Chapter Twenty-Two
The living room couch of the Hyūga Clan Leader's quarters was plush and heavenly after the weeklong nightmare that had kept Akemi Hyūga on her feet between brief catnaps. Akemi remembered the first time she'd been here. Her then future father-in-law had inspected her and made clear that if she failed to live up to expectations of her position, he'd make her life truly unlivable. How things have changed!
At that time, Hattori had insisted on traditional furniture and décor. During Hiashi's tenure, little had changed, other than simply renewing the often-worn-out pads for guests to kneel on. Only when Hinata became clan leader were more modern comforts added. Large, comfy, couches and armchairs reminded Akemi of the furniture at Minato and Kushina's home. Are you surprised? Until she became clan leader, your little girl was more at home there than she'd ever been here.
"How do we keep finding ourselves back here?" Kushina asked as she sat back in a plush armchair while holding Akane. Dark circles were still under Kushina's eyes, but she looked significantly less frazzled than she had at their parting of ways at the hospital days earlier. Feels like it was a lifetime; hard to believe you could squeeze so much in such a short time!
"I don't know," Akemi shrugged, "after what you told me, it seems it's their destiny to kill us with worry then surprise us pleasantly." The irony of her statement – the fact that she and Kushina should be dead right now – was not lost on Akemi.
"Kids are good for that!" Jiraiya said as he entered the room carrying his twins, Mito and Hiruzen, and followed by Tsunade.
"G-grandpa!" Akane squeaked as she held her arms out toward the elder sage.
"Hey, baby girl!" He knelt down as he approached, and Kushina let her daughter run to Jiraiya.
"I remember when he used to be skittish around kids," Tsunade chuckled.
"I'm sad we didn't have more moments like this here with Naruto and Hinata," Akemi sighed as she sank back on the couch.
"You'll have plenty of time when they give you grandkids!" Jiraiya exclaimed as he hugged the trio of children, "Speaking of…" he winked.
"They haven't come out of there yet," Kushina smirked, "but they have to soon, Naruto tends to get hungry about this hour."
"Are you sure it's wise bringing this all up?" Akemi asked, "I mean, after all they been through."
"There usually isn't a good time," Tsunade spoke up, "but we have some hard decisions to make once spring thaw happens." Tsunade stared at Kushina, "and a lot to bring you up to speed on."
"Excuse me," there was a knocking at the door, "mind if I join?" Kakashi poked his head inside the door.
"Join us, silly," Kushina laughed, probably the first time Akemi had seen her laugh in almost a month. Kakashi took a seat opposite Kushina.
"How is Minato?" Akemi asked.
"Still with Konohamaru," Kakashi sighed. "Poor boy is at least considering talking to his parents again."
"Considering the confrontation Minato and I had with them, I'd call that progress," Jiraiya added.
"Part of that is why I called everyone here," Akemi spoke. "But, we should probably wait on the love birds to stir first."
The door to Hinata's room cracked at first, then opened to reveal Naruto, dressed in his orange cargo pants and a black t-shirt. He made no effort to hide the considerable number of love bruises on his neck. Hinata, you naughty girl! "Hi," Naruto said with a nervous laugh.
"Why don't you join us," Akemi gestured to a nearby loveseat, "son."
As Naruto walked through the door, Hinata followed. Hinata work a long, silk robe, red with pink floral pattern. Hinata, too sported a significant number of hickeys visible on her neck and upper arms. Like Naruto, she had a sheepish grin, the type worn by teens after they'd clearly been caught doing naughty things. She sat beside Naruto on the loveseat. She's not a teen; she's a woman now, twenty in just a few weeks. "I see you two are back in your old form again," Akemi bit her lip with a slight laugh.
Naruto stood unexpected, "All right, you got us!" His voice turned nervous, "This isn't going to turn into the talk again, is it?"
"I'd hope you remembered well our first time," Akemi smirked. "However, inquiring minds would like to know where the two of you sit."
