Hello again! Well, not much has changed since we last spoke. Just trying to make some more changes in my life; I'll let you know how it pans out.

And yes…The Boruto manga has started….well, I will at least say the kids themselves are not bad characters, so I'd imagine this manga will be kind of meh (goes to look at it…eyes widen, cheeks slowly inflate in a desperate attempt to hold in laughter only to ROTFLMAO) THE HELL!? (Laughs wildly some more). THIS IS WHAT KISHIMOTO SOLD OUT FOR!?

All I will say is this: This franchise continues to dig itself deeper into a hole in ways I never thought possible. I'll talk more about it at the end of this chapter

And while I did not receive any specific complaints, I'd imagine the last couple of chapters were a bit angsty for you. Well, rest assured: here's the payoff. Enjoy!

Tsunade sighed as she listened to what Sakura told her. "Perfect." She thought sarcastically. "So, this is your decision?"

"Yes." Sakura said, looking down on her knees. "I personally could never go through with such a thing!"

Tsunade then looked to Naruto, who was stroking her hand. "And you? You're okay with this?"

"I am." Naruto said. "I'm not going to lie that this is going to be challenging for both of us. But I'm standing by Sakura…no matter what."

Tsunade nodded, smiling slightly. "This is very brave and noble of you. Both of you." She got out of her chair, and walked towards Sakura, feeling her belly. She could feel the growing chakra inside. "My pupil is becoming a mother." She slightly smiled, despite the circumstances. "I'd say you're two and a half months along."

"That was my estimate too." Sakura agreed, rubbing the belly.

"Thank you both for letting me know. I expect to be contacted for regular check-ups in the coming months." She lifted Sakura's chin, so that they were looking each other in the eye. "And if you're ever feeling in turmoil, don't hesitate to contact me." They both nodded, and exited the office. Tsunade leaned back and sighed, kicking her legs up on her desk. "I can't decide if this is a sad or happy time." Still, she couldn't stop herself from smiling. The thought of Sakura being a mother-!

Little did she know, under the floor, someone was listening. Without making a sound, he made haste.

"Is that right?" Danzo asked, seated in his desk.

"Yes." The root spy confirmed. "Haruno will keep the baby."

Danzo said nothing for a moment. "…unfortunate. Not much we can do now. You may go now."

As the spy walked away, another approached. "I'm ready for my first mission."

Danzo turned to see Shiguri in a different attire than usual. The clothes were all black, and he had a cape on; it was loosely attached, so grabbing hold of it would not be a problem for him. In addition, his greaves and gauntlets were covered in spikes. "Excellent. You will be a most deadly weapon." Danzo approached him, and handed him a piece of paper in his hand. Shiguri looked at it before it disintegrated. "Go." Shiguri bowed, and ran off.

"YOU'RE WHAT NOW!?" Ino shouted.

Sakura had gotten their friends together to make the announcement; it wasn't easy. In addition to those who already knew about it, she had to reveal her incident with Kabuto to her classmates. Thankfully, everyone gave her their full sympathy; Lee in particular was boiling in rage. Iori herself was on the verge of tears. Then came the announcement of her pregnancy. Some of them vehemently insisted that Sakura get the abortion, but she held fast on her position on the matter. It surprised everyone else when Naruto supported her as well. "I know this is very difficult to swallow…in all honesty, it's going to be quite an ordeal for both of us." Naruto told them. "But this child is not Kabuto, WILL NOT be Kabuto. I don't know what the future holds, but I had to put up with a difficult childhood. I won't let this baby endure such a thing…not even from the likes of you." He warned them. Everyone was silent at his declaration.

Eventually, everyone got up and bowed. "You're right, Naruto." Neji said. "I'm sorry; I don't know how the whole village will act, but I promise you, at least we will be there to support your child if he needs it."

"I will make sure his youth is a joyous one!" Lee decreed.

"We're here for you…" Shikamaru sighed as he pounced Hori on his knee, the baby giggling. "…but please try to be as responsible as possible."

"Shikamaru!" Temari yelled as she smacked him across the head.

"OW!"

"If something ever goes wrong, you come see me, okay!?" Ino demanded of Sakura.

"Same goes for me!" Chouji said as he munched on his rice cake.

Kiba seemed to be at a loss for words, but acted when Shino elbowed him. "We'll be there for you too."

"You can count on me too!" Tenten announced, raising her hand.

"I promise I'll protect your baby, Sakura-sensei!" Iori bowed, along with Yuji.

"We'll be there too." Konohamaru announced, giving them a thumbs up.

Out of nowhere, Ino ran over and hugged her. "If you ever need anything, if someone says something they shouldn't have…you tell me, okay!?" she cried. Sakura cried too at her friend's dedication, nodding.

Finally, Hinata walked up, clasping Sakura's hand. "I think what you are doing is very brave." Hinata told Sakura. "And your child will be beautiful."

Sakura's eyes were brimming with tears now. "Thank you all…"

Kabuto walked up the stairs briskly as he entered the room where Kizu waited, the Gedo Mazo above them. Even for someone like Kabuto, the sight of the statue was terrifying for him. "You wanted to see me?"

"Yes." Kizu growled. "Read this."

Kizu handed Kabuto the letter, which he looked over. His eyes widened briefly in surprise. "I see…"

"You should have just killed her." Kizu said.

