. And I'd imagine the first question you have is, 'Why me?'" Kushina paused for a moment. "It was the hardest choice one could make. Your father was at his breaking point, and knew if something wasn't done, we would all be killed. I just recovered from labor, and saw that I was evacuated to the shelters along with several other newborns and new mothers. I'd imagine that you believe that your father acted on his own and chose you immediately." A slight pause. "That is not quite correct. Naruto…whatever you may be thinking, your father is not to blame…" Kushina closed her eyes, allowing a single tear to drop. "…I am."
Naruto and Sakura listened as Kushina continued with her story…
"Is he alright?" a still dazed Kushina asked the nurse, wheeling her into the shelters.
"He's fine, m'lady. A very healthy and strong baby…you should be proud. He looks so much like his father…"
Kushina smiled as she watched her baby boy being taken into the make-shift nursery. Still, it worried her, of all times for her to give birth; it had to be when the most feared biju attacked. "Don't worry, little one. Daddy's going to make everything alright…"
Suddenly, Minato burst into the room. "Hokage-sama!" a nurse shouted. "Is-"
"Excuse me…"
Kushina looked at Minato in horror. He was covered in cuts and bruises, and his cloak was in taters. He looked around frantically for something, and locked his eyes with Kushina. Kushina could tell that whatever was happening outside, it wasn't going well. Minato turned away from his lover and made a bee-line for the nursery. "Minato?" Kushina weakly asked. She didn't get even a hint of acknowledgement from him.
She rose to stand up, but was held down by one of the nurses. "You just finished giving birth an hour ago! You need to rest!"
"GET OFF ME!" Kushina shouted, pushing the nurse away. She rose from her wheel chair and stumbled towards where the newborns would be placed during emergencies. She opened the door, and saw the nurse and chunin stationed there knocked unconscious. She found Minato in the middle, noticing how Minato was just staring at Naruto. Naruto was crying loudly, while Minato only continued to stare at him, gently stroking his tummy. Kushina could see so much confusion in him, but could also see the love he had for his newborn son. Then, he turned away, inspecting the other babies. "What is he-?"
Finally, he laid his eyes upon one. Kushina did not know who the baby belonged to, but was unable to make any sense of why Minato picking up and holding the strange baby. Then he said "I'm so sorry, little one. What I'm about to do to you is a vile act, one that will condemn you to a life of solitude. The only comfort I can give you…is that it will be for the good of our people…."
"Stop right there, NAMIKAZE MINATO!"
Minato froze, and turned slowly to face Kushina, who gave him the "look". Often, it was concern for his safety. Other times, she was angry. This was a little of both. "Kushina…I don't want to, but I have to."
"What are you going to do with the baby?" Minato struggled with an answer. "What are you doing? Answer me, dammit!"
Minato knew that what he was about to do could cost him Kushina's love forever… but if it meant she and Naruto would live, it was a price he was willing to accept. "I tried everything. But the Kyuubi is too powerful…"
"What does this have to do with this child!" Kushina yelled.
Minato could barely get his voice out now. "The Kyuubi is nothing but a mass of hate; it will never surrender. It is an immortal being; it will never die. However, its true form is a living mass of energy…therefore, it can be contained…with the Shiki Fuujin combined with other fuuinjutsu." He didn't want to tell her, but she would have found out soon enough anyway.
Kushina's eyes widened in horror as she realized what he meant. She heard of jinchurikis from other countries, and at some point in time, all the Biju were contained except one: the Kyuubi. Several countries have tried before, but the sealing methods used against the other Biju never worked on the Kyuubi. However, none of the previous ninja attempted to do so by sacrificing their life. But to summon the Shinigami…."You…you idiot!" Kushina screamed. "You're going to leave me and Naruto behind! He just came into this world!" Minato said nothing, he only looked away. "Don't you turn-"
"Go outside and look Kushina! The Kyuubi isn't hurt, and our people are dying by the second! Ero-senin and the Third are doing everything they can to buy me time!" The child in his arms began to wail, seemingly bringing both adults to a standstill. Tears finally flowed down Minato's face. "Kushina, I love you. I don't want to do this. But everyone's lives are depending on me to act. As Hokage, I am bound to do what I must."
