Author'sNote
Hey wow, it's been a while. If anyone reading this follows my account then you'll know that I've been rather busy working on other stories in the meantime. I hadn't lost the zeal to continue this one, but just had a burnout.
But I knew that I couldn't leave everyone hanging, so here we are now. I hope you all enjoy, and I already know where I'm going with this forward. So the wait shouldn't be too long next time.
No promises...
Uploaded
07/05/2022
LEGEND BELOW
"Oh, she loves these!" = Normal speech.
''You can stay like that for ever...'' = Normal thoughts.
"No... Go away..." = Bujuu/beast Naruto talking.
''So noisy...'' = Bujuu/beast Naruto's thoughts.
Chapter 15
The truth comes out/something bubbling just underneath the surface
It was midday in the village hidden in the leaves. As it would seem to many, it was apparently going to be another normal day. But were one to direct their attention to the Hokage Tower, they'd find a busy and tired old ninja up to his beard in paperwork.
Hiruzen, for his part had neglected the detested work for a few days too many, and was now suffering the consequences of his actions. Papers littered the Hokage's desk, threatening to consume him. Hiruzen only had himself to blame for the overwhelming amount of work left over…
He wished that he'd learned the Forth Hokage's secrets to destroy this enemy before he passed. But sadly the secrets would die with him…
"Hmm?" Hiruzen sat up a bit straighter, a knock from outside his office window catching his attention. There was only two people that did that. "Come in Jiraya."
The Toad Sage slipped into the large decorated office with ease, arms crossed as he stood in front of the old man's desk.
Seems he was in a mood…
"Have you ever considered the fact that there's something off about Naruto?" Jiraya stated blankly, not really saying what he wanted to. He was testing the waters of this conversation.
Hiruzen's eyes narrowed in thought, staring seriously into the sannin's eyes. That was a surprising way to start a conversation, especially for the Sage. "Yes I have, but I'm unsure what exactly we're talking about here…"
"Do you remember what Naruto was like before his change? His attitude? His mannerisms?" Jiraya clarified. Hiruzen nodded. Jiraya hummed, continuing. "He was similar to the way he is now, but only vaguely."
"Okay."
"So what happened to that?" Jiraya asked. "And don't tell me that simply living with the Hyuuga for four years changed him that dramatically no."
"I'm afraid I don't follow, Jiraya." Hiruzen stated. He was much too busy to notice little changes that seemed insignificant.
"I'm saying that I believe that he is Naruto, but some part of him is not." When Hiruzen failed to follow Jiraya continued. "I've noticed that his reaction time has become much too powerful for his supposed age, his power is obviously too large to properly grasp. And more then that he has a mannerism now that he hadn't previously when he was a kid."
"Jiraya… What…" Hiruzen muttered. "Are you suggesting that the Kitsune we have here isn't Naruto-Kun?" He questioned. Jiraya shook his head negative.
"No. I'm saying that the Kitsune we have here is Naruto, but some of him isn't. Not anymore." The sage turned away, glaring out the window. "We don't know exactly what Orochimaru did to Naruto five years ago. What reason do we have to believe that Naruto remained fully in control of this new body?"
"Jiraya-"
"No. Let me finish." The sage cut off. "The boy has been off since he became what he is now. At first he had no control over his powers or body, but he's gone above and beyond within just five years. It's like a switch was flipped inside his head."
"I'm not…"
"I've noticed more and more that his vocabulary is different, and that has nothing to do with how he was raised nor the constant presence of the Hyuuga."
"Jiraya… What does this mean? What are you saying?" Hiruzen asked. Jiraya ran a hand through his hair, looking visibly distressed.
"I think that the Kyuubi, whoever he was before being sealed into Naruto, his thoughts, his memories, his personality, is seeping into Naruto."
"…"
"Naruto speaks as if he's years older then he is. When he's over excited his original personality seems to shine through, but other times it's as if he's a thousand year old Kitsune. The voice of a legendary myth echoes through every words he speaks!"
"But he's still surprised by little things. Social interactions he still struggles with, as if he still needs to learn how to be with other people." Hiruzen stated back. The white haired sage nodded, but he wasn't deterred.
"I said I believe he has the memories of some experiences and thoughts, but not all of them. Try holding a single fucking conversation with him for any extended period of time and you will understand."
Jiraya sucked in a breath. "Look. I know that you're going to try and convince me that he's just a normal teenager that's in a different body, fueled by hormones and emotions… But…"
"But…?" The Hokage repeated.
"I was doing… research the other day…"
"Research?" Hiruzen muttered dryly. But Jiraya continued nonetheless.
"I saw him casually holding conversations with a naked Anko Mitarashi and Yugao Uzuki. He was completely and utterly unfazed by their presence, and multiple times forcefully rejected Anko's advances on him." Jiraya was baffled as he spoke.
"Now… I'm sure you could chalk that up to his chivalrous nature and his dedication to Hinata, but there wasn't even a single reaction to them. I don't care how dedicated he is, he's supposed to be a hormonal teenager right? So explain that…"
Hiruzen raised his hand. "I-…." But then he paused. No, it wasn't just a little reaction, or not the right reaction, there just wasn't a reaction. In fact, from Jiraya's information it seemed as if Naruto couldn't be bothered with their advances whatsoever. "That is a little strange… Now that you mention it…" The old man conceded.
