Hunting or Bust: The Journey Continues
Dust 18: Making Up For Lost Time
Welcome to the birthday bash! A huge upload to celebrate the day!
Man, this chapter was both a delight and terror to write. But man, I'm glad I've finally been able to write it.
((((((((Hunting))))))))
With the beams of light peeking through the window and over his face, Naruto stirred awake in his bed. He blearily opened and closed his eyes before a yawn dragged up his throat. With a reluctant groan, he kicked his sheet and comforter off to stretch out his whole body.
He was sleeping in beds again. He wasn't sure at what point he'd gotten comfortable sleeping in them but it was a comfort he'd missed for far too long. Maybe it was finally being able to put a major fight behind them. Maybe it was the fact his team and friends were all back together again. Or maybe it was just the simple fact he wasn't falling asleep alone in the house anymore.
As Naruto made his way downstairs he hiked his shirt up to scratch his stomach and let his ears do their morning routine of rising and folding in his hair. Without even looking he pulled out three mugs and set them down by the coffee machine as he turned it on. He reached out with his other hand, extending Free Reign to open a cupboard to collect three empty bowls. As he walked back over to the cupboard he controlled his Aura to carefully set the bowls on the table as he grabbed some cereal.
Pyrrha's face wasn't on the front anymore. A sober reminder that so much time had passed since she'd been the poster child of the brand.
He poured them into the bowl and started eating while his eyes were still filled with sleep and sand.
"That smells good."
He looked up and some of his sleepiness faded in exchange for fond relief as his mother and father made their way down the stairs. They both looked just as dead on their feet as he felt. Apples falling from trees and all that.
Minato pulled out a chair and poured himself a bowl of cereal with half-lidded eyes. Kushina made her way past them, placing kisses atop their heads as she immediately went to the coffee machine for some caffeinated delight. With a sigh of joy, she sipped on her mug and joined them at the table.
"So, what should we do today?"
((((((((Hunting))))))))
"Okay, that's five spaces! I land on the Dust mine! I buy the whole thing and jack up the prices of mining and refining the product. Which means if you hit anywhere on this side of the board," He slyly grinned at his father, "You're bankrupt."
Minato looked flabbergasted "This game sucks! I-I can't believe I'm getting screwed like this!" He pulled at his hair, "I mean I own a company in real life!"
"But this is life on the board, sweetie," Kushina said with an equally cheeky grin, sharing a quick high five with her son while they both watched Minato pale and scour over his cards to no avail. The redhead fox stopped giggling long enough to spare a look over to the clock, "Oh." She got up with a small huff, her tail shifting behind her as she made for the kitchen, "Time to make dinner."
"I'll help, Mom."
As Naruto jumped up to follow Kushina and help her cook, Minato continued to look between his waning properties, the little Lien he had left, and the Airship piece he'd chosen for the game surrounded by a sea of opposing colors and properties. With a sneaking look over in the direction of the kitchen, he watched Kushina and Naruto blissfully laugh while preparing the meal. He reached over-
"You cheat and you don't get dinner."
He immediately drew his hand back in as if he'd been caught with it in the cookie jar.
After the preparations were made and they were able to finish the game – a crushing defeat for Minato with Naruto and Kushina agreeing to split the board evenly – it was time for dinner. The little family of three sat around the table again and enjoyed their meal. A special curry poured over perfectly cooked rice with carrots, potatoes, and onion along with other vegetables. When they put a spoonful of it in their mouths there was a rush of delight and flavor that made them realize this was one of the best meals they'd eaten in forever.
"This is so good." Minato moaned around a mouthful of meat and rice, "But you two might have made too much. We'll never finish all of this."
Naruto scoffed at the idea, "Just give me time! I'll clear up this whole thing by myself."
"Don't you dare, young man. I wanna get as much of this in my belly as I can." Kushina quickly refuted him, enjoying her culinary triumphant before looking at the empty corner of their table, "Should we invite Jiraiya to join us? While we were traveling together I didn't get the best sense that he eats balanced meals. I can't imagine his diet revolves around anything more than what he can scrounge up, beer, and stray clam when he can get it."
"Eww, why would you go out of your way to eat loose clams?" The way Minato and Kushina choked on their food and then started laughing caused Naruto a lot of confusion, "What?"
"N-Nothing," Minato wiped his mouth and Kushina continued to stifle her giggles. Naruto frowned and tried to figure out what he missed before Minato nodded, "A-And you're right about his eating habits being bad. When I was a kid I don't think I had a regular diet until I made it into Beacon."
"That's concerning."
"That sounds about right."
"But I don't know if he'd come. He was never one who liked just sitting down around a table and having dinner."