Kushina tried to get something out to protest his reasoning. But nothing would come, and soon her own tears joined Minato's. Then Kushina looked at the baby in Minato's arm. She often heard how jinchuriki were often considered to be the very beasts they carry, even if they were the offspring of prestigious individuals. And then she realized that she could not let Minato use that jutsu on that baby, nor any other baby in the nursery. "You can't do that, Minato." Kushina said softly. She lifted the baby from Minato's arms, and placed him back in the empty crib. "Not on this one or anyone else here. There is only one who must contain that burden…"
Kushina turned away from him, and walked towards Naruto's crib. "Kushina…" Kushina picked up her own son, and presented him to Minato. "Kushina…no. I CAN'T DO IT! NOT TO HIM!"
Surprisingly, Kushina didn't raise her voice. Though her eyes were sad and heavy with regret, she said "You said it yourself. As Hokage, you must put yourself before the people. The same…applies to your family." Minato stared at her, stunned that she was willing to take such a chance and hit with the truth from her words. "Most people don't know the difference between a biju and a jinchuriki. If you pick any random baby, his parents will think you killed him. They'll never accept him; they'll just think he's the same monster that killed their loved ones. He will grow up alone, eventually becoming the monster they believed him to be…" Then, she placed the fussing Naruto in his arms. "Most everyone will despise such a person, despite our best efforts. But I know he can take it. I know he can prove to everyone that he's a child of this village. I know so…because he's OUR son."
Minato fell to his knees, clutching his newborn son and sobbing. Kushina kneeled to his level and embraced him, sharing his sadness. "…you're right." Minato answered. "The fact that I'm going to leave you behind and risk a child's future is hard enough as it is. But to do that to just any child…I couldn't. That's absolutely unforgivable. In the end, that would be no better than me sending other children into battle while sheltering my own…" Baby Naruto started wailing again, sucking on Minato's thumb. Despite the situation, both parents smiled. "Kushina…"He chuckled. "I think he's hungry."
Kushina smiled, even though she was crying at the same time. Gently, she stroked her son's cheek. "I'm sorry baby…you need to help Daddy now. But when you're done, I'll treat you to something delicious!" Both stood, and looked into each other's eyes. This would be the last time they would see each other. While it was unbearably hard on Kushina, Minato would suffer the most. He was about to sacrifice his dreams of helping her raise their son. He looked forward to watching him grow, getting in trouble at the academy, and eventually growing up to have children of his own. "I'll watch over him, Minato." Kushina choked out. She wanted to go with him, but as a new mother, she knew her place was with her son; he would need her now more than ever. The two shared a melancholy kiss, making his sacrifice even harder for him to accept. With that, he secured Naruto firmly in his arms and ran outside to stop the Kyuubi.
Everyone was silent, including Kushina on the TV. She sniffled, letting a single tear drop fall. "Telling your father to seal the Kyuubi in you was the hardest part of my life. So many nights, I had to resist the urge to scream at myself for suggesting it, asking why I couldn't let Minato choose any child he wanted. Even though everyone who was present during the attack knows of my relation with your father, as well as yours to him, they still refuse to believe that you survived as a human being. Even today…people have tried to kill you. Had I not been here…" Kushina unraveled her sleeves, showing the scars on her arms.
Naruto clenched his fists in anger. "They took it out on you too!"