Hiruzen was silent for a moment, eyes narrowed into slits in deep thought. The look seemed to catch Jiraya's interest. There was something Hiruzen knew that he didn't.
"Now that you mention it…"
"What? Is there something you know that I don't?" The Toad Sage prodded.
"Naruto has come forward to me with something… He hasn't even told Hinata about this…" Hiruzen spoke lowly. Jiraya's eyes widened in surprise.
"That doesn't seem right… He shares everything with his princess…" The white haired sage muttered, scratching his chin in thought.
"I'm not sure why, but he did mention something about her not needed to hear about it. I believe he wished not to worry her." Hiruzen shook his head. "He's been having… daydreams… of sorts…" He seemed to struggle for words.
Jiraya's expression fell.
"I know, but hear the whole story." The Hokage chided. "He said it started years ago, before he changed. They were far and few before the transformation, but rapidly accelerated once he became the Kyuubi. He… dreams of a.. different time. His future he thinks…"
"Everyone dreams of a future…"
"He said that in this time he sees children.."
"So..?"
"His children, he believes... A young blonde boy with whiskers and a lavender haired girl with blue eyes and the byakugan. They call him father…"
"What… What are you saying?"
"He doesn't know why, but he knows them. He's woken up crying because he's dreamt of them, but he can't hold them. Because they're not real…" Hiruzen muttered. "I'm not sure… Maybe the Kyuubi was a father before he was captured? Perhaps Naruto is only seeing the Kyuubi's past?" He shook his head.
"Either way, these dreams always turn dark in the end…" He explained. Jiraya stood a little straighter.
"Darker…?"
"He says that people surrounded by dark red clouds take them from him, but he doesn't know why. I've not been able to ascertain the-… Jiraya?"
Jiraya felt his blood run cold, eyes wide and body shaking. He was staring ahead blankly, mind running a mile a minute.
''No.. It couldn't possibly be the case…'' The Toad Sage thought.
"Jiraya? What wrong?"
Jiraya swallowed hard, locking eyes with the aging Hokage. "Those people surrounded by dark red clouds… could it possibly be the Akatsuki?"
"What? That's impossible Jiraya… These can't be anything more then old memories…" Hiruzen stated. "He can't possibly see something like the Akasuki… The original Kyuubi's never seen them before."
"True… But that doesn't explain these children you speak of. You're trying to say that the original Kyuubi had children with a Hyuuga?" Jiraya muttered. "I think we'd know of something like that…"
"Good god… a scandal like that would've shaken the world…" Hiruzen blew out a sigh at the thought. "There's no way the Hyuuga would've let that happen back then…"
"How about now?"
"Pardon? I'm not sure I-"
"Naruto? You've got to be blind and senile to not see that he loves her…" Jiraya scoffed.
Hiruzen frowned. "You don't actually think he feels that way… Do you?"
Jiraya facepalmed. "I can see it in every fiber of his being… He wants to make babies with her! You've lived this long, surely your skills at picking up on these things hasn't waned with age…"
"But they're still both so young…"
"I think that Naruto is a lot older then you believe he is. His body doesn't age. He's looked like he was roughly nineteen to twenty since he changed. He's got the thoughts of a beast in his head that's lived longer then both us combined. His love for her is stronger then a six year bond. His dedication to her carries the strength of a century old relationship. But I think that maybe the original Kyuubi had a mate and that his love for her has transferred to Naruto who has turned that attention to Hinata."
"Well…" Hiruzen had to concede that point. Jiraya was spot on in his assumption. "Sure. But Hinata's only seventeen."
"Yes well, for some reason I'm willing to believe that he's perfectly fine with waiting until she's of proper age. His feelings for her have been as strong now as they were when she was twelve. I think he made up his mind years ago…"
"So why has he waited so long?" Hiruzen couldn't help but ask.
Jiraya shook his head. "Besides the fact that she's so young, I'm not sure. Hinata has a lot going on in her life right now. Maybe he knows now's not the best time?" Jiraya sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "We're getting off topic. The Akatsuki. How does he know about them? That shouldn't be possible."
"Jiraya, it could just be a dream. He didn't say anything about the Akatsuki in particular."
"Yes but I think it's too close to ignore." The Toad Sage muttered.
There was a knock at the office doors. Hiruzen threw a look to the other man. "We'll have to continue this conversation at a later date." He stated, before facing the door. "Enter."
The doors opened, and in came a ninja wearing beige colors. The sand village's insignia placed clearly upon the man's headband. Beside him were two of Hiruzen's personal ANBU agents.
"Greetings, Hokage-Sama." The man offered with a bow. "I am Baki. The Kazekage offers his greetings, but I'm sorry to say that he won't be attending the Chunnin exams until the finals. Something urgent has come up…"
The sounds of distant yet close conversations mixed in a blur of sound hidden by the sizzling of freshly cooked meat. Orange light cast a warm glow over the table setting, making the mood seem light.
