Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto
A/N:
TheSlySage: changed rating to M based on your feedback. Indeed, this story isn't technically for kids as I am exploring some dark themes here.
thtadthtshldntb: I know TonTon is not just a pet pig. When I introduced him, I presented Jiraya's perspective on it. A suggestion I got from another reader a while back was to present POV narrations in the tone and perspective of the character perceiving the situation and I decided to explore that.
Normal Text
'Person thinking'
"Person talking"
"Jinchuriki talking inside his head with Bijuu"
'Bijuu thinking'
"Bijuu talking"
"Bijuu talking inside jinchurki's head"
Chapter 35 – Family vs. Relatives
Natsumi had just finished setting up the dinner table when a disheveled Naruto entered the apartment. In an instant, she was in front of the boy, doting all over him in concern.
"Naruto-kun! What happened to you?!"
"Umm, I met family, I guess?"
"What do you mean? Who, where and why would they do this to you?" 'I am pretty sure I know who he's talking about though…' she thought angrily in the back of her mind.
Once Naruto was done regaling her with his most recent adventure – if it could be called that – Natsumi intervened.
"Naruto-kun, I'm glad that you're alright and that the hokage intervened, but what Lady Tsunade did is unacceptable. I will go and have some words with her first thing in the morning."
"Natsumi-neechan, no! This is between me and her!"
"I'll have none of that 'I'm a shinobi and this is a shinobi matter' business from you, mister. The way she treated you is not how family treat each other and I'll make sure she knows it, Sannin or not."
"Ok, neechan…"
"Good. Now, go and clean yourself up. I'll wait for you so we can eat together."
"Alright…"
Tsunade groggily woke up at the sound of a persistent knocking on her door. The drinks she had after giving her report to Hiruzen were definitely doing a number on her at the moment.
"Shizune, can you go see who is trying to bust our door open?"
From somewhere down the hallway she heard a muffled 'Yes, lady Tsunade' which told her that her request was heeded, much to her relief.
To Shizune's surprise, at their door stood a beautiful, dark-haired, green-eyed girl, in her early twenties at most, whose pleasant look was barely hiding a storm that was just yearning to burst forth.
"With whom do we have the pleasure?" Shizune asked hesitantly.
"I am Natsumi Unohana, Naruto's older sister. I would like to speak with Tsunade Senju, if she's available."
"Oh... Please come inside."
"Thank you."
As they walked towards the living room, Natsumi noticed the somewhat old but sophisticated furniture, clearly a mark of nobility. She wasn't particularly surprised. At the end of the day, Tsunade was the last living member of the main Senju bloodline, as far as she knew. A direct descendent of the God of Shinobi. A princess in her own right. 'It's a good thing I've had to deal with stuck up nobility before.' She mused silently.
"Please, Natsumi-san, take a seat. We will be with you in a moment."
"Much appreciated."
Not long after that, Shizune returned with a tense Tsunade in tow. It was clear that the Sannin was struggling to keep her irritation off her face, though it wasn't clear if that was due to her presence or the hangover that she was clearly suffering from.
"Natsumi-san. I hear you wish to speak with me."
"Yes, indeed I would, though it is a private matter."
"Understood. Would you care for some tea?"
"That would be wonderful."
"Lady Tsunade, I will go to the lab now. I will meet you there when you are done with our visitor."
"Sure. See you there."
"Natsumi-san, it was a pleasure to meet you."
"The feeling is mutual, Shizune-san."
Once the tea was ready, Tsunade took a seat across from Natsumi, who was calmly sipping from the very much pleasant beverage.
"I suppose your visit has to do with yesterday's incident involving Naruto."
"Indeed, it does." Replied Natsumi gracefully, yet sternly.
Tsunade was actually taken aback by Natsumi's somewhat regal look. If she hadn't known her background, she would have bet the girl was from high society, not a former prostitute. Alas, she schooled herself. It was time to see what this woman was really made of. "The boy is safe. I don't see what there is to talk about."
"This boy is your kin. And he could have died yesterday. Do you really not grasp the gravity of your actions?"
"Naruto is training to be a shinobi. To be a shinobi is to put your life on the line 24/7. He dared to bite more than he could chew and I showed him the error of his ways. Besides, I knew he could handle it. The old man had already briefed me on his capabilities. Aaand I made sure to hold back so I wouldn't really hurt him in any permanent way."
"By almost punching him to death? Naruto told me that you only stopped when the Hokage intervened. You lost your cool, and against a child no less."
"Naruto is not a child. Not anymore. He's been on death's door; he's seen some of the worst that humanity has to offer and has already seen battle. His innocence is long since lost. As far as I'm concerned, he's an adult, even if he doesn't know it yet and that makes him responsible for his own actions."
"And where exactly were you, when all those things happened?"
"That is none of your business."