Kushina then said "And looking at these scars, I am reminded that had it been another child, those parents would have been forced to protect their own child from such hatred…assuming they don't become a part of it. That was a burden neither me nor Minato could ever place on another family." Kushina paused, gathering her thoughts. "I'm sorry if that's not good enough, but that is all I truly have to say on that matter." She then stared into the camera with a strong, piercing gaze that stunned both Naruto and Sakura; it was almost as if she was looking straight at them in person. "But, as a jinchuriki, there is one thing you must know. I'm sure by now, you've heard of, perhaps even met other jinchuriki who had a demon sealed inside for the purpose of becoming a living weapon. I am also certain that some on the council, mainly those with affiliations of Root, believe you should become just that." Naruto absentmindedly nodded, forgetting that she could not see or hear him. "But you must know that Minato did not seal the Kyuubi inside of you to become such a weapon. It didn't even cross his mind to view it as a gift, despite the benefits I'm sure you have felt for yourself. No, Naruto, as far your purpose regarding the demon goes, your duty is to contain it in order to protect us all, nothing more. But rest assured, the burden won't be forever. By the time you reach 30, perhaps even your late 20s, your body will have absorbed the fox's chakra and inherit it as your own, and then the Kyuubi will die. Until then…your life, and what you do with the power your father has 'bestowed' upon you…" Her lips curled up into a smile that melted Naruto's heart. "…that is all your choice. Who you are is not defined by the fox, nor is it the true source of your power. Watching you grow for as little time as I have, I know that what will be the true source of your strength is your father's spirit; you've certainly got that from him. As strong as he was physically, he would never have accomplished a tenth of the things he did if it wasn't for that spirit; the same spirit I see in you."
There was a pause as Kushina tried to recover from her emotional monologue, and continued. "I'm afraid that's all I have to say regarding you, your father, and Kyuubi. I hope Jiraya trained you like he said he would…" her face then turned slightly sour. "…and I'm really hoping you did not inherit his perverted tendencies…"
Naruto just gawked in response. "AW COME ON!"
"Also, when you have finished watching this tape, go see the Sandaime, or those who were in good company with him; they'll have something for you." Kushina took a deep breath, and said "Before I finish this recording, there is one more thing I need to say. I'm sure you've heard every parent say this to their child, but even though I've already told you this countless times, it has to be said. Naruto…" Her face glowed as she smiled straight into the camera. "I love you so much. You are my greatest accomplishment…" Kushina began to tear up as she went on. "With each passing day, it gets harder for me to cope with Minato's passing. But every morning I wake up here, every time I think of home when I'm on a mission…your smile gives me a purpose in life. You are my reason for living. Everyday, whether it's feeding you, reading to you, taking you to the park…heck, even the few times I got mad at you…you help me forget my pain and realize my life is still important in this world. I can't describe it. When you have children of your own…I'm sure you'll understand. Hopefully, by the time you are watching this, you'll have reached that point, or at least have found someone who may be able to help you with that. If between now and the time of this recording I wasn't there for you…" Kushina struggled to hold back her tears…"I'm sorry."
The last thing the two ninja saw on the TV was Kushina walking up to the camera to turn it off. Sakura couldn't help but feel moved by what she saw. Sakura felt as though they met her in person, only to have her vanish. It broke her heart to see that Naruto had a wonderful mother, whom he probably could not have remembered without the tape. "Naruto…your mother was so strong and beautiful. She was the type of person I wanted to be when I was little…" When Naruto didn't respond, she turned, and saw her boyfriend crying. He was trying hard not to, but it was clearly in vain. "Naruto, I'm so sorry…"
Abruptly, Naruto stood up, and muttered "I need to be alone." With that, he quickly walked into his room, and slammed the door.
Sakura stared into the bathroom mirror. She felt like she should've been angry at Naruto…but she wasn't. Naruto had no idea about who his parents were; the revelation of both his father set him off before, and that of his mother would do the same of course. Under those circumstances, it was only natural for an individual to isolate himself, if only temporarily. "But…he needs me. I can't let him be alone. He needs someone, someone to share his pain! How do I…?" She thought of one thing...but she dismissed it, only for the thought to come up again. She tried to think of other ways to comfort him, but nothing came, just that one thing. "If I did…would it be for him, or will I just be taking advantage of him?" She finally reasoned with herself that if Naruto didn't want it, he would say so understandingly, and that would be the end of it. With that, the shorts Naruto gave her fell to the floor…
Naruto stared at his hands for the longest time. His mind was a complete mess at the moment; it felt like his mother was right there, talking to him. But she wasn't, and that made it harder to accept all the new questions he had, ones he may never find the answers to.
"It's been quite a night for both of us, hasn't it?"
Naruto looked up to see Sakura standing in the doorway. The kunoichi could see even in the dark that Naruto had been crying, judging by the red eyes. Naruto hastily said "I'm sorry. I was supposed to comfort you. It was…it was just so much…I should have waited until tomorrow…"
Sakura interjected "And the result would be the same, Naruto. You were not wrong to react the way you did. You just found out that you had a loving mother in the past…and about your father as well."