Hinata had been invited to a little get together with her team, instigated by the silent brute of the group. The pink haired girl had suggested that with their collective time off they should spend some of it together. Ino was a shoe in and Hinata couldn't find it in herself to say no. Kurenai herself found the time to join as well.
They'd met at a local bbq, a rather famous restaurant. It was busy, but not necessarily packed per-say. With that said, it seemed like everyone was in for a good time.
So when it became abundantly clear that Hinata was upset over something, they weren't going to let it go easily. Maybe it was the fact that she'd been silent the whole time, idly picking at her food with a sour expression on her face completely and utterly giving it away.
Ino finally had enough, and decided to act on her curiosity. "You gonna tell us what's wrong or are you going to brood all day?" Ino quipped. Hinata blinked, sitting a little straighter.
"H-Hmm? I don't know what you're talking about."
"Uh-huh… sure." Ino deadpanned, eyes narrowed in clear disbelief. The Hyuuga's cheeks lit up at being called out so easily.
"I-It's nothing.. It's not important…" She muttered quietly, looking away. However, if the ever growing blush on her cheeks was anything to go by, it was important. Ino didn't say anything, but her continued stare burrowing into the girl's mind eventually wore her down.
"O-Okay…" Hinata gave in. She glanced across the table, trying to lock eyes with the inquisitive Yamanaka. But, to Ino's surprise she couldn't. Hinata bit her lips, resorting to her old habit of poking her fingers together.
The other three girls couldn't understand what brought on this sudden bout of bashfulness. However, if Ino was as good a mind reader as her father, then she had a pretty good idea. But she'd instead wait for Hinata to bring it up instead of teasing her about it.
She could do that later…
"Do.. D-Do you have a boyfriend, Ino?" Hinata asked quietly. The blond girl's expression fell apart at the question, not quite expecting that at all.
"Er… Yeah.. Why?" Ino asked, a bit caught off guard.
"U-Um… What's it like?" The Heiress continued.
"Oh, it's… You know…"
"It's? What is it?"
"It's pretty cool…" Ino deflated at her own lame answer. "I can't imagine being alone again honestly." Her cheeks lit up at the thought. "Yeah… We do usual boyfriend girlfriend stuff."
"Like what?"
Ino's face lit up at the increasingly interested questions posed by the blushing Hyuuga.
Kurenai's eyes widened at the questions as well, before a knowing look entered her eyes. But she decided to let the situation unfold without her hand in play.
"Well… we.. You know…" Ino blew out a sigh. "Well he took me out on this date last week… and then we… kissed.."
"And then?"
"U-Uh…"
"And then?"
"W-Well.. we… you know… we made out that one time…"
"What else?" Hinata pushed. Ino deadpanned. "Do you kiss? D-Does he accidentally touch your butt when you sleep? Does he grab your butt in his sleep?" By this point steam was practically pouring out of her ears, her face as red as the kimono Naruto always wore. "D-D-Do you kiss and then not talk about it? Pretend it never happened? Do you want him to not accidentally touch your butt again when you're awake? Does he hold you and profess his love fo-"
"Hinata?"
"H-H-Hmm?" The lavender haired girl squeaked in question.
"What the hell are you taking about…?"
"O-O-Oh?! U-Um… nothing!" She squeaked, sinking into her chair. Ino turned to Sakura, seeking advice. The pinky shrugged.
"You have a boyfriend?" Ino asked. That seemed to be both the right and wrong question, as the girl deflated soon afterwards.
"No…"
"No?"
"I… I don't think so…" Hinata muttered.
Ino stared at her for minute before something she said previously clicked. "Wait you kissed someone?!" She gasped. Then the other part clicked. "Wait! Y-You shared the same bed with someone?! And he grabbed your ass?!" Ino started fanning herself, face flushed.
"W-Well… When you put it like that…" Hinata muttered quietly, wanting nothing more then to disappear.
''Who is he?! How has Kurama-Kun not skinned him already?'' Sakura questioned, flying rapidly through sign language. ''He must be suuuper jealous!''
"…" Hinata didn't respond.
Sakura's enthused grin slowly fell into open mouthed shock, her brain connecting the dots. ''W-Wait?? H-He..? He kissed you?'' She floundered through her signs, as she struggled not to faint.
Hinata rapidly shook her head. "N-No! T-That didn't happen! I-.."
"You kissed him?!" Ino guffawed, mouth dropped in shock. Hinata tried and failed to hide behind her hands, a futile attempt to hide from her embarrassment. "When?! How did this happen?!"
"Well… L-Last night when he was asleep…" She uttered in an almost inaudible tone. "T-Then this morning when he was awake…"
"W-Woah! So.. Y-You two are a thing now…" Ino breathed out in shock, running a hand through her hair.
"…"
"Wait…"
''You didn't say anything to him, did you…'' Sakura signed slowly. Hinata's shame grew twofold that moment.
"Girl! What the hell are you doing!?" Ino exclaimed. Hinata flinched.
"W-Well… I-I wasn't sure if it was real or not!" The girl in question hastily jumped to defend herself.
"Do you want to do it again?"
"Yeah…"
"And you want him to grab your ass, tell you you're beautiful?"
Hinata crumpled into herself, face on fire. "Mmhmm…"
"And kiss you to sleep at night?" Ino's questions continued.