Kabuto paused, as he carefully chose his next words. He knew Kizu would not take kindly to personal vendettas getting in the way of practicality."Perhaps. I assumed to unleash Naruto-kun's full wrath would have been…premature. Not to mention risky."

Kizu nodded. "We can't put this off, though. It could become a problem if we let it go for too long."

"Even with the power you have given me, I can't just waltz into Konoha." Kabuto said. "Since Haruno is the current Hokage's apprentice, it's to be expected that she will be well-protected."

"I understand." Kizu said. "It will take time, but I will assemble a task-force to accompany you. You may do what you wish with the woman, but whatever happens to Uzumaki, make sure he doesn't die. Not yet anyway." He warned the fusion-nin.

"Difficult…but it should be a worthy challenge." Kabuto bowed as he exited.

Naruto and Sakura went to bed for the evening…then Naruto felt Sakura get up. At first, he just let her be; he figured she just needed to use the bathroom. But then, he heard her rummage through the fridge. This went on for a while, and figuring he better intervene before she overloaded the fridge, put on his robe. He found Sakura displacing every item in the fridge, grumbling as she continued her search. "Sakura-chan…what's wrong?"

Sakura sighed. "I'm hungry…"

"…there's plenty of food in the fridge." Naruto said.

"But we don't have what I want!" Sakura shouted.

Naruto began to sweat a little; it's been a while since Sakura was mad like this… "…there's plenty of your favorites in there…"

"I need spicy food!" she suddenly snapped.

Naruto blinked. "…you hate spicy food…"

"...well I don't anymore!" Sakura yelled as she slammed the fridge shut.

"O-okay. I'll get some tomorrow…"

"I NEED IT NOW!" Sakura yelled back as she began to pace erratically, holding her head as if she had a headache.

Naruto sweat dropped. This was ridiculous! It was after 3 in the morning! But his chivalrous behavior wouldn't let him tell her to endure it…

"You're really in the mood for this stuff at this hour?" the clerk asked.

"Someone is." Naruto answered back, the dark circles under his eyes evident. The clerk shrugged and rang him up; the only thing they had was microwavable dinner with red pepper chicken. Naruto had a feeling that this wouldn't be up to par with what Sakura wanted, but this was the best he could do right now. He hated the trip to the convenience store and back. At this hour, the streets were downright dead. Even for a ninja like him, it heightened his primal fears of being attacked in dead silence and darkness.

Finally, he made it back to the apartment. "Sakura-chan?" he whispered, closing the door behind him. "…I'm sure it's not that good, but this was all I could find…" He stopped right there at the sight before him: Sakura, passed out on the couch and snoring loudly. Naruto could only drop the items in response, dumbfounded. Minutes ago, Sakura was complaining like crazy, and now she went back to sleep at the drop of a hat! "I'm going to have to put up with this for the next SIX MONTHS!?"

Iori was planning to relax for a bit after a rather mundane mission. Though she wasn't a ramen nut like Naruto, she still enjoyed a good cup of noodles every now and then. As she waited for it to heat up, she heard a knock on the door. When she opened it, she was a bit surprised by what she saw. "Yuji?"

He looked rather down. "Hey." The spectacled teen said. "Can I come in?" Iori gestured for him to come in, and he helped himself to a seat on the sofa. "You keep the place looking pretty nice." He commented.

"I prefer it that way. Unlike a couple of boys I know, I don't let my hobbies get in the way of basic chores…or let them pile up on the floor." Yuji chuckled nervously. He remembered when he and Shiguri invited her to their apartment. They had made such a mess of the place that Iori ran out screaming, coming back in full clean up gear and forced brooms and dusters in their hands, making the two clean it up with her to an acceptable level. Of course, they slacked off and let it go again, but Iori made it clear she would never go back in there unless they made it acceptable for guests. At least on those occasions they managed to make it look habitable. "I was just making some ramen; I'd have made some for you if I'd known you were coming."

"It's cool. I'm not hungry anyway." Yuji waved it off.

Bringing her meal over, she sat down with him. "…that was quite a bit of news the other night, wasn't it?" she asked.

"Truthfully, I've known about it for a while." Yuji sighed. "Heard something I wasn't supposed to. I'm just glad that it may work out in the end."

"Yeah." Iori sighed. "She's very brave, to go through that, ya know?" Putting down her cup, she addressed him more directly. "So…what's really on your mind?"

Yuji took a moment to say it. "Shiguri left."

"On a mission?"

"No. He just…left." He sighed. "No explanation. He made it sound like he's not coming back. And I haven't been able to find him."

Iori looked away. "I…I'm sorry, Yuji. I know you two were good friends since you were kids." Turning, she faced him directly. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Yuji twiddled his fingers. "There is one thing. Now, don't get mad." He cautioned her.

Iori's brow twitched. "Would I?"

"If worded wrong, I wouldn't blame you for acting out."

Iori sighed. "Well, out with it then."

"As it is now, I can't afford the apartment." Suddenly, Yuji got on one knee and clasped Iori's hand. "Iori…would you be my roommate?"

Iori blinked in disbelief. Realizing that Yuji had indeed said those words, her face became as red as her hair. "WHAAT!?" she screamed as she pulled her hand away and stood on one leg.

"Shit! I knew this wasn't a good idea!" "Hold up!" he shouted, holding up his arms. "You'll have your own bed and everything! We'll work out everything else, but I promise, nothing suspicious! I just need someone to share the rent, that's all!"