Naruto exchanged a look with Hinata, and she nodded. "I'll be right back," Naruto vanished in a flash and then reappeared only a few second later, holding a familiar piece of paper. "Mom, do you have the Hokage's Seal with you?"
Kushina's eyes opened wide with everyone else. "Yes, Naruto?"
"Mom," Naruto walked over to his mother, then turned his glance to Akemi, "Mother-in-law," he bowed as he held out the wedding certificate bereft of the Hokage's seal. "Please, let Hinata and me be married right now!"
"Son," Akemi spoke as she sat upright, "you're sure?!" Akemi stared incredulous first at Naruto and then Hinata. "Hinata?!"
"Yes!" Hinata said as she stood beside her soon to be husband, taking his hand. "Last time, we let circumstances decide for us," she exchanged a look with Naruto, "never again. I love Naruto and I declare that I would have him as my husband."
"Hinata, you do realize the consequences of being married?" Kushina asked.
Naruto raised a hand, "There seems to be a loophole in that clan custom."
"A loophole?" Akemi asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Damn straight!" Jiraiya added, "It seems the rule is they have to be pregnant within a year of their wedding, not their marriage. Old man Hattori was married to Ichika for almost two years prior to actually having his wedding!"
"And there is case law that was adjudicated by Lord Third," Naruto added, "affirming that being legally married before having a wedding is legitimate exception to the clan's rule."
Oh, if Hattori were alive to see his words come back to mock him! Akemi turned a mischievous look toward her friend and Hokage, "Well, Kushina, we have been trying to get them together since our third trimesters," she winked, "Are you finally going to give me that handsome son-in-law I've wanted?"
Kushina took the marriage certificate and affixed the seal, "Only if it means I finally get the thoughtful daughter-in-law I've been asking for!" She turned an eye to Kakashi, "Oh Kakashi, being that they are your students, would you mind bearing witness?"
"I'd be delighted," Kakashi walked from the doorway and signed as witness.
"Well, by the power vested in me as Hokage," Kushina shivered as she spoke, "I happily declare you two legally married!" Naruto and Hinata exchanged a pleasant kiss.
"Ahem," Akemi spoke up, "while I'm not trying to rush you, I am curious if you two have given thought to when the wedding will be?" And when I get to meet my grandkids!
"Cherry blossom festival," Hinata answered, "the year after next."
Akemi turned to Naruto, "And you are sure you're ready to be a father after that?"
"Yes," Naruto nodded without hesitation. Hiashi will be glad to hear that!
The though of Hiashi brought Akemi back down from her high, "I think everyone should have a seat; we have much to discuss."
"Aunt… Mom?" Naruto mixed his words as he took a seat with Hinata.
"What I have to say may be a bit much," Akemi answered
"You haven't even heard what we experienced," Kushina chuckled, "but go ahead."
"First," Akemi sighed deeply, "full-disclosure, Hiashi knew about Toneri for some time." The room regained sharp concentration, "Apparently, it was a clan secret for some time, but he didn't connect him with the stalker until Hinata mentioned him by name. Hiashi tried to reason with him, and Toneri seemed to be… unreasonable."
Kushina, Naruto, and Hinata all exchanged troubled glances, "Was that all, Mom?" Hinata asked.
"I mean, he apologized profusely for not being more forward and for putting everyone in danger as a result."
"Given what happened out there," Naruto spoke up, "I don't think having knowing would have changed the outcome of events." There is a happy thought.
"Was there anything else, Akemi?" Kushina asked.
Akemi swallowed the lump in her throat and stared at Tsunade, who nodded. "I'm afraid I have both good and bad news regarding Konohamaru." Kushina, Naruto, Hinata, and Kakashi went rigid at the statement. "His prognosis for recovery, especially full faculty recovery is decidedly negative."
"H-how negative?!" Hinata asked.