"Y-Yes…" The Heiress uttered in a tiny voice. Ino raised an eyebrow.
"Hmm?"
"I-.. I said yes…" Hinata tried again, but to little effect.
"What's that?" Ino pushed. However, this proved to be too much, because immediately after asking again, Hinata broke.
"Yes!" She finally exclaimed. "Y-Yes I do! I want him to carry me like a doll! I-I want to feel his breath on my neck when we're sleeping, and his mouth on my ears when trying to wake me up! I want his fangs to bite my lips when we kiss. I want his tongue to dominant mine. I-I want him to touch me when people are looking, and I want him to praise me until I die! I want him to leave marks on my neck, and refuse to let me cover them up! I want him to kiss me until I can't breathe, then kiss me again!" Her face was blazing as she passionately spoke, a stupid smile plastered over her face. Her eyes fluttered as she daydreamed about her future with him.
"When we get older we'll get married. One day we'll have kids, one boy one girl. But if he wants more then we'll have more, however many he wants to make. I want half Kitsunes running around the Hyuuga compound, making a hassle for everyone around them. Then maybe one day we could move out, live our lives in peace somewhere in the mountains where no one can see what we do. Then we could do whatever we wanted and no one could judge us! And then… and then…" She trailed off as tears started to form in the corner of her eyes, completely losing the formal mask she'd grown accustomed to wearing around others.
The table went totally silent, Ino and Sakura's mouths on the floor. Kurenai was blushing furiously, at a total loss for words. They had expected that there was more to the relationship between her and the fox she held so dear, but they didn't expect this.
It was made even worse when she started crying, completely and utterly breaking down. "B-B-But how a-an I supposed to-to tell him this w-when I still have to t-take over the clan? H-Hanabi can't do it, and father said that I'm the o-only one t-that can do it. I-I can't conf-confess to Nar- Kurama-Kun, t-then turn around and t-t-tell him t-that I don't have time f-for him! T-Tha-.. That'd b-be..-!"
She broke down crying, fat tears pouring down her cheeks. The weight of everything that had been on her mind as of late finally hitting her fully, and the reality of it was too much to bear.
And so she cracked, and the matter of how madly in love she was with him came bubbling to the surface.
The poor girl wasn't aware of when it happened but Kurenai's arms wrapping around her was enough to make her cry harder. The older woman pulled the girl's face lovingly into her bosom, slowly running her fingers through her hair to calm her down. Hinata's tears soaked her dress, but she didn't care.
Ino and Sakura shared a glance, whatever shock they had at their friend's initial outburst was drowned out by their instincts to comfort her when she started crying.
The blond's blue eyes softened as she stared at her weeping friend. ''Damn.. Poor girl's got it really bad…'' She reached across the table, grabbing the girls hands. "Hey, you know what." She said, pulling the girl's attention to her. "Forget about the clan for a moment."
"H-H-Huh..?" Hinata choked out, puffy red eyes fluttering in confusion. Sakura grabbed her hands too, the same serious look on her face as Ino's.
"Do you think Fluffy-Kun is going to get upset if you tell him that you love him?" Ino questioned.
"B-But..?"
"You think he won't understand when you tell him you can't give him the attention you really want because of something outside of your control? If you think he's going to get angry over that then he's not the guy for you…" The blond stated so genuinely that Hinata found herself listening to every word.
"Y-… You think so?" They Hyuuga muttered quietly. "E-Even if I c-can't offer him the love and r-respect that he wants… Y-You think he'll still love me..?" She asked so quietly that the three thought she'd break. "Y-You don't think h-h-he'll leave to-to find someone that c-can give him the l-love he w-wants..?" She almost started crying again at the thought.
"Girl… If he's anything like the guardian that I know, then he'll do anything for your love. Tell him you love him and want to mother his children. I think he can wait a few years for you to become the queen or whatever before putting a baby in you…" Ino exclaimed. Hinata's face lit up in hot red embarrassment at the reminder of her words previously spoken.
"O-Oh god, I can't believe I s-s-said that!" Hinata squeaked as she desperately attempted to sink into her oversized white purple jacket, but to no avail. Ino smirked despite herself.
"Yeah… I'm not ever letting that one go." The blond laughed. "Now come on! You've got a confession to make!" She exclaimed proudly. But the sizzling of cooked meat seemed to catch her attention. "A-After we eat. I'm freaking starving!"
Hinata sighed as the two girls started prepping their plates, before glancing up to her Sensei. Kurenai smiled down at her in a comforting and motherly way. "I'm proud of you. I can tell you've been holding that in for a while."
''Yeah…'' Sakura beamed.
"Yeah yeah, enough taking! There's food waiting to be eaten." The blond exclaimed, practically drooling at the food. "You can dream about babies later!"
The setting devolved into a more comfortable mood after that, everyone throughly enjoying their food. But for Hinata, it felt as if a massive weight had been finally lifted off of her chest. For the first time in years, it felt like she could breathe a little bit lighter…
He was conflicted.
Although he supposed that the statement by itself was an understatement of his real feelings. He used to think it was simple, his feelings towards her. And, in a strange way, they were.
But that was what made them complicated.