"NOT THAT!" Iori shouted, balling up her fists. "You asked me like you were proposing marriage, idiot!"

A thousand thoughts at that were going through Yuji's head, which he pushed away as steam blew out of his ears. "Well, uh, sorry about that! But if that's the only problem, would you do it?" he asked sincerely.

Iori stuttered, and looked away. "Uh, I need to think about it for a bit." She answered honestly.

Yuji smiled, and nodded. "Don't wait too long. I understand if you don't want to…I just need to know soon."

Sakura sighed as she stepped out of the shower, wrapped in only a towel. Looking into the mirror, she unwrapped the towel, and sighed at her reflection. She had finally started showing. It wasn't TERRIBLE…but it was clear she was pregnant, a clearly round bump inching away from her stomach. "It's only downhill from here." She thought.

She went to the bedroom, planning to put on her usual shorts. She pulled them up…and they stopped right below her waist. "WHAT!?" Sakura thought in panic. She tried pulling them up further, but they wouldn't budge. "ALREADY!? I'm only 3 and a half months along!"

Naruto took a moment to catch his breath as he laid down the newly purchased crib he bought on the ground. He and Sakura agreed they should start preparing for the baby now, if only to have everything should the unexpected happen. They didn't have a spare bedroom, so it looked like they would have to put it in their bedroom for now. Naruto spent hours at the store, letting the various salespeople pitch at him until he looked at one that was affordable. Carrying it alone would have been challenging for most people, but thankfully his kage bushin made it much easier.

Getting it upstairs, however, was the real challenge. He had to cut his bushin down to two, and gravity fought against them as they brought it up the stairs. Naruto willed himself up with the thought of a nice bath and spending quality time with Sakura, probably thinking of names for the baby. Finally, he reached the door. "Home…sweet…home…" He opened the door with one hand while he balanced the package with the other, causing his clone more stress. "Sakura-chan..."

"NARUTO!"

Naruto was startled enough to drop his load onto his foot and dispel his clone. "YEOW!" Naruto hopped on one leg as he clutched his bruised foot. "W-what'd I do this time!?"

"I NEED YOU TO GO OUT!" Sakura cried.

Naruto calmed down as he slowly placed his foot back down. "Uh…can it wait?"

"My pants don't fit anymore!"

Naruto heard from Tsunade how Sakura would need stretchier clothes as she got bigger. But already-? "Uh…okay…we'll go out later…"

"I can't go out in my underwear!" Sakura yelled as she approached him wearing only a baggy t-shirt, Naruto noticing it was a bit higher than usual.

Naruto sighed. "Okay…"

Before they knew it, Sakura was along a full four months. She was by no means overweight (not yet) but her belly was rounder, pushing her up a dress size. Though Naruto assured her she still looked beautiful, she didn't feel that way. She KNEW of the changes women went through during pregnancy, but knowing the changes and dealing with them were completely different things. She felt the extra weight, and she missed the agility and freedom she had before as her feet began to swell. The vomiting episodes came at random. And the cravings! Like she needed to eat more (though she knew it was for the baby). She began to crave some of the most disgusting food combos…she still couldn't get over how she mixed ice cream in teriyaki sauce and liked it! If there was maybe a slight upside…her breasts were getting bigger. Granted, Naruto made it clear that she did not want her to change, and that alone made her happy with her body then. Still, the thought of having another growth spurt was appealing, and she was getting it. But they were painfully sensitive, and were becoming more-pear shaped than their normal round orbs. Overall, Sakura was going through a hard time.

"Hey."

Sakura turned to see Naruto take a seat next to her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "Hey." She said. "Sorry."

"What for?"

"You know. I've been demanding and haven't done anything to help."

"Sakura, you need help." Naruto insisted, taking her hand. "I'm happy to help you…even if you have been driving me up the wall." Sakura groaned, leaning back. "For what it's worth, you seem to be in a good mood…"

"Don't get too comfortable." She reminded him. "I don't know when these hormones will strike again…"

Naruto nervously chuckled, when he heard something from the door. "…Okay, set it down…"

"Be right back, Sakura-chan." He assured her as he went outside to check it out.

He opened the door of his apartment to see a bunch of Iori clones moving things the hall. "Oh! Naruto-sensei!" Iori said.

"Iori…what are you doing?"

"Oh, I'm moving out."

"WHAT!?"

Iori raised her arms. "Let me explain! Shiguri walked out on Yuji and he needs a roommate. He asked me to move in…"

"WHAT!?"

"…I'm going to have my own room and everything! Oh, as you probably can see, I thought about it and said yes."

"WHAT!?"

Iori groaned, knowing this was going to happen. "Look, I know how this looks. But Yuji and I are just FRIENDS! We worked out the boundaries and everything, so we're good!"

Naruto was at a loss for words, as he tried to form them. "…but…but…"

"You sure you want this?" Sakura said, coming to the door.

"Trust me, his proposal was awkward enough as it was…

"HE PROPOSED!?" they both yelled.

Iori slapped her face in irritation. "Well…it certainly LOOKED like it…" Looking at them both, she placed her hands on her hips. "Look. I'm helping out a friend in need. Nothing more. I've made up my mind on the matter. If you don't like it, too bad."