"He is able to breathe on his own, and he has regained some motor function of his right arm and hand, but…" Akemi swallowed her heart down her throat and resumed, "… he will not likely regain the ability to walk, possibly not regain the ability to sit up or fully use his left arm."
The rest of the group balked visibly, except for Tsuande and Jiraiya. "That said, we do have some level of hope," Akemi spoke.
"WHAT?!" Kushina wailed, "Anything!"
Akemi paused, knowing what she was about to suggest might be more triggering than telling a mother her son, a contender for the Iron Shinobi Competition, would never walk again. "There may be healing techniques previously unavailable to us, things more advanced than anything we've known – more advanced than the power of Lord First's cells."
"More advanced than that?" Naruto's jaw dropped. Having been on the cusp of death and saved by Lord First's cells, he'd already lived the impossible – his heart had regenerated from a wound that normally would have required a heart transplant and a lifetime of anti-rejection medication.
"What's the catch?" Kushina asked, cold and stony. No way around it.
"Kushina, are you familiar with the White Kitsune's relation to the Uzumaki and Senju clans?" Tsunade asked.
"I know of a relation," she said, "but remember I was only a child when I went into exile. My parents didn't say much."
"Part of the reason the order was targeted was that it contained many members of both clans," Akemi answered. "At the order's prime, many healers of the different clans pooled their knowledge into something called The Master Scroll of Healing Arts. Have you heard of it?" Kushina shook her head in response. "My grandmother told me that it contained many techniques known only to the two clans and the highest-ranking members of the White Kitsune. It chronicled ways of healing pretty much anything short of death."
"You think the scroll could help Konohamaru?" Kakashi spoke.
"Yes, but there is a serious catch," Akemi spoke up.
"Mom," Naruto said the word with great deference, "we just survived the end of the world. What could possibly be so bad?"
"The scroll was lost when the order was terminated, but we may have found its location," Jiraiya spoke as he played with the kids. "Uzushiogakure."
"Uzushiogakure?!" Kushina balked, "Why? How?"
"During our honeymoon of sorts," Tsunade explained, "You tasked us with looking for evidence of the Ōtsutsuki and their agents on earth. We found plenty; they've been at work for a loonnngg time." Tsunade dragged out her words.
"We know they manipulated Asura and Indara as well as their descendants," Hinata spoke.
"It gets worse," Jiraiya said. "Those were Kaguya's minions; we found evidence of agents working for others like her. We're pretty sure they directed the destruction of the Land of the Whirlpools as well as the Senju and Uzumaki Clans. We just don't know why they'd go out of their way to target both clans specifically."
"We know why," Kushina answered with deadpan realization on her face. She gave a troubled look to Naruto and Hinata.
"You do?" Akemi gasped.
"It's complicated, and I cannot emphasize how much this does not leave this room." Everyone nodded. "The Ōtsutsuki, or creatures like them, have attacked the earth well before Kaguya."
"When?" Akemi raised an eyebrow.
"Give or take, about a million years ago."
Tsunade tilted her head to the side, her face twisting in disbelief. "A million years?! That… that predates… human civilization?!"
"So, we thought," Kushina answered. "I'm assuming you all are familiar with the legend of the Moon Princess Warrior?"
"Kushina, that's a fairytale parents tell little children," Akemi spoke, not believing the Hokage would bring up a fairytale in such a serious circumstance.
"And the Satori and the Box of Infinite Bliss was a tale told around the campfire to scare little children!" Kushina's words stung. The horrid memory sent chills down Akemi's already frayed nerves. "Tell me if you heard this fairytale: an advanced society of long-lived people with immense healing power invokes the jealousy and fear of their neighbors. Certain agents of chaos stoke the fires until things erupt into a bitter war. Society collapses, possibly centuries of knowledge are lost, and the survivors of that kingdom go into hiding, waiting for the day they're needed again."
Akemi blinked; the story of the Moon Kingdom and the Land of Whirlpools shared a remarkable number of similarities now that she was thinking of it. Is she for real?! "You're saying the legend is real?" She dropped her gaze.