He'd told himself what he had been planning to do regarding his feelings for her, and how he eventually planned to open up about it. He'd never felt this strong about anything else in his entire life. He couldn't get her out of his head, her image filling his mind constantly. Every day, all day, she was the thought that took up the majority of his thinking.
After the conversation at the hot springs earlier with the two ninja, Anko and Yugao, he was sure that he knew what to do…
But he was conflicted. Was he supposed to be true to his feelings and tell her that he loved her? Give her the confession that he'd been holding in for years?
That's what he wanted to do. But at the same time, he knew that she had a lot on her mind. She was training to become the next head of the Hyuuga clan, and likely also training for the upcoming Chunin exams.
He wasn't sure she had time for a relationship with him. Furthermore, what would people think of her if she went through with this, if she accepted his love for her?
Though he too was born roughly seventeen years ago, he wore the body of a Kitsune that was thousands of years old, though looked roughly twenty years old. That was sure to raise flags among the people, and although he didn't care for their opinion about his love life, he cared about the way people would view Hinata.
Could this potential relationship ruin her plans to become the clan leader? Would this put a bad stamp on her public image and damage her reputation as a ninja?
"Ah, this is too difficult, I suppose…" He groaned to himself, rubbing his temples. Thinking about it was giving him a serious headache, it was almost blinding. His head just wouldn't stop throbbing…
It just…
It was just too much to…
To…
"Yes Naruto-Kun! Yes I will marry you!" Hinata cried out, a heartfelt smile on her face. She was crying, fat tears pouring down her cheeks. He was on his knees, holding up a small black box, inside of which was a silver ring with a diamond.
This was it. He couldn't believe it. After everything that he'd gone through, after all that he'd suffered and those he had lost. Jiraya, Sasuke, Neji, Shikamaru, Kiba, Sakura, and more. After everything, he'd finally found peace with the love of his life.
And she'd said yes.
He was the happiest man alive in that moment. Everything else could almost be forgotten if he had her by his side, standing strong together through the pain of loss.
He remembers their family photo, a beaming nine months pregnant Hinata with a blond haired man happily wrapping his arms around her waistline. He had blue eyes, blond hair and…
And he wasn't a Kitsune…
"Naruto!"
The Kyuubi snapped back to the present at the sound of someone shouting at him. Slowly he blinked, looking across the small creek he'd been sitting beside to find Kiba and Shikamaru staring at him.
"Oh, hello I suppose." He greeted uncertainly. "When did you both get here?"
He was sure he had been alone in Hinata's garden all afternoon…
"Two minutes ago…" Shikamaru muttered, crossing his arms. "Are you alright? We were calling out to you, but you seemed in a daze…"
"Yeah man. What's up, daydreaming about a hot babe or something?" Kiba joked, but you could tell he was concerned as well. The Kitsune's cheeks warmed ever so slightly at the thought, but he turned away.
"I suppose you could say that…" He muttered, scratching lightly at his ear. A moment of silence persisted after that, the kyuubi pulling one of his tails into his lap, slowly smoothing out the fur. "Did you two need something from me?"
"Well, not really." Shikamaru shrugged, grunting as Kiba elbowed him. "I mean, I saw the girls going out together and thought that we haven't had a chance to hang out since we were younger…" He muttered.
"What my boy here is trying to say is that we want you to come hang out with us. You look bored as all hell!" Kiba exclaimed boisterously. "I mean honestly, when was the last time you've ever gone out and done something fun?" He asked.
"Well, I went bathing with these two ninja just the other day. Anko Mitarashi and Yugao Uzuki. Then we went naked sunbathing together this morning. I gave them a lotion massage and then they did me as well, I really quite enjoyed it." He explained nonchalantly, not really paying attention. His ears folded down, suddenly concerned by the looks on their faces. "Is… Is something wrong…?"
Kiba looked starstruck, cheeks red. Shikamaru had no comment. "How the hell did you manage that?!" The dog ninja shouted. Naruto reeled back slightly at the sudden influx of noise, ears cringing away.
"E-Err… They joined me the first time… I wasn't aware that it was a mixed bath day that day…" He explained, running his claws through his fur. "Anko seemed to struggle with the concept that I wasn't sexually attracted to her breasts, which were very large, and after the fourth warning she seemed to leave me alone." He explained.
"And then?!" Kiba jumped.
"They invited me to naked sunbathing the next morning…?" Naruto offered blankly. "It was really nice actually…" He recalled with a small smile.
"What else happened..?! Wait?! You saw her boobs?!?" Kiba screeched.
Naruto looked confused. "That was all that happened, in fact. It was only an hour ago now. We mostly talked to each other. Talked about our lives and other important things I do not wish to indulge."
"Uuuugggh… I can't believe you're so… you!" Kiba bemoaned. Naruto just blinked.
"Well, Kiba's hormones aside, I'm surprised to hear that you've been out and about." Shikamaru butted in, a smile on his tired face.
"Why are you surprised, I wonder?" The Kitsune asked, no tone of hostility in his voice. That alone was a huge improvement from years ago.