Naruto was about to say something more, but Sakura placed her hand on his mouth. "Iori…while we don't fully approve of what you're doing, you are old enough to make this decision and we will respect that. I know Yuji will treat you well, and if any problems occur, you can come crash with us, okay?"

"Thank you!" Iori said, clasping her hands and bowing.

Naruto sighed. "Here. Why don't I give you a hand…" Suddenly, their phone rang. "I'll be right back." Naruto sighed. He walked over, picking it up. "Hello?"

"Naruto?" Tsunade asked. "Are you free at the moment? There's something I need to discuss with you."

Naruto looked at the microwave clock. "I'm helping out one of my students. Would it be okay if I came in an hour?"

"Don't keep me waiting. I'll see you when you get there."

"Okay. See you there." Naruto hung up. Just what was so important? She already agreed to put them on paid leave while Naruto looked after Sakura.

"Naruto? Is everything okay?" Sakura asked.

"Yeah, yeah." He assured her. "Ba-chan just wants to see me."

"Did she say anything about me?"

"No…she didn't mention you. I think she just wants to see me." He said. "I'll help out Iori and head out to see her. Will you be alright without me?"

"I'll manage." Sakura nodded, giving a small smile.

The move was done pretty quickly; Iori was only taking her clothes and a few personal belongings, as Yuji's apartment was already furnished. Afterwards, Naruto headed straight for the Hokage's Office. Opening the door, he saw Tsunade doing paperwork like she usually should have been. Sensing someone to his right, he noticed a man, seemingly a monk, judging by his shakujo staff and his shaved head. He was propped against the wall in a lotus position, eyes closed. It seemed he did not want to be bothered. "Thank you for coming, Naruto." Naruto turned his attention back to Tsunade.

"You need something, Ba-chan?"

"I do. A small favor, really." Tsunade said, getting up from her seat. "I've put both you and Sakura on leave from active duty, for obvious reasons. How are the both of you doing?"

"We're getting by."

Tsunade nodded. "Yes, well I do believe you'll need some further form of income for your baby. And since you cannot spend long periods of time away from home, and most certainly not Sakura either for that matter, I thought this would be a good opportunity to assign you a small mission. It's settled somewhere between C and D class, so I decided to bump it up to the higher grade, just for the pay. It's nothing much; neither of you will be in danger." She assured him.

Naruto hesitated. "…okay…what do you need?"

The monk got up from his lotus position and looked at him. His look seemed…cold. Uninterested. And the way he stared at him just irritated him. "Naruto, this is Satima. He's a monk from the Northern border. He's travelling, and needs a place to stay."

Naruto looked at him, and back to Tsunade, and back to him, and back to Tsunade before the realization hit him. "…really?" he asked.

"I know this may be an inconvenient time for you, but I need someone to do this. I figured you need this extra money more than anyone else."

Naruto was left speechless for a moment. Like he needed to board someone when Sakura was already having a hard time as it was. But, he couldn't just refuse Ba-chan… "…let me talk to Sakura about this."

"Take Satima with you. I think she should meet him too." Tsunade suggested. Naruto couldn't help but notice Tsunade was smiling throughout this.

The two walked down the street in silence, Naruto giving off his best grumpy face to everyone but the guest he didn't want to have, who was walking behind him. "So…what'd you say your name was again?" he asked.

"Satima." The monk replied, stoic as ever. "I believe the Hokage told you that, baka."

"WHAT!?" Naruto turned, growling. "WHAT'D YOU CALL ME!?" he yelled, get in his face.

"Baka." Satima replied, his cold look never changing. "Are you deaf too?"

Naruto growled for a comeback, but none came to mind. Sighing, he turned back and asked "Just why did Ba-chan think this was a good idea?"

"She told you that too."

Naruto sighed, digging his hands deeper into his pockets as they continued their walk. "Isn't there somewhere else you'd rather be?"

"Can't say; haven't been here in a long time." Satima replied. After another moment of silence, he asked "Is your wife really that opposed to boarding someone for a few months? I already agreed to sleep on the floor."

Naruto stopped for a moment. "We're not married." He replied curtly.

"Oh?" Satima asked. "Too nervous to pop the question?"

Naruto only kicked the dirt. "Complications." With that, they walked the rest of the way in silence.

"Shishou ordered this!?" Sakura exclaimed in surprise. "I...I don't think I can handle guests, let alone a stranger…"

"I know, I know." Naruto assured her, raising his hands. "I should have said no, but it's not easy for me!" Naruto sighed. "Look, all I need is your approval. If you say no, that will be the end of it. I'll send him back, and he'll be Ba-chan's problem again."

Sakura sighed, pacing slightly. Rubbing her chin, she said "Shishou would never do this. Not without reason…"

"So…?"

Sakura sighed. "Send him in. I'll at least meet with him." Naruto sighed, and opened the door.

Satima walked in, and bowed, his hand in prayer position. "Satima. Urogataya Satima. A pleasure."

Sakura looked him over, and bowed back. "I'm Haruno Sakura. I heard my master sent you over to live with us…"

"I happened upon the village, and I needed a place to stay while I studied." The monk replied.

"Studied for what?" Naruto asked.

"Religious things. You wouldn't understand." He replied. Naruto tried to figure out a comeback, but that was hard when the burn was true. "I simply asked if there was any place I could stay, and she offered me a chance to stay in an apartment instead of a motel." He looked around, and noticed her belly. "I sense that now may not be a good time. I apologize for disturbing you; I'll request…"

"Wait!" Sakura held up her hand. "I admit that we're going through a hard time, but I trust my master's decisions. Besides, we do need the money."