Naruto walked over to her and clasped her hand. "You had your own issues to deal with as well. In fact, it's supposed to be my job to make you happy."
Sakura hugged him, and he did so in return. "Naruto…we've been through a lot, both together and on our own. During that last battle…for the first time, I really lost hope. Add my court martial to it, and I had doubts that I would get free…" Sakura eased out of the embrace at looked into Naruto's eyes. "Naruto, I love you so much. Even when I've been an absolute bitch to you, you were always there for me, whether it was cheering me on or rescuing me. You were always willing to go to any length for me. I'm sorry I couldn't give back anything in return…"
Naruto grasped her shoulders. "Sakura, that's not true at all! When we were still a three-man squad, you always helped me out with something whenever I needed it, and you always have shown concern for me as well. Whenever I got hurt, you were always the first to come heal me. And, even though I made so many friends here in Konoha, you were the one I really got to know! And whenever I'm around you…I feel like I can be myself, no matter how flawed I may be! If there was anyone I could ever count on, it was always you!"
Tears of joy fell from Sakura's eyes, and she smiled, caressing Naruto's cheek. Without saying a word she walked over to Naruto's bed. "Naruto…we've walked a razor's edge between life and death countless times, and will continue to do so throughout our lives. That's why I don't want to take any chances…and more importantly, after all you've done for me, I at least want to comfort you tonight…"
Before he could ask she was getting at, Sakura untied the sash around her waist, and let the robe fall to the floor, revealing her naked body. Naruto just stared in disbelief, forgetting to breathe. A small voice in the back of his mind said he was dreaming, but he knew that he was facing reality. At the same time, Sakura's heart was beating like crazy, it felt like it would burst from her chest at any minute. She couldn't even fathom how she found the courage to go through with this. She also didn't know whether or not to interpret Naruto's stare as one of awe or shock.
Naruto was starting to forget about his depression as his mouth went dry and his own heart pounded. He was starting to want to kiss her, taste her, and just about everything else, just forget himself in pure ecstasy. But he had to put Sakura first, he reminded himself. She had a habit of going out of her way to do things for him, and he did not want to make her do this if she really didn't want to. Hesitantly, he walked towards her, fearing he would loose control any minute. His eyes couldn't help but inspect her. Her pert breasts had to be slightly larger than his hands, and perfectly round. What surprised him, to be blunt, were her nipples; they were quite large, and their dark brown color contrasted with her pale skin. Her figure was just stunning, and judging by her wide hips, he was very much looking forward to seeing her backside. He nearly lost all self control when he saw the pink hair between her legs, the most inviting sight he ever saw.
Sakura fidgeted slightly, feeling like she was being inspected under a microscope. But she could tell that Naruto liked what he was seeing, a fact that did give her some female pride. Still, she was a bit scared that Naruto would become like a wild-animal with no regard for her. But knowing Naruto, she knew she had nothing to worry about.
After what seemed to be an eternity he finally made it over, and squeezed her hand. "Is this what you really want?" he asked, his voice barely above a hoarse whisper.
Sakura nearly choked on her own breath. "Yes." She replied, her voice much the same as Naruto's. "I've wanted you for so long now."
Naruto gently pushed her down to the mattress, and captured her lips. Kissing was nothing new for either of them, but it was about to lead to something different tonight. Naruto began to realize his pants were beginning to become uncomfortable; the natural reaction to seeing and now touching a nude Sakura.
Meanwhile, Sakura felt her core heat up tremendously in anticipation. She gave a soft moan as Naruto began to suck on her neck. "Naruto…uhh…touch me…touch me please…"
Naruto tried to control himself as he "responded" to her command. He ran his hand down her skin, in awe of how soft she was despite years of highly athletic training. Sakura moaned in response to Naruto's callous skin against her own. The difference brought out so many exquisite feelings. Finally, his hand stopped at the underside of her right breast.
"Ahhh!" Sakura cried out, feeling something wet trickle down her thighs.
Gently, Naruto began to squeeze her breasts, eliciting absolutely delicious moans from her. "Do you like this?" Naruto asked Sakura panted loudly, unable to answer at first.