"Because usually you're bubbling on the edge of murder every time someone looks at you wrong." Shikamaru explained. Naruto blushed, looking away. "Believe me, I get why you're so upset. The Hokage explained to those in the know that you have the thousand year old burning hatred of the Kyuubi resting on your shoulders at all times. I… I couldn't even fathom handling that energy for even a second without losing my mind and killing someone…" He said seriously.
"Mmhmm…" Naruto offered noncommittally. "It is rather… difficult to contain most times. However, in this state I am more in control of my hatred." He explained quietly. "Meditation here at the garden is very helpful in keeping my mind clear."
"Well that's a relief. I'd like to keep my head where it's at." Kiba joked with a laugh. But a few seconds passed and it was made apparent that the Kyuubi wasn't feeling up to par. "Okay, that's enough of that." To Naruto's surprise he found the dog ninja grabbing him by the hands, pulling him to his feet. "Enough of this mopping around, you're coming out to lunch with us!"
"Yeah. I can only handle so much of that anyway…" Shikamaru shrugged, trying to play off his concern.
The Kitsune couldn't find it in himself to fight back their offer, so he allowed them to drag him along. A short but agonizingly long feeling walk through town found the trio arriving at the restaurant of choice. Konoha BBQ.
To the fox's surprise, he found a fair few more waiting for him. Some he remembered from the academy.
"Kurama-Sama! Over here!"
"Not so loud, Lee-Kun. People are trying to relax."
"Oh, Neji-Kun! I can't contain my excitement! I've never dined with Hinata-Sama's guardian before! I can just feel his youthful energy from here!" The green spandex wearing ninja exclaimed with an abundance of energy. "I bet he's stronger then Gai-Sensei!"
"We're not here to battle, Lee…" Neji sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You're going to cause a scene…"
"Yes! A scene where we can display our power of youth!" Lee countered energetically. The Hyuuga male sighed, deciding to give up rather then continue to try and stop the power of youth…
"Hey guys! We finally got him!" Kiba laughed, walking up to the other two. Shikamaru sighed, but he was smiling too. Naruto decided to go with their flow and followed after them, hands clasped together and hidden beneath the sleeves of his kimono.
"Hello again, Neji-Kun." The Kyuubi greeted with a smile. The Hyuuga smiled back at him, offering a quick bow of respect.
"I apologize about Lee's behavior. He's excited to see someone he knows is powerful." Neji said. "I'm glad to see you join us today." He said genuinely.
"Alright, enough chit chat. I'm sure if we wait out here, Choji is going to eat all the food…" Shikamaru groaned, moving to enter the building. Kiba laughed as Neji merely smiled, following him in. Lee frowned.
"Hey! It is not youthful to make fun of our friends!" Lee shouted as he charged after them, spouting all sorts of youthful nonsense. Naruto blinked at the abundance of energy they emitted, finding the whole situation tiring just to be around.
Then again, he supposed, he found just about everything in life tiring. That's why he slept all day…
Nevertheless, he found the idea of taking a day off really pleasing. And despite having already having had fun with the two beautiful ninja from before, he would gladly take the chance to relax even more if posed. Anything to keep his mind off of the negative situation that ended his fun at the hot springs…
The Kyuubi stepped inside, brushing the hanging curtains out of the way.
"Welcome in! How may I-" The happy greeting that was thrown his way upon entry was suddenly cut short when the receptionist saw just who had entered her establishment. The rather cute looking black haired girl went white when she realized who he was.
"Hello there. I won't bite, I promise." Naruto greeted with a smile, holding up his hands to show that he meant no harm. He could tell that she wasn't reacting out of hostility towards him, but was petrified of his presence. "May I come in?" He asked after a moment of pause. He gave her a a few moments to gather herself, and after she studied his face for any deceit, she let out a shaky breath.
"I-I'm sorry sir… I-I've never met y-you in person before." The girl tried, shaking where she stood. "Y-Y-You seem l-less e-e-evil then people make y-you out to be…" She squeaked from behind the counter, face heating up. He actually laughed.
If a pin dropped you could hear it. The others that had gone in ahead of him watched his interaction with the girl with sweat dripping down their faces. Then he laughed, and they didn't know what to feel.
Naruto almost never laughs. Especially not from some random…
The girl squeaked, staring uncertainly from behind her counter. The literal nine tailed Kitsune tried stifling his giggle fit, hiding his laughing behind his hand. Then he smiled, a beautiful genuine look. "Thank you, I suppose." He offered.
"Kurama! Get over here!" Kiba called out from deeper in the restaurant. The fox's ears perked up atop his head, poking out from his hair.
"Coming, I suppose." He called out. He offered one more smile at the receptionist, turning her into a blushing mess. People all stopped to gawk at him as he passed, slowly making his way over to his…
Friends…
"I-Is that…?"
"H-Here? Who let him in…?!"
"Stupid! He'll hear you if you speak any louder!"
"What's a damn Yokai doing here?! Doesn't he know his kind's not welcome here?"
"Damn bastard, who let him in?!"
"Quiet! T-That's Hinata-Sama's guardian! H-He's a nine tailed fox! He could kill you without even thinking!"
"W-What?!"
"A-A nine tailed fox?! Here?!"
"Who does he think he's fooling. The only reason he's even allowed in this damn village is because of that confused Hyuuga!"