"Then how about you invite him for the picnic tomorrow?" Naruto suggested, "Why don't we let Grandpa come out with us and stretch his old bones?"
"Heh, if he heard you call him Grandpa he'd kick your ass."
"He can try, but he's gonna find me fighting back a lot harder than I did at school." Naruto focused, summoning Aura on his finger and letting it carefully climb up his arm, "Let's see him try to throw rocks at me now."
They were still stunned to see he had gained such mastery over his Semblance when before he had never used it in fear that he might lose control. Now his finer control of it had even matched Kushina, who had decades of experience using it in comparison. It didn't go unnoticed by his parents how much work and effort he had put into mastering his Semblance.
They also didn't forget that he must have suffered and fought terribly to gain this much experience.
The parents fought back the somber thought, sharing a smile as Kushina nodded, "I think it would be nice if Jiraiya came with us tomorrow. It would be a lot of fun to have him join in."
"Heh, I'll leave him a message. But don't go expecting him to show up. There's always some mysterious event or job that comes up that stops him from relaxing with us."
((((((((Hunting))))))))
"I can't believe you came today!"
"You are? Why?" Jiraiya asked innocently, standing on the roof of their house as he tilted his head at Minato's exasperation, "It sounds like fun."
"But you always skip out on coming over when I call you."
"I do?" The old Faunus looked up in thought, "That sounds like a dick move." The look on Minato's face followed by the palm to his face spoke volumes even though he couldn't find the words. Jiraiya shrugged and turned to the two foxes, "I thought part of the agreement was that you couldn't leave Mistral city limits?"
"We won't tell if you won't." Kushina had on a cap to hide her distinctive red hair, glasses to obscure her face, and a large coat to hide her body and her tail, "Plus it's not like we're leaving. Just going out into the nice, beautiful nature and enjoying the land."
"Yeah, no harm, no foul." The sneaky grin Naruto had said it all; it didn't count as breaking the rules if they didn't get caught. A sentiment Jiraiya was all too happy to share. The devious chuckle the three of them echoed unsettled Minato to no end, but he sighed and walked over to prepare their transportation.
They huddled around Minato and grabbed onto his arms and shoulders as he looked out over the distance of the city. Their world shifted with a flash of yellow light and they were a great distance away and in the air. They flashed further and further in just a matter of seconds before they crossed the border of Mistral. Once they passed the limits, he looked towards the ground and teleported them just a few feet over it before they all landed on their feet.
"I'll never get used to that."
"Hold it in, old man," Naruto snarked and quickly avoided Jiraiya's swipe at his head with a laugh, "We aren't done yet! Come on!"
The four of them started making their way down the dirt paths and through the forest. Silly stories and jokes passed between them as they enjoyed the moment of peace while they walked.
Naruto's ears twitched as he caught the sound of low, monstrous growls approaching. He raised his hand and sent the silent warning to others before he pointed in the direction he heard it. They all waited and watched as a horde of black started approaching through the trees.
"Looks like the reports were right," Minato stepped up and started rolling his arms, "There have been a disturbing number of Grimm boldly approaching the city."
"Must be because of what happened at Haven," Naruto walked up by his side while rolling his neck, "It might be a while before things are back to normal around here." He grinned, "But I guess that's why we're here!"
"Oh boys!" They looked back as Kushina reached into her picnic basket, "Don't go rushing into things without your toys!"
She pulled her hand out and then tossed what she grabbed through the air.
Naruto effortlessly caught Squall while one of Minato's knives landed in the older blond's hand. They both smirked before rushing forward to face the horde that had noticed them and roared like animals.
As her boys engaged with the monsters, Kushina just smiled and reached into the basket for her weapon. Jiraiya stepped up by her side and watched them fight, "I can't believe this is the thing you wanted to spend one of your free days doing."
"My family is full of Huntsmen raring to do their jobs. I've been watching Minato become the best he can be since his school days while Naruto's wished to be one since he could stand on his own two feet. Plus don't forget you and I did a fair amount of cleaning up while we were running around together." She smiled contently while wrapping the chain around her forearm, "I want to spend a day with my family doing something we all love."
"And slaughtering Grimm is the first family-friendly activity you could come up with?"
"I know it's dangerous, but for us," She smirked as her Aura covered her arm and ran down every link along the chain in her hand, "It might as well be a day out in the park."
As Kushina sprinted forward to join her boys, Jiraiya chuckled and shook his head. Then with a grin he followed after them, "This is one fucked-up family I ended up in."
((((((((Hunting))))))))
Naruto and Minato rushed beside each other, slicing up the Grimm that passed between them like blades on the wind. The two blonds immediately separated and avoided a giant Ursa's claws dropping down on their heads.