"Ahh…yes, I love it!" Naruto marveled at how soft her mounds were. Jiraya had shoved pictures of breasts in his face many times before, but it was not as good as the real thing. What fascinated him more than the soft mounds were the hard nipples at the tips. He moved his attention to those points specifically, flicking them with his fingers. "NARUTO!" Sakura cried, gripping the sheets. Sakura was caught unprepared for the sensation her nipples elicited. Next to her nub, they were the most sensitive part of her body, as she learned from doing it herself.
To Naruto, they felt like little stones on her breasts. Aroused and fascinated, he continued to pinch and twist them gently. Each time, Sakura continued to moan uncontrollably. "I wonder how they feel in my mouth…" As if reading his mind, Sakura pulled his head down into her breasts, forcing Naruto to open up and take it in. He loved the feeling of his tongue against the soft flesh of her breast, and how it tasted. His tongue danced around her nipple, surprised to feel it become even harder.
Sakura felt like she was going to loose her mind any second now. It probably had more to do with her being sensitive to this kind of stimulation than Naruto's skill; it was clear from his early hesitance that he was new at this. But it still thrilled her that the man she grown to love was making love to her. "Yes…yes…" Sakura ran her fingers through Naruto's hair, encouraging him to continue.
Naruto lapped his tongue faster as Sakura massaged his scalp; it felt great, more than great in fact. It was driving him mad, and she hadn't touched anything downstairs.
Suddenly, she pushed him away and forced him to sit up. "Sakura-chan, what's-"
Sakura silenced him with her lips, effectively tranquilizing him. "As much as I've enjoyed this, it's not fair. You're still fully dressed." With that, she suddenly pulled Naruto's shirt over him. Naruto felt a little embarrassed, but didn't protest. All he did was observe Sakura's sly smile accompanied by her half-lidded gaze. Her fingers ran along his chest and abs, admiring the subtle but firm muscles underneath his skin. Naruto began to breathe irregularly, each touch from Sakura sending a jolt of pleasure. And this wasn't even the most sensitive part of his body. "Hmm…you are so sexy, Naruto." Before he could respond, Sakura latched her mouth to his nipples, causing Naruto to gasp.
Naruto never know how good being touched by a tongue could feel. Naruto lay on his back, moaning softly as Sakura continued to kiss his stomach. As Naruto was lost in her ministrations, Sakura made her move. She gripped the waistline of Naruto's pants and pulled.
"Sakura!" Naruto shouted, shocked by his lover's bold move.
Sakura kissed and sucked on his neck, calming him down. "Oh hush, love. You've had most of your fun; let me have mine." Naruto wanted to give out a feeble protest, but Sakura's gentle touches made him relax, and in a few seconds he didn't care as he felt the last of his clothes removed. Sakura, feeling s took a few seconds to inspect him.
"I was under the impression you didn't like what you saw that one day." Naruto said softly in an attempt to tease her.
Sakura looked at him seductively in response. "I simply wasn't ready at the time. Besides…you surprised me." With that, Sakura latched onto his neck, kissing and sucking, Naruto letting her do whatever she wanted. While Sakura was content with what she was doing, she was curious…and a bit of a pervert. Without warning, she grabbed Naruto's equipment, eliciting a sharp gasp from him. It didn't hurt…it just surprised him how good it felt. Judging by how hard he felt, he was glad Sakura undressed him when she did.
Sakura loved being in control of Naruto like this, making him helpless and loving it. "Do you like this?" she asked.
"Oh yeah…just be careful…" Naruto moaned. While Naruto enjoyed laying back and allowing Sakura to pleasure him, he wasn't going to last much longer and be able make love to her if this kept up. Believing words would do him little good, he decided to take action. He slyly placed his hand on Sakura's back, steadily moving down lower. Sakura moaned as he made a firm grasp on her flesh, causing her to loosen her own hold. Finally, his hand found her womanhood; Sakura lost her balance, gasped, and released Naruto has he caught her. "My, you really are sensitive, Sakura-chan."