"You're sure?" he asked politely. "It would be no trouble at all to find someplace else…"

"At this point it would be rude of me to refuse my master." Sakura answered. "I'm afraid we don't have a second room. Would it be too much trouble for you to sleep on the couch?"

"Whatever you can provide will be fine, M'lady." He said politely.

"And while we will respect you as a guest, if this is going to be in the long-term, we will be expecting you to help out around here…"

"Of course."

Sakura nodded, satisfied. "Naruto, please get the extra pillow and blanket, and place them on the couch." Naruto sighed, and got to work. "Well, Urogataya Satima…I welcome you to our humble abode." She smiled.

"Well…" Yuji began, as Iori stood in what used to be Shiguri's room, replacing all his things with her meager possessions in their place; Yuji stored the rest away. "…welcome home."

"It's nice." Iori acknowledged. "When you take care of it at least." She turned around and smirked.

Yuji chuckled, shrugging his shoulders. "You're going to make sure of that, aren't you?"

"Well, it can be easy…"

"Easy's good." Yuji interrupted, holding up his hands while sweating. The last thing he needed was Iori cracking the whip on him, and in that context, it WASN'T hot.

Iori nodded. "Well, I'm pretty tired." She stretched. "Would you mind if I turned in early?"

"No problem." Yuji answered. "I…I know this is going to be an adjustment. For both of us."

"A little." Iori agreed. "But you know? It feels…nice, to have a roommate. And from one of my best friends on top of that." She smiled.

"Yeah…" Yuji looked up from the floor to look at her again. "Sorry. I'm happy to have you here…"

"Oh?" Iori's brow arched.

"NOT LIKE THAT!"

"Really?" Iori's other brow arched.

Yuji panicked now, flapping his arms. "Uh…I didn't mean…"

Iori chuckled. "It's okay. I'm just giving you a hard time."

Yuji rubbed his head in irritation. "Of course you are. Anyway…I'm happy to have you here. It's just…I'm worried about Shiguri."

"Me too." Iori nodded, grabbing her arm. "I wasn't as close to him as you were, but I still can't imagine going forward without him." The two nodded in agreement. "Anything I can do to help?"

"I don't know." Yuji shrugged. "I've no idea where he went. No idea where to look. Naruto and Sakura have got their own issues to deal with. The Hokage assured me that Shiguri is still here…he apparently agreed to something above our pay grade, and she can't tell me."

Iori looked down. "…I see…"

"Iori…there's nothing we can do right now." Yuji said. "Go to bed. We'll get back to our lives as usual as possible, okay?"

Iori nodded. "Alright. Good night, Yuji."

"Night." Iori softly closed the door. Yuji sighed, slowly smiling. "I got a girl living with me. I got a girl…" His thoughts stopped in realization and he began to frown. "Oh boy. Now I REALLY got to be careful at night…" It suddenly felt LESS awesome…

Sakura yawned as she snuggled against the pillow. Reluctantly, she turned on her back; her growing belly made it impossible to lie on. On the other hand, the weight from her baby weighed down on her heavily when she flipped on her back. This was one of the reasons it was a difficult to get a good night's sleep nowadays. She then felt a hand stroke her cheek. She smiled slightly, relaxing.

"Don't worry, Sakura." Sakura's eyes opened. That wasn't Naruto! "Everything will be fine…" She focused her vision, to see Kabuto above her! Sakura tried to react, but Kabuto grabbed her by the throat. She looked over to see Naruto, still sleeping on his side. She reached for him, but he seemed to glide farther away from her.

"He can't help you now…" Kabuto hissed, hovering over her face. "It's just me and you…"

Sakura's eyes flew open as she gasped with a cold sweat. She looked around the room like a frightened animal; Kabuto wasn't there. She turned to see Naruto, still sleeping on his side. Sakura moaned, as she slowly kicked her legs over the other side of the bed. It was barely after six; no point in going back to bed now.

Gathering her robe, she stepped out of the room, hoping to have some alone time. When she came to the kitchen, she saw Satima brewing up some tea. Noticing her, he said "Didn't think you would be up for a while. I hope you don't mind."

"You're our guest." Sakura sighed.

"I'm making enough for two anyway. Would you like some?" he asked.

"Sure. Just about anyone's tea is better than mine."

Satima looked at her surprised. "Very well." He poured them two cups, and Sakura gratefully chugged hers down. "You certainly seem like you needed it." He observed.

"Yes." Sakura sighed.

"Bad dream?"

"Hn." She nodded.

Satima looked at her growing belly. "I assume it has something to do with him?" Sakura looked at her belly, and groaned. "I'm sorry. It wasn't my place…"

"No." Sakura sighed. "But you're not far off the mark."

As Satima sipped his tea, he told her "I admit it's not my area of expertise, dealing with pregnancies…but I was taught to help people in need and give them comfort. I do not know what happened…but I sense you're nervous about the baby. More than most other mothers usually are. It's almost like you're terrified of the end result. Just know that if you need help…I'll do my best to provide you what aide I can."

Sakura nodded, slightly smiling.

Iori sighed as she stepped out of the shower. After drying herself off, she wrapped the towel around her body and stepped out. Normally after a shower, she would simply walk to the couch and relax, and tonight seemed to be no different from usual. As she lay down against the pillows, she would just relish the alone time…until she realized she wasn't alone.