Kushina nodded, "And the Uzumaki and Senju clans both carry the essence of the Moon Kingdom."
"And our family carries the essence of the ancient Earth Kingdom," Hinata added. "Our family blade, at one time, belonged to the fabled Prince Endymion."
Akemi remained still, considering if she needed to call the men in white coats or not. What Kushina and Hinata had just explained made sense, but what they were suggesting was beyond fantastical. Really, after everything you've seen and lived through – the Infinite Tsukuyomi, Kaguya, and Madara being resurrected? Is it really so hard to believe that the stories your mother taught you growing up were real? "And you're saying the Ōtsutsuki targeted them or led others to target them for fear of this essence being passed on?"
Naruto, Hinata, and Kushina each exchanged long stares, "Yes," Naruto finally spoke, "the children of destiny prophecy goes beyond just Hinata and myself. We carry the part of the essence of that reconstitues down the road. Someday in the future, Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion will eventually be reborn from our descendants."
"And you know this… how?" Akemi stared, turning her head slightly to the side to make sure she hadn't missed some detail on Naruto – a bruised forehead, slurred speech, or some other sign of him being off.
"Queen Serenity, or her ghost, told us," Kushina said, matter of fact.
Akemi sank back in her chair, wishing she had whisky on hand. "This… unreal!" The disconnect from countless nights of bad sleep rapidly was catching up to her.
"Maybe not," Tsunade spoke up, "Grandfather once told me that before the villages were formed there had been several empires that had come and gone before the era of Hamura and Hagomoro. Consider their era was only a thousand years ago. Think of how much was lost in the countless wars since that time."
Akemi contemplated for a second. This time, Akemi did rise from her chair and go to a decorative cabinet in the room. She opened it, extracted a stoneware tumbler, and poured herself a generous helping of whisky from Hiashi's special stash. She took a long drag of the liquid, burning fire down her throat as she took it in. She paused and had a nasty coughing fit as the liquid burned her insides.
"Akemi, are you all right?" Kushina stood from her chair.
"Oh, dandy," she said, "Everyone else in the room is telling me that some childhood fairytale is real and apparently behind most of the horrible things I've lived through!" She took another sip of the liquid fire and coughed, "I've lost it! Everyone else can't be insane; so, I must be the one having a nervous breakdown!"
"Mom, you're not having a nervous breakdown," Hinata stood and walked to Akemi's side. "It's a lot to take in, but it's real." Hinata held her hand and guided the whisky down to a shelf in the cabinet. "You said something in all of this could help Konohamaru, and you said it's in the Land of Whirlpools, right?"
"Yes," Akemi regained some focus, "according to Jiraiya and Tsunade, graverobbers have been venturing into the Land of Whirlpools. Some of the things they have recovered were from a temple the White Kitsune had stored important records at when the order went into hiding." She turned her gaze to Kushina, "If it still exists, it would be the most likely place for it to be hidden."
"Going to the Land of Whirlpools is not a small deal," Kushina spoke, "But you already knew that."
"Mom," Naruto asked, "why has it ben forbidden to enter?"
"I don't know exactly, only what my parents told me," Kushina took the cup of whisky and took a sip. "As the Uzumaki were being slaughtered, the clan elders set a trap for the invasion force."
"What kind of trap?" Hinata asked, wrinkling her forehead.
"The kind that left no survivors, and everyone afterwards agreed to stay out for fear of there being an even larger trap left behind," Kushina shivered. "Getting into the Land of Whirlpools was hard if you weren't a friend of the clan," she turned to Jiraiya, "you said graverobbers were getting in?"
Jiraiya nodded, "Yeah, and we're pretty sure they were Ōtsutsuki agents."
"It gets worse," Tsunade added.
"How?" Naruto, Hinata, and Kushina asked in unison.