Sakura stared back at him, transfixed by the lustful gaze. The sly look in his eyes just made her temperature spike and her heart rate fly off the charts. Before she could say his name, Naruto stroked her wetness, causing her to throw her head back and stifle a scream. She held onto his shoulders, gripping tightly.
Naruto only continued his ministrations, pleased with how Sakura was responding and loving the wet folds against his fingers. His own manhood was aching for the final act badly…but that would have to wait. Though he often questioned him, Jiraya told him that when men copulated for the first time, they often came rather quickly before the women could achieve an orgasm as well. Plus, he heard that the first few times for women hurt, especially if they still had their hymen. Hurting Sakura and letting her down was something he did not want to do, especially after all she had been through. Soon, Sakura pushed against Naruto's fingers and bucked her hips, the ministrations progressively becoming more wild. She was clearly demanding for him to go faster, so he did. To Naruto, there were no words to describe how beautiful Sakura looked to him as his mind seemed to be registering everything in slow motion.
Naruto then took in to the next level, inserting a finger inside. "AHH!...Yes, yes…" Naruto added one more, and then another, Sakura's moans becoming louder and sexier.
Sakura couldn't control herself, feeling a small part of Naruto inside of her. It only made her ache for more. Suddenly, Naruto's thumb found her nub and stroked it, sending lightning bolts of pleasure throughout her body. Sakura couldn't quite remember exactly what she screamed, but it became irrelevant; Sakura just wanted to reach her peak, as the build up was slowly becoming a delicious torture. Soon she was rubbing her breasts to speed the process up.
Naruto felt a bit miffed that Sakura inadvertently hinted his actions were inadequate, though not much. "Here, let me help."
His ministrations became faster…it seemed to take forever, but finally, Sakura screamed "NARUTO!" as the pleasure building up inside her finally spiked and sent her sky-high.
As Sakura lay down, breathing heavily, Naruto just admired the sight of post-orgasm Sakura resting on his bed in the sexiest pose he ever saw.
Sakura finally opened her eyes, and just smiled at him. "That was…amazing…" Naruto hugged Sakura close to him without saying a word. At the moment, they weren't interested in sex; simply the warmth of each other's naked bodies comforted them and made them forget everything that plagued them the past few months.
It seemed an eternity passed, when Sakura slowly began kissing his neck again. "Naruto, sweety…I'm getting horny again…" she teased him.
Naruto's lips curled into a devilish smile, as he rested Sakura against the mattress, this time on top of her. "Sakura…I've wanted you for the longest time. Not because of your looks…" Naruto lowered his head in the valley between Sakura's breasts. "…although they do help…" He placed a wet kiss on the spot, eliciting a giggle from Sakura. "No, it's your soul. Your determination, your kindness, your desire to help others…that's why I fell in love with you."
Sakura stroked her lover's cheek. "Funny…I could say the same about you…and your looks don't exactly hurt things either…"
Naruto's playful face turned into one of concern. "Sakura…listen, I heard the first time hurts…are you sure you want this?"
Sakura nodded yes. She was scared about the potential pain that might come, but it was the same for every girl who did it for the first time. The fact that the one she loved would be her first was more than consolation enough.
Naruto began kissing her all over, getting both of their bodies aroused enough to complete their love-making. Their two sexes brushed against one another, causing them to gasp simultaneously. It amazed them how a simple touch between the two body parts could nearly send them over the edge. The two locked lips, and Naruto whispered "Here it comes." With that, he placed himself inside Sakura. Inside her, it was incredibly warm and soft. It was tight too. He wanted to release at that instant, but not now, not yet. "Sakura, you alright?"
Sakura clenched her teeth, and dug her fingernails into the skin of Naruto's back. Her hymen broke a long time ago, almost no kunoichi even had it when they started to have sex. The stretching of her muscles inside of her wasn't the most painful thing she felt, but still it hurt. "Uh…give me a second." Sakura took a few deep breaths, and after allowing her body to relax the best that it could, the pain became duller. "Move, Naruto. Not too fast."
Naruto did as he was told. Moving inside Sakura, it was heaven! Her soft fleshy walls grinding against him…words could not describe it. The tightness threatened to make him release, but thankfully he was managing to hold on.