"Such an easy response to give, when one seeks to shirk off responsibility. Do you even know what Naruto aspires to be? What he seeks to accomplish? Do you know anything about him at all, other than his fighting capabilities?"
"We didn't exactly have the time to chat."
"How long have you been in Konoha for? Three weeks, was it?"
"How did you know?"
"Ever since the attack on Naruto-kun, I have made it my job to be informed of anything of note that happens in the village, in case any of it might come to harm him. Working in the Red-lights made it easy enough. Now, as landlady, I have an entire army of informants in the form of freelance professionals. Do you really think the arrival of two Sannin would escape me? You were the talk of the town anyway. Your arrival wasn't particularly discreet."
"I see. And your point is?"
"Why did you not even attempt to reach out to him, in all this time? Does he even matter to you? From what I know, the Senju are a dying clan too. He is among your last of kin, is he not?"
"My reasons are my own."
"Nawaki and Dan. I believe those were their names, yes?"
"Natsumi, you're treading on very thin ice right now: how do you know those names?"
"Once I realized you were here and what you were to Naruto-kun, I started to do some digging. Your story is not exactly a state secret. Many people around town started talking about your return and the tragedy that led to your leaving all those years ago. It didn't take long to get the entire picture. Both lost in the last war. Both strong, but cut down before they had a chance to flourish. Both held your hopes and dreams in their hands and, when they died, your hope died with them."
"Make your point quickly, or so help me."
"You're afraid that Naruto might suffer the same fate. You have avoided him because you're afraid of losing him too."
"So, you think that just because you know some of the facts you get to talk down to me? You don't get to act like you know me! Like you know what it's like to lose everything!" as she finsihed, her fist landed on the tea table, breaking it in half, much to Natsumi's shock. To Tsunade's surprise however, just as quickly as she was shocked, Natsumi schooled herself and got back in control. Now standing a few feet from the broken table, with her hands together in yet another, almost regal pose, a deathly calm Natsumi spoke.
"I lost my entire family the night I was kidnapped and taken to the slavers. Mother, father, brother, cut down right before my eyes, one sword swing at a time. I didn't even get the chance to mourn them, because some of the men forced themselves upon me right after it happened. The blood of my family was still warm on my body as the men plundered me. It took me a while, but I learned to grieve. I grieved and moved on. And then I found my little Naruto-kun. And then I found him in a pool of blood too. When he was lying on his deathbed, I found myself wondering: if I were to lose him too, would I really break? And then he woke up and I looked into those eyes of his and the fire that burnt within them, and I found my answer."
"…And what, was your answer…?" asked Tsunade, stupefied, still processing the revelations.
"Even if I wanted to, I couldn't. Even if he died, I owe it to him to stay strong. Even if I break, I owe it to him to pull myself back together. To move on and to help make his dreams come true to the best of my ability. Maybe I won't be able to get things as far as he would with his own strength, but it's my duty to try. And you know why? Because the truth about Naruto-kun is beautiful. It is true, Naruto-kun has lost his innocence, but his heart is still pure and the world will be so much lesser should that purity be lost."
"What is it, you would have me do?" Tsunade asked reluctantly, her eyes looking towards the ground, ashamed and regretful.
"Grieve. Then pull yourself back together and come to him. I may be his family, but you are his kin. I do my best to guide him as a person, but I cannot do much to guide him as a shinobi. And I know a good person when I see one. If you were up for it, I know I could entrust him to you. And if you choose not to come, well, I suppose we'll make do with what we have and move on."
A long pause followed, as if a judge was pondering on their final verdict. Suffering, anger, longing, all came and went on Tsunade's visage. Finally, the slience was broken by a subdued voice, weakened, yet strangely resolute.
"…I am sorry for losing my temper. I spoke out of turn." Tsunade finally admitted.
"I am sorry for bringing back such dark memories. I will order another table for you. It should arrive in a day or two."
"No need. I'll clean things up and fix this one."
"I understand. I shall take my leave then."
"Thank you for stopping by."
"Hopefully, we will see more of each other in the future."
"…"
Quietly, with the same grace with which she entered, Natsumi left the Senju residence. Once the door closed, a shattered Tsunade fell to her knees, holding a piece of the broken table in each of her hands, tears streaming down her cheeks.
The crying stopped after time seemingly eternal. Taking a deep breath, she wiped the tears with the right sleeve of her haori. Steadily, carefully even, her eyes searched for each piece of the broken table. A summoning ritual later, a nine-inch-long version of Katsuyu appeared.
"Lady Tsunade! Are you alright?!"
"Yes, Katsuyu. Please, could you go to the cabinet in the hallway and bring me the glue?"
"Y-yes, my lady. Right away."
Once the slug was back with the requested item, Tsunade picked it up and started her work on the table.
"My lady, wouldn't it be easier to just order a new table?"
"No. Not this time. This time, we have to fix it. It's important."
"As you wish, my lady."