She turned to see Yuji, shirtless, seated on the couch eating a cookie. Except now all his attention was on her and had a look of absolute shock on his face. "AAAIIIEEE!"

"SHIT!" Yuji rolled out of the way as he felt the couch flip in the air.

"What do you think you're doing, perv!" Iori shouted, clutching the towel to her body.

"Me!? You're the one who's undressed here! If anything you're the perv in this context!"

"You're shirtless!"

"I don't have actual breasts! And besides, you've seen me in swim trunks!"

"Well, the least you can do is turn away!" Iori yelled back.

Yuji froze. "Uh…s-s-sorry!" He turned as he heard Iori run back towards her room. "I shouldn't…but…" He thought back to seeing her breasts, how they seemed to be trying to burst out of her towel…

"Okay, better!?"

Yuji turned to see Iori in a pink tank-top and shorts; judging by what he saw underneath the fabric, it seemed she wasn't wearing a bra. "Well…for you anyway." Yuji blushed.

Iori sighed. "Sorry. I got careless and forgot I had a roommate. Of the opposite sex."

Yuji nodded. "Sorry I saw you."

Iori nodded. "I had a towel on. Don't worry about it. Maybe one day, I'll see you naked." She smirked.

Yuji could only sweatdrop at the remark. "I don't think I'm ready for that…" "Wanna help me flip the couch back up?"

Soon enough, Sakura could no longer hide her pregnancy, her belly now nicely round. As a result, preparation for the coming baby was in full force.

As Naruto got to work with the crib, he heard Sakura giving orders to Satima, who volunteered to make decorations for the crib. It didn't escape Naruto's attention that she was giving the monk the easier job. "Thank you, Satima-san!"

"My pleasure." He replied, calm as ever. He walked into the room, taking out decorations for the coming baby.

As Satima got to work, Naruto put down the screwdriver and walked out of the room. He saw Sakura sipping on some tea…no doubt something Satima brewed up for her, looking quite content. "Sakura-chan?"

"Yes?"

"Can we talk for a moment?"

"Sure." She said, acting like nothing was wrong.

Naruto pulled up his seat. "Are you sure you're okay with…him?"

Sakura looked at him, stunned. "Yeah. I am. Really, I am." Naruto breathed deeply. "He's been very helpful, and he's a good listener as well. Really, Naruto, he's no trouble at all."

Naruto breathed deeply. "You're being way too friendly with him."

"What?"

"You just invite him to stay with us without a second thought."

"As I recall, you allowed me to have the final say." Sakura said. "And I only did it because Shishou asked."

Naruto tapped his fingers. "You're talking with him a lot, you count on him for a lot of things…"

"I've only been trying to give you a break!" Sakura insisted.

"Giving me a break!?" he shouted. "You've practically replaced me!"

Sakura had nothing to say, as she scrunched up her face and slammed her teacup down on the table. Without another word, she stormed off into the bedroom. "OUT!" she shouted. Satima obliged, as if Sakura's voice pushed him out.

"Sakura-!" Naruto stopped himself when Sakura slammed the door shut. "Shit."

Sighing, Naruto took a seat on the couch, Satima sitting next to him. Neither said anything or looked at one another for the longest time.

"So you heard, huh?" Naruto finally asked.

"It was hard not to." The two worked in silence for a moment, and said "I'm sorry I've been an inconvenience for you."

Naruto sighed. "I'm sorry for being a jackass. I'm just…uncomfortable."

"I can imagine."

Naruto thought about what he would say next. "I wasn't Sakura's first love."

"Oh?"

"She used to be madly in love with our teammate; it was kind of my fault. Anyway, when he…left…we became closer, and here we are now…though we didn't expect this..."

"Ah." Satima deduced. "You're insecure I'll steal her away."

Naruto sighed, and nodded. "Pretty much. I shouldn't, but Sakura hasn't been this close to any other man since then. Sometimes I worry I'm replaceable. It makes me…worried. Even though I know you've been nothing but respectful for her."

Satima nodded. "And you're also jealous of how she confides with me instead of you." Naruto sadly nodded. "Sometimes, people will confide with strangers instead of their loved ones. They find strangers to be a lesser risk, less judgmental. I assure you, I haven't told Sakura-san to do anything; I've listened, and offered what advice I could."

Naruto took a deep breath. "Just what did she tell you?"

Satima also stopped to choose his words carefully. "The truth." Naruto's head lowered. "I'm sorry. I promise you, I didn't do anything to pry it out of her. She just…blurted it out, I guess. I was surprised she trusted me with that information, too."

Naruto stroked his hair. "I guess I'm too close, huh?"

"Hard to say. But…I'd imagine she's afraid of you."

"Afraid!?" Naruto blurted out. "I've told her, I'm standing by her! I've done everything in my power to make her happy-!"

"It's not about what you do." Satima rebuked him. "It's about what she fears will be, even if those fears are irrational. She fears that at the last minute, you'll back out. She fears, even if you do stay, your heart will not be in it, and make your family a broken one."

Naruto put his tools down, and took a deep breath. "And what do you think?"

"Personally…I doubt it." Naruto's eyes lit up. "You look too stubborn to back out of such a thing." Satima clarified.