While it was still hurting, Sakura could feel great pleasure from each stroke as well. It continued on, Naruto taking his time and holding his seed in, while Sakura tried to let herself relax. Finally, the pain faded to almost nothing. "Naruto! Faster, please!" she suddenly shouted.
Though taken by surprise by Sakura's sudden reversal, Naruto granted her wish, and picked up the pace. Going fast, it felt even better, but at the same time, it brought Naruto within a hair's width of releasing. "No, not now…please, hang in there!". He hoped that her end was approaching soon…it seemed to take forever with fingering her, he had no idea how he was going to pull this off!
To Sakura, the friction and contractions created a delightful feeling she was familiar with through her own ministrations during her teen years, but it was never like this. "Naruto..ah, ah…almost…AHHH! NARUTO!"
Naruto felt Sakura's walls squeeze him tight, forcing him to release. "SAKURA!"
The orgasm the two shared was like nothing either had experienced by themselves before. Though only a second or two passed, the high seemed to last for an eternity. Finally, both lovers felt the effects wear off, and felt a sudden drain in energy, emphasized when Naruto haphazardly fell on top of her. Neither one had felt so tired before; they could perform athletic and superhuman feats for hours, even days if the occasion called for it, but an hour of simple movements made their bodies go limp.
"I love you, Sakura-chan, I always have." Naruto panted out, kissing her cheek.
"I love you, Naruto. Thank you…for being patient with me all these years."
Naruto just smiled, rubbing her skin slowly. He wanted to say…well, what was there left to say? He told her he loved her several times now, and tonight he SHOWED it. He tilted his head, looking straight into her green eyes. She had suffered weeks, if not months when including the entire war that ended; now he couldn't find a trace of anxiety in her. "I'm really tired." Naruto mumbled, feeling himself get spacey. Sakura would have nodded if she had the energy. It seemed like an absurd way to end the night, but what had to be said was said through their bodies.
Without even aware of it happening, the two succumbed to sleep…
"Morning." Sakura thought.
Other than that, her mind was blank. She had no sense of where she was or what happened before. All she could gather was her breathing and that she felt unusually heavy. Finally, her brain was starting to warm up and work. First, she gathered that this was not her room. Also, she felt someone else breathing next to her. Finally, she realized she was naked. The memories from the night before came back to her, and Sakura snapped up. Or tried to. She realized the heavy blanket was in fact Naruto, still fast asleep. Sakura blushed at first, but calmed down when she realized that she not only enjoyed the event from last night and in fact started it. She didn't regret it at all; it made her feel…well, whole, for lack of a better word. She laid back down, and stroked Naruto's hair. Finally, the blonde stirred and pushed himself up slightly, only half-awake. He stared at Sakura, but did not recognize her in his state of mind. "Morning, sleepy head." Sakura whispered. She kissed him on the lips, and feeling naughty, decided to ravish his mouth a bit.
Naruto's eyes shot wide open as he finally woke and pulled back in shock. "S-Sakura-chan!"
Sakura smiled warmly at him. "Good morning. Did you sleep well?" Naruto didn't respond, although she noticed that he was staring at something towards the lower half of her body. "MY EYES ARE UP HERE!"
Naruto's head straightened up accordingly, and stuttered "M-Mah-My bad, Sakura-chan! I-I'm just not used to this! That's all!"
Suddenly, Sakura's scowl turned into a devilish smile as she leaned forward. "Oh, trust me. You will have plenty of time to get used to this…"Sakura then crawled towards Naruto, and went right up to his ear. "I'll give you plenty of incentive to as well…" she whispered, causing Naruto to shudder. She licked his ear lobe, causing Naruto to moan softly. Predicting Naruto to respond, she touched him again. Though Naruto was momentarily helpless in her grasp, he made a play of his own, and each began to mutually pleasure the other.
It intensified to the point where Naruto wanted to go for another love-making section, but Sakura gently restrained him. "I'm sorry, Naruto…but is it okay if we wait?" Sakura began to blush furiously. "I'm really sore from last night." She muttered. Naruto's brief look of disappointment turned into one of male pride, giggling at the thought of what he managed to accomplish. Sakura sat up and folded her arms. "Don't get so full of yourself." She pouted, but Naruto could tell the annoyance was completely faked.