The harsh whispers and words of spite weren't nearly as quiet as they thought they were, and the person they were directed at heard them all too clearly.
"Sheesh.. Took you long enough." Kiba groaned with a crooked smile. "What was the holdup? Too busy flirting with the receptionist?"
The rest at the table sucked in a breath at Kiba's joke, eyes snapping to face the Kitsune. Naruto blinked.
"I was just being nice, in fact." He corrected calmly, a small smile on his face. "Princess has drilled it into me that I persist in my attempts to paint a better picture of myself, in fact. So I am trying to be nicer." He explained calmly, hands clasped together in front of him.
Shikamaru started sweating when he noticed the red claws of Naruto's clacking on the table before him in a blatant display of his irritation, despite the smile on his face.
"W-Well, now that we're all here, I think it's time to enjoy ourselves." Neji said, setting a plate in front of the Kitsune. It was a large variety of raw meats, and some vegetables. The table that they sat at had a grill built into the center of it, and Choji had already started cooking.
"Yes! We cannot enjoy the days of our youth on an empty stomach!" Lee exclaimed, rapidly throwing his food on the grill. Kiba laughed, following after his friend's example and started cooking his food too.
"You guys talk too much! Look at all this food!" Choji complained halfway through eating food of his own.
Naruto glanced down at his own plate, eyeing the food. It did indeed look good. So, he picked up his chopsticks and placed a few pieces of meat on the grill. The scent was amazing.
"So, Lee-Kun, was it?" Naruto asked after a moment, continuing to watch his food.
"Yes, Kurama-Sama!" Lee exclaimed, grinning.
"Neji-Kun tells me that you enjoy fighting, in fact." The Kitsune said, ears twitching atop his head. The fox man's face tightened momentarily at the sound of someone speaking in the background, eyes sharpening. But, he let it go with a sigh, and his smiling face returned.
Shikamaru started sweating. Even he, with his less sensitive hearing could hear the things the other patrons were saying. They weren't good.
Perhaps this wasn't the best idea…
"That's right! I wish to become stronger then everyone else while only using Tai-Jutsu!" The green ninja claimed boldly. "I'm proud to be the star pupil of Konoha's legendary green beast!" Lee spoke, his voice being drowned out by the continued mutterings of others in the background.
"Mmhmm, that sounds like a wonderful idea." Naruto nodded, smile waning as his claws continued to tap the table. "Perhaps we could have a friendly duel after this?" He proposed.
(Crack)
The table splintered, the Kitsune's claw having tapped right through the wood. The others started sweating nervously, eying the massive break in the table.
"O-Oops, silly me." Naruto chirped, an embarrassed smile on his face. "I'm not sure how that happened."
However, his eyes spoke a different message. Red, hot baleful slitted eyes burned holes into the table. Those eyes spoke murder, and they looked truly as if they didn't belong to him. Shikamaru felt as if someone else was looking through those eyes, claiming to be Naruto.
Someone started laughing in the background.
"What's wrong, you damn fox?!" A gruff and loud voice shouted from across the dining hall. "Are you going to cry about it? Go on, get out of here! You're kind isn't welcome here. Go mind control some other damn whores instead of manipulating that poor dumb bitch you call a Hyuuga, you freak…" The shout was accompanied by a hiccup, the man likely drunk.
The air in the bbq grew hot, an all encompassing burning hatred filled the environment. It was as if it had become impossible to breath, as if the air had burned away. The ninja at the table were forced to watch as the Kitsune's luscious golden white fur began to bleed into a baleful orange.
It took a moment to realize that the ground shaking underneath their feet was because of the Kyuubi sitting before them. "K-Kurama! Breathe!" Kiba jumped forward, grasping both the fox's hands with his own. He sucked in a breath as his hands were nearly immediately burnt upon touching him.
But he didn't let go.
"That dumb bastard's words mean nothing. Don't let them get to you!" He exclaimed, caring little if anyone saw or heard him. When the rest of the patrons turned to stare, they bore witness to the floor having been burned away underneath the fox's feet. Anything that touched the Kitsune was reduced to ashes.
But Kiba held his hands, staring him dead in the eyes. Even as his flesh began to burn, pain nearly too much to bear, he didn't let go of his friends hands.
One look at the Kyuubi's face told them everything. Eyes wide, teeth bared in pure anger, fangs clenched so hard they should've broken. It was a side of the fox that they hadn't seen before, but had only heard about from Hinata.
And just when it seemed like he was going to stand and turn the man that dared to speak lowly of his Princess to ashes, the shaking stopped. The fire that had broken out around him withered away, and the blue fireballs that had been hanging above his head unbeknownst to the others, vanished. The fox bit his lips until they bled as he reined in that anger, taking a slow deep breath.
The air in the bbq cooled as his temper seemed to calm. The ninja that surrounded the table let out a breath they didn't know they were holding.
"I'm sorry, in fact…" Naruto muttered lowly, slowly removing his hands from Kiba's grasp. Slowly he went to reach for his food, gently picking it up from the grill with his chopsticks. Then he started to eat it.
"This is really good." He stated to no one in particular. The other ninja seemed to collapse into their seats, relief filling them.