Naruto sighed. "Well, I suppose that's KIND OF a compliment…"

"Also, ever since I've got here, you've been nothing but devoted to her every need. And the only reason you were hesitant to have me over…was her." Naruto nodded. "I cannot say what's going through her head at the moment. And though we barely know each other, I can tell this much about you." He paused. "You're a good man. It will take a lot more than a child that may not be your own to make you get up and leave."

Naruto sighed, and got up. "Hold tight. I'll be back with you in a moment."

"Take your time." He said. "You'll need more than a moment."

With that, Naruto walked to the door, and knocked. "Sakura?" Naruto knocked again.

"Go AWAY!"

"Sakura, we need to talk."

Naruto opened the door, and was met with a pillow to the face. "What part of go away did you not understand!?" Sakura cried. Observing her eyes, he could see that she was crying for a while.

"Sakura…I'm sorry. I'm an idiot for thinking that you would want someone else around rather than me. I…after all that's happened, I'm just nervous. It's stupid, but I am. I'm sorry; please know that I only get like that because I'm worried ABOUT YOU." He said, stroking her hand.

Sakura sniffled. "I'm sorry too…"

"Why?"

Sakura took a moment to gather her thoughts. "…I've been confiding in Satima over a few things…"

"Yeah. He told me." Naruto sighed. "I won't lie I'm a bit hurt, but I get it. We talked it over, and we're cool now. I just want to know…what it is you're afraid to tell me?"

"Besides the obvious?"

Naruto nodded. "If there's anything else."

Sakura tried to say the words…and the tears began to fall. "You remember…what I told you about my mother? How she could have no more children after me?"

Naruto blinked…"…yeah?"

"What…" Sakura was now balling. "…what if after this baby is born, I won't be able to give you your own child…?"

Naruto's eyes widened. "Sakura-chan…we talked about this…"

"…I want to give you children!" Sakura blurted out, suddenly clinging to him. "I wanted to give you children of your own blood ever since we got together, when I felt I was ready! If something goes wrong…"

"NOTHING will go wrong!" Naruto shouted, squeezing her hand. "And even if something does, if this baby is the only family we'll have, I'll take it! Please, Sakura…trust me." He whispered. Tears finally came down his eyes, as the two stared at each other, saying no more. Sharing a brief kiss, Naruto smiled slightly. "Isn't this quite a ride?"

"I wish it was over." Sakura sighed.

"It will be…just be patient."

Sakura smiled slightly. "Sorry, Naruto. I…I'm trying to get better."

"I've a feeling you already are."

As the two hugged, Satima watched from the doorway, smiling slightly. From that day on, Naruto decided he really liked having Satima around (though he would never admit it).

The next week, Naruto and Sakura paid a visit to Tsunade. Sakura had certainly grown; it was hard for her to walk out in public, both from the perceived embarrassment, and the extra weight of the baby was taking a toll on her stamina, especially when it concerned her feet. Tsunade did the usual…then proposed another test. "This is something new." She said. "I perfected it with lab mice, and I'd like to see how it works on humans. Don't worry; it's completely harmless."

Sakura agreed, as she lifted her loose shirt for Tsunade. The Sanin placed her hand on her belly, and using a similar technique to the poison extraction technique, taking what seemed to be a small amount of blood. "Is that-?" Sakura asked.

"Yes. Don't worry though; it's just a small amount of the baby's blood. It will be fine." She assured her.

Later, Naruto and Sakura were seated in her office, impatiently waiting for her. Finally, she arrived. Naruto couldn't help but notice that she seemed…quite happy. "Well, I will say, today was a surprise for me." She said as she took her seat.

"What!?" Naruto asked. "Is something wrong with the baby!?"

"No, no." Tsunade assured them. "The babies are fine."

"That's a relie-"Sakura stopped herself. "Wait. Babies!?"

"Yes." Tsunade smiled. "You're having twins."

The couple's eyes widened in absolute shock. "T-twins…" Naruto muttered.

Sakura only squeezed her face. "The due date…it's going to be more painful than I was expecting…"

"I know this news must be overwhelming." She said. "You just let me know if you're feeling especially off, and I'll see what can be done."

"Right." Sakura said. "Is there anything else?"

"Just one more thing. Something Naruto needs to hear." She turned to him, her smile being the biggest they had ever seen. "Congratulations."

Naruto blinked. "Oh…uh, thanks Ba-chan. It's really not a big deal; you've known for months…"

"I don't think you understand." Tsunade replied. "I'm saying congratulations TO YOU."

Sakura's eyes widened, in realization. She silently looked to Tsunade; her look confirmed it. Slowly, tears streamed down Sakura's eyes as she covered her mouth.

"Ba-chan, you really don't have to say it…" Naruto continued. Sakura then growled and whacked Naruto over the head. "OW!" he shouted. "What'd I do this time!?"

"BAKA!" Sakura shouted. "Don't you realize what Shishou is trying to tell you!?" she shouted. "THE BABIES ARE YOURS!" Naruto let his head go as he just stared at her in surprise. Sakura soon started crying, as she slowly smiled. "…they've ALWAYS been OURS…"

Naruto looked to Tsunade, then back to Sakura, then back to Tsunade again. She only nodded, smiling. "I'm going to be a father…." Naruto's mouth turned into a smile, as he began laughing and suddenly leaped out of his seat to hug Sakura. "I'M REALLY GOING TO BE A FATHER!" The two just shared in their laughter. Tsunade did nothing to interrupt as she wiped away a tear of joy…

As Naruto and Sakura walked down the street, Naruto pulled Sakura closer. "What?" she asked, smiling.