"Apparently," Kakashi spoke up, "this isn't the only instance of Ōtsutsuki agents operating in the Shinobi Countries. There are dozens of potential groups that have been infiltrating us for some time – some criminal, some legitimate businesses; hell, some political leaders."
"Queen Serenity warned us that the Ōtsutsuki had awareness of changes in the timeline," Hinata spoke in a tight, stressed voice, "Who knows how long they've been aware that something was off."
"I don't think we're in immediate danger," Naruto said.
"How the hell did you come to that conclusion?" Akemi asked, frazzled by the dizzying number of situations around them.
"Why not attack now?" Naruto asked. "We're all exhausted, physically and mentally, and we're all still reeling from Toneri's attack." He shrugged, "Why not attack now, at our weakest?"
Akemi had little comfort from the question. "Perhaps," Kakashi spoke, "they are waiting for a triggering even, or a moment when we'll be at our weakest."
"How much weaker can we get?" Naruto again shrugged. "In any case, I'm all for remaining cautious and trying to head the bastards off; I just don't think we should start seeing the boogeyman in our closet every time we turn off the lights at night." Delicate as ever, son. "For all we know, they would have been at this regardless. Now is not the time to give up, ya know."
Something about her son-in-law's confidence soothed massively frayed nerves. "You're right," Akemi sighed.
"So, who is going?" Kakashi asked.
"You're not," Kushina said.
"Oh?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow.
"For one, now that snow is falling, crossing into the Land of Whirlpools will be exceedingly hazardous," Kushina said.
"For two?" Akemi asked.
"For two, I need somebody to be in charge when I lead the group in; I'm the only one who has even remotely been there." Kushina nodded, "Although, you do get your wish."
"Wish?" Kakashi asked.
Kushina turned to look at Naruto and Hinata then back to Kakashi, "I officiated their marriage twice now; I'd like a chance to do it properly before handing over power." Kushina smiled, "Unless you object."
Kakashi shook his head, "No objection here."
"So, who is going then?" Akemi asked, "And when?"
"Probably after the first of the new year, preferably at spring thaw," Kushina answered, "As for who, definitely me, and I'd like you to come along."
"Me?" Akemi raised an eyebrow.
"I know my way around the Land of Whirlpools, but I wouldn't even know what to look for when searching for the scroll."
"What about us?" Hinata asked.
"You both are on medical restriction," Akemi reminded.
"And you think Sakura will just keep us on restriction that long?" Naruto smirked, crossing his arms.
"Assuming you two are cleared, yes," Kushina added. "I'd also insist on Hanabi if she's able to."
"Hanabi?" Akemi balked.
"Before she abandons the White Kitsune, you might want to show her what you are capable of, ya know!" Kushina winked.
Konohamaru was pretty certain he'd died and gone to hell as he lay in the hospital bed. A little over a week ago, he'd been on top of his game – he had a girl, he had a strong reputation, and he'd been a contender for the Iron Shinobi competition. Life is full of disappointments!
He squeezed the stress ball, willing damaged nerves to command muscles rendered impotent. This wasn't the place for him; he was supposed to be training with Naruto. He was supposed to be out on missions. Instead, he looked forward to his nurse turning him and changing out his catheter. All he could do now was lay here, replaying how things had been, and taste the bitterness of how things were now. Quit being a putz about it, hero! You wanted to be in the thick of battle, and you couldn't even protect your baby sister, much less your girl!
Konohamaru paused squeezing the ball resisting the urge to cry at the injustice of it all. An unwelcome ruckus came from the door, and his heart sank as he heard an otherwise heavenly voice. "I need to see him!" Hanabi screeched like a wailing yokai. Please don't let her see me like this. Please don't let her see me like this!
The door to the room burst open. Hanabi was still dressed in the green and white striped pajamas worn by admitted patients. While hardly fashionable, she wore the outfit well. "KONOHAMRU!" she sprinted past a nurse and an orderly toward him. As Hanabi's approached, her face was flushed with tears as she reached the bedside and took his arm. Despite knowing she had a firm grip, Konohamaru barely felt her squeezing him.