"Well, we should get going with our day anyhow. What time is it…" Naruto then looked at his alarm clock. " ONE THIRTY ! We've been passed out for more than twelve hours!"
Sakura ignored the slight fire that lit up between her thighs, remembering the cause of their exhaustion. "It was quite a night." She muttered. Then, noticing her naked state, she realized there was little to reprimand that. "Naruto, I don't mind being naked as long as it's just you…but I've got to go outside eventually."
Naruto nodded and said "Yeah. Sorry I fell behind on my laundry schedule. You'll just have to do with what you had last night." Sakura sighed, and gathered up the robe on the floor. Then, Naruto thought of something. "Actually…why don't you give Ino a call? I'm sure she'll be able to help you out and let you borrow some of her clothes."
Sakura thought about it. "Naruto…I can't believe I didn't think of that!"
"Afterwards, we should probably buy you some new clothes ourselves, unless we can find a way to retrieve some from your old place."
Sakura nodded. Just as Naruto was about to pick up his own clothes, Sakura walked up behind him and embraced. "Naruto…thank you…"
Naruto turned around to hug her back. "Sakura-chan…if it's not too much trouble, would you like to move in with me? I mean, with what happened with your family and us…I'd love it if you did, but if not I understand…"
Sakura barely moved as she replied "Yes…" Naruto hugged her even tighter, imagining what would become of them in the future…
"It's clear." an ANBU radioed in. "There have been no traces of Iwa or any other hostiles in the area." This was to be their final sweep of the area, to make sure Konoha was safe in the midst of recovery. "Affirmative. Heading back."
Once he was out of sight, two rocks exploded in a puff of smoke, revealing a young woman and someone else dressed in robes and a kage hat. "Finally. I thought this patrol would never leave." the Mizukage growled in disgust.
Taifuu, ignoring her superior's frustration, thought about her sister and simply said "Now, we wait. Right?"
The Mizukage chuckled. "Actually, I've a feeling we won't have to be doing much waiting. Isn't that right…Gaikai Midoriiro?" The Mizukage looked into the treetops, where a pair of red eyes were staring back.
Well, I hope you enjoyed the drama, love, and…that. More are planned but I'll try to make each one new (and importantly, tasteful).
Anyway, I've been busy with extra classes, so obviously I could not focus on this story as much. And it seems that in the near future, updates will be even fewer in between, as I'll be getting even busier, and internet access, at least to post chapters, may be a bit iffy. For you see, I will be going to Vet School.
Explains the former, but not the latter, doesn't it? Well, that's the thing. I'll be going to Vet School in….
Trinidad
That's right, Trinidad, as in Trinidad and Tobago. Why there? Well, I was not successful in my application to all the American Schools. So, I've been thinking internationally, with locations like Guadalajara Mexico and India being thrown around. I focused mainly on Ross and St. George in the Caribbean, as they cater to American Students. However, there was application after application problem with those two, and it wasn't looking too good. As I told my college advisor what I was doing, he recommended UWI at the last minute. I applied there…and I was in! Admittedly, I was quite apprehensive, but after getting some information from med and vet students, as well as alumni practicing in the U.S. from the university, figuring another acceptance like this might not come around, I signed up. I will have to jump through a few hurdles to practice back home, but from what I hear as long as I do well in school they shouldn't be that difficult. Of course, there is the worry of me sticking out like a sore thumb, but hopefully I'll make a bunch of new friends that I would have never expected to meet in a thousand years.
That being said, rest assured, I plan on finishing this story, but updates will be slowed down tremendously, whether due to work, ability to take data to computer lab should my room not have internet, or simply have to post when I'm back home for vacation or internships. But this will get done, even if the next 4 years experience slow growth! Until then, take care, and many thanks for all the support you gave me!
Next chapter: Midoriiro faces off against her sister, and Sasuke returns to Konoha!
One more thing, I'll be posting a DeviantArt link on my profile page. I've also been working on my own original comic, and while not all of it is up, I want to hear what you people think if you are DA members! Come check it out!
Naibukujogan-Eye of Internal Destruction
Fuutama-Wind Bullet
Shippu Nodachi-Hurricane Nodachi