"Sakura…when we thought this…sorry, THESE babies were something else…I promised to stand by you, and love them like they were mine. I meant every word, and I know we would have been a happy family, despite what happened back then." Naruto paused before thinking carefully about his next words. "But to KNOW, that they are TRULY MINE…" he said. Looking at Sakura, he struggled to keep his own tears in check. "You have no idea how happy knowing that makes me…"

Sakura smiled back, and pulled him in for a kiss, a genuinely happy one they hadn't shared for a long time…

"…Is that so?" Kabuto said, as the news was delivered to him. He sighed in irritation. "Pity."

"Why didn't you just kill the babies yourself?"

"It certainly occurred to me." Kabuto explained. "But after what Haruno did to me, I felt my revenge deserved a more…personal, touch." Sliding his fingers across the table, he continued "I hoped she would abort them herself; I planned to inform her of their true parentage afterwards. Failing that, I hoped she would spend her pregnancy in agony until the very last moment…"

"…then you would finish them." The other finished for him.

"Exactly." Kabuto said as he swung his arm. "…I'd imagine she's probably leaping with joy now…ah well." Kabuto smiled evilly. "We'll have to find other ways to torment them now."

He turned to see Shiguri, dressed in all black below the neck. He only gave him a cold look. "Tell me what you need, and I'll make it so. My grandfather is most eager to help you with this."

First off, because I sense the last couple of chapters were implying something, just want to be clear I am very much pro-choice. That is all.

Now, Boruto the manga! How should I say this…the artwork is SHIT! Yeah yeah, I know, different style, can improve overtime…but this looks SEVERELY unpolished. The eyes look expressionless, and the design choices for the characters just look REALLY strange. Sasuke looks like a pretty version of Severus Snape. Why? The faces on everyone look a bit off too. The eyes and mouths don't follow natural curves, and looked like they were just glued on there. And Himwari. I'm probably one of the few who thought, as Kishimoto drew them, was adorable. Now the phrase "KILL IT WITH FIRE!" comes to mind seeing her.

Then there's Salad's outfit. First of all, WHY!? What compelled you to change her outfit!? If nothing else, her original was practical! Now a dress!? What's more, why did you keep changing it!? In the original promotional image, it was a simple red outfit. Then she has belts on her arms, and you reveal a pseudo-panty shot (doesn't help when some people are calling you a pedophile). Now her final draft…god, what the hell is that!? It's just…RIDONCULUS! THAT'S HOW STUPID IT IS! How does it work!? "Morning Mom! I'm going on a ninja mission where I will hurl sharp objects, jump far distances and take loads, possibly near-fatal physical damage! I think this dress with a bow-tie will do. Maybe I'll get Boruto to see my panties, tee-hee!"…

They also had to release this chapter side-by-side with the MItsuki one-shot, which Kishimoto actually drew. That sounds like a strategy doomed to fail.

And what's really funny…Hinata? You remember how a lot of Narutards go on about Hinata's breasts? How even Kishimoto joked to that one band member how he only liked Hinata for her boobs? Well, they're gone. I'd dare say she's smaller than Sakura was now. Again, WHY!? The anime fanserviced her, probably gave her something of a boob job in the Last…and you decide to do this!? Hmm…is it me, or does it sound like they're trying to COPY SAKURA!? Ah well. If nothing else, it's funny to see fans who kept insisting she was a great character drop her when she decides to get a reduction.

And to start off the story, they try to go hard core with Boruto and…that other guy (YES, I know he has a name, but we know so little about him he may as well not have one!). I mean, tattoos, scars…this is a prime example of trying WAYY too hard. And yes, Boruto has the Byakugan, so now he's a next-gen Kakashi (+ Sasuke apparently)…though I have to wonder how much good that would actually do him. Hinata was useless, Neji died…so yeah, I fail to see how this will be relevant. No doubt another asspull.

And Naruto's dead. How? Dunno; if it seems unbelievable…it is. First off, how can Naruto be killed by conventional means now? Second, how was this guy powerful enough to do that? But I think the biggest question is third…Is he really dead? I think King of Lightning on Youtube made a good point about this: Naruto and Sasuke are gods among shinobi. And they went with this hook. If they really did kill Naruto, they're going to have to come up with an incredible reason for how he died. If not (which is the more likely one in my opinion), then they have deliberately wasted fans' time. Hmm…now why does that sound familiar? (brings up Kushina). A classic case of damned if you do, damned if you don't (or in KoL's words, Fuck You!)

And from there the plot goes with the Boruto movie. You get to watch the movie that even some anti-enders liked! Only with bad drawings…Seriously, how did they plan to advertise this!?

Overall, Boruto is off to an absolutely HORRENDOUS start. The rehash of the movie, plus the bad art and unbelievable hook with the new content we DID get…it also makes me wonder, just HOW long is this manga going to be? We've already seen what seems to be a glimpse of the end, seemingly years after the events of the movie. I'd venture to say they're starting with the movie to play it safe, and then time-skip to this. After that…who knows? At this point, the Naruto franchise, at least in Japan, has become like the Simpsons…it's just there.

Well, nothing more to say. Guess I'll be seeing you later.