"H-Hanabi," he swallowed the lump in his throat threatening to choke him where the cervical collar held his broken neck immobile.
"K-Konohamaru!" Hanabi sank to her knees, crying into his arm. Even dulled by medication and damaged nerves, her warmth seeped into him. "I'm – I'm so sorry!" His throat tightened further. Be a man about it, stop tormenting her!
"H-Hanabi," he squeaked, unable to stem the flow of tears, "you should go!"
"I'm not going!" she screeched. "I'm not… I'm not!"
"Hanabi, you have your whole life to look forward to…"
"NOT IF YOU'RE NOT IN IT!" she beat a fist into his arm, sending a shock up his arm to his neck. Konohamaru winced from impact.
"Ouch!" he whined, "Careful, it's the only one I have left!" Hanabi's sobbing redoubled. Damn poor choice of words! "Hanabi, you're young, you'll have guys hanging off you in no time! Don't chain yourself to a…"
She clutched his arm, causing him to wince, "If you say cripple, goddammit, I'm breaking this arm so you can't even shoo me away!"
"Hanabi," he pleaded, now crying in earnest, "please, don't make me the reason you let your dreams pass you by! I'll never be the man you hoped I'd be!"
"Dammit! This isn't fair! And you're not getting rid of me because you're wallowing in self-pity! I love you, you stupid boy!" Hanabi's cheeks glowed like coals in a fire, "Now get your head out of your ass and find your balls! After all the dangerous things we survived, are you really telling me you're throwing in the towel?"
"I'd listen to her if I were you," a tired, haggard voice called from the door. Hiashi limped along with a cane. The man had seen better days for sure, but Konohamaru could still sense the pride the man carried with him everywhere he walked, "Hyūga women are known to be exceedingly stubborn."
"Father," Hanabi tried clearing her tears, "tell him he's being irrational! There is hope, isn't there?"
Hiashi locked eyes with Konohamaru. The man's Byakugan looked a tired lavender. "Son, I can't begin to imagine how scared you are right now, how confused you are with everything that has happened."
"Hiashi, I'm never going to walk again!" The boy sobbed.
"People said the same thing about me," Minato's familiar voice came from the door. Supportive if nothing else.
"And some of the best doctors in Konoha said I'd never be a shinobi again after giving birth to your brother," Lord Fifth's voice came from the door as well. "Konohamaru, I know what it's like to be cut down in your prime, to think you had your chance and you blew it." Mom shook her head, her brilliant red hair moving in waves as she did so. "Son, we have a long road ahead, and it is going to be hella difficult, ya know!" Mom exchanged glances with Hiashi and Hanabi, "And we'll be with you every step of the way, but we can't help you if you decide to shut us out and give up now. I didn't recover on my own."
Mom's violet eyes returned to him. Konohamaru had been calmed by those eyes when Grandfather died. Her eyes offered solace when his parents had abandoned him the first time. Now, her eyes were pleading with him to have hope – hope at time when it made no sense to have hope. "I get the feeling none of you are going to let this subject drop," he sighed.
"Not on your life," Dad winked.
"What example would I be making as a Hokage if I did?" Mom smirked.
"Don't think for a moment I'm letting you get away, boy!" Hanabi stuck her tongue out, teasing him.
"And I'll put every resource into your recovery," Hiashi added.
"Well," Konohamaru sighed, "I guess I don't have much choice." He had the feeling he was in for quite the adventure.
Author's notes: Hi everyone, thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed. I must apologize for the shortness of the chapter. I had multiple crises happen at work, and trying to resolve them took away much from my writing the past two weeks. Never fear, nothing will be cut, just delayed. Next chapter will be a bit more fluff before we start getting serious again. I hope I see you then! Until next chapter, stay healthy, stay safe!