"That's it! You! Out, now!" There was a shout in the background, the commotion coming from the same side of the restaurant that the guy from before was at.
"W-What?! You can't be serious?!" The punk shouted.
It was the owner, shouting at the customer to leave. And he was fuming. "You come in here and try to instigate a huge fight with someone you shouldn't, and expect to be allowed to stay?!" The old man shouted furiously.
"Excuse you! Who the hell do you think you are, old man?!" The bastard shouted, standing up as he immediately grabbed the owner by the front of his shirt. The light of the room seemed to glint off of the man's leaf ninja headband. "I should hrk-?!" The man's threat was cut short when a furry appendage wrapped itself around his throat, tightening until he stopped squeaking.
The crowd trailed the tail from the man's neck, seeing it extend all the way back across the restaurant before connecting to the Kyuubi's rear end. While the ninja was being choked to near unconsciousness, a second tail picked the old restaurant owner back up, brushing him off gently.
"Are you alright?" Naruto asked, glancing at the man from the corner of his eye. "Is he bothering you?"
"Y-Yes! S-Sorry for all the trouble, Kyuubi-Sama!" The man hastily got out, but relaxed when Naruto waved him off.
"Don't mention it, in fact…" Naruto muttered offhandedly. Then without warning he retracted his tails, bringing the man right before him. The ninja seemed to go white when faced with the fuming face of the angry Kitsune, said fox's red eyes staring holes into him. "Have I done something to offend you? Do you have some arbitrary reason for hating me, I wonder?" He asked lowly. The man tried to say something, but the lack of air was prominent in halting that. So Naruto relaxed his grip slightly.
"P-Put me down you d-damn bastard!" The ninja hissed. Naruto frowned.
"How about I explain a little power difference to that minuscule organ you call a brain? Let me finish." Naruto cut off.
"I-I didn't even-"
"The last man that called my Hinata a whore was promptly stabbed to death, beheaded, then turned to ashes. And if I'm being honest with myself, in fact, I want you to suffer the same fate as him." Naruto threatened in no uncertain terms, red eyes staring straight into the man's soul.
There was something different about this anger, however. Although the man's foolish words incited his ire, he felt something else bubbling up inside of him, something that didn't feel like him. And the boiling red eyes that stared the man down weren't his.
Shikamaru facepalmed at the other man's stupidity, mentally screaming. He couldn't believe the balls this guy had to speak so openly like that.
"You couldn't possibly fathom the level of respect I hold for her, nor the stress she has to suffer through every day. Daring to disgrace her beauty because of some arbitrary disdain you hold for me is unacceptable." He muttered lowly. "You can hate me, despise me, plan to ruin my day and make my life miserable to your pathetic heart's content, in fact." He stated. "However! Do not dare to let her name even be heard on your foul tongue again! Because if you do, I'll kill you." Naruto said that last part so clearly, it was as if he was talking about the weather.
"Do I make myself clear, I wonder?" He asked so lowly the ninja was sure he'd already been killed, his head tilted to the side, eyes boring into the man's soul. Not waiting for an answer, Naruto let him go. The man fell to the ground in a heap, gasping for air.
The moment he could think rationally he ran, screaming as he left. With the man having left, the red eyes that marked the Kitsune too vanished, returning to their typical soft gold tone.
Silence fell over the restaurant, no one daring to breathe, or disrupt the upset Kitsune. Naruto's ears pressed flat against his head, tails laying lifelessly on the ground behind him. He looked up, eyeing the shaking form of his friends. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to lose my temper again today…" He explained quietly. "I do not wish to frighten you..." His voice was soft.
Shikamaru sighed, falling back into his chair. "Don't worry about it. You apologizing over that rat bastard is too troublesome to think about…" The brainiac groaned.
"Hmm, indeed. Do not worry you're over your actions. If you hadn't done what you did then I was going to put the trash in it's place." Neji explained with foul look marring his face.
They all sat back down in an attempt to try to enjoy their lunch, however it was clear that Naruto just wasn't feeling it anymore.
But…
A clap echoed out, pulling everyone's attention. Standing opposite the room was a leaf ninja, holding his hands out in a clap. Then he clapped again, and again, and again. People around him starting clapping too, noise slowly rising in the room.
It didn't take long before everyone was clapping.
And they were clapping for him.
The Kitsune's cheeks warmed, blushing as all the attention was turned on him. He looked up in surprise when a hand patted him on the shoulder, the happy look of the restaurant owner grinning at him.
"Don't feel bad about the table. That punk is the one at fault here." The man laughed. "You all get food on the house for the hassle!"
Despite the fools that he had to deal with day in day out, he could honestly say that there were some good eggs left in the village. It was only sad that they were usually the minority that wasn't too vocal about it.
But to have the whole restaurant clap for him like that, well…
Suffice it to say that his mood wasn't totally ruined for a second time that day.
But, he had a feeling that his fun time was about to come to an end…
"Kurama-San." Someone called to him from across the way. Naruto turned, eyeing the form of the ANBU agent standing at the door. "A word with you." The ninja said, tilting his head to the side.
Naruto sighed, standing up. "I apologize everyone. It seems I must go. Lee-Kun, when I next get a moment, perhaps we can have that duel."
Chapter
15
End