A red chain whipped out and wrapped around the Grimm's neck before it could follow them. It choked and struggled against the chain before with remarkable strength Kushina roared and yanked it towards her. Jiraiya stepped in front of her and yelled before he punched the incoming monster with his full strength.
It exploded with the force of his Shockwave bursting through it, sending chunks of bone armor flying in every direction and riddling the bodies of other Grimm. As some of the monsters dropped over dead, the other three fighters rushed through their numbers and easily dispatched them.
Naruto wore a big smile on his face, weaving through the swipes and bites of Grimm as he cut them up with his kodachi. It spun in his hand and he fired several Dust arrows in quick succession, watching them hit and blow the Grimm apart easily. He rushed forward and caught one of the arrows, absorbing the power of the Dust as it ignited his Aura with flames. With a wave of fire, he turned and spiked the Dust arrow across the clearing.
Kushina knocked it with her Aura chain, igniting her Semblance with flames as well as she grinned and rushed in. She twirled her chain around like a flaming whip, knocking around the Grimm in its way like they were flies. With a cheerful laugh, Kushina charged into the fold again without a shred of fear.
Flash after golden flash littered the spaces between the Grimm as Minato blurred through them like a wave of death. His knife swung through their flanks and blind spots so quickly that they didn't realize they were dead until Minato had already moved on to the next beast. A Beowolf reared up and tried crushing him under its weight, but he disappeared the instant its paws came down towards him. And he reappeared on its back, swinging his knife down into the monster's head before moving on to the next one.
Jiraiya watched from the back, impressed by how the three of them not only handled the horde but worked in tandem when the need arose. Kushina would fling Grimm around which Naruto would catch with his Semblance and pin to the ground long enough for Minato to swoop in for the kill. He knew they were family but damn they worked like a fine-tuned machine.
"Hey Gramps, if you're just gonna stand there then heads up."
"Keep talking, you little shit!" Naruto grinned and tossed Squall Jiraiya's way. The old toad stepped forward before slamming his palm into the flying kodachi.
With his Shockwave he sent the short sword rocketing forward, barreling through the bodies of at least a dozen Grimm before finally losing momentum. Long enough for Kushina to wrap her chain around it and swing. She spun and cleaved through the Grimm surrounding her like a blender before harshly whipping her chain and sending the kodachi flying. A gold flash met it over the treetops, Minato grabbed it and fell back towards the ground before flashing atop another Grimm and stabbing it in the head. He pulled out the blade and tossed his son his weapon as Naruto caught it with a grin.
Man, it felt good to just be out in the field and exterminating some Grimm they could all handle. And it was even better because he could finally fulfill his dream of not only joining his father on a mission but his mother and adoptive grandpa as well.
There was another monstrous roar, and Naruto smiled confidently as he spun his blade around and rushed in for the next battle.
((((((((Hunting))))))))
"Thank you! Thank you so much for the help!"
"It's no problem. We were just passing by and wanted to give a helping hand."
"Let us repay you!"
"That's not necessary."
While Minato handled the grateful civilians they had helped on the road, Naruto stretched his arms to keep limber amongst a field of decaying Grimm bodies. He turned to Kushina and Jiraiya, "That must be the third pack of these things. Did Mistral always have this many packs roaming around its outskirts?"
Jiraiya shook his head, "No, but Mistral doesn't usually go through a period of societal unease following an attack on its Hunter Academy." The whiskered blond didn't look too convinced by that answer as he looked around, "Stop fretting, kid. Even if this is a few more Grimm than usual, we've got a bunch of returned Hunters on the mend and ready to fight again soon. Plus we've got the combined forces of the Hyūga's nomadic tribe and the Menagerie militia helping cover the slack until then."
Even though he realized that there was a lot of manpower backing them up, Naruto couldn't shake the uneasy feeling he got. But as he felt a hand on his shoulder and looked at his mom's warm smile he started to feel swayed. He nodded, "Yeah, I guess you're right. Nothing that can't be handled."
"There's the spirit." With a smirk, Jiraiya nodded, "So what was that you guys said about a full-course meal at your house? You're inviting me to that?"
"That's right. A full family get-together, with Naruto and I cooking the meal." Kushina said, her son proudly puffing out his chest and grinning beside her, "We had one last night and we promise it was delicious. So you're free to join us if you want."
"Sounds good to me. I won't turn down a free meal."
"Guys, we've got news." Minato jogged over to join them, "Sounds like there was another pack of Beowolves making their way around the perimeter. These folks saw them separate from this pack while they were running. Which means they might not be too far from here."
…
It only took a glance between the four of them to come to a unanimous decision. Jiraiya sighed and cracked his knuckles, "This better not cut into the cooking time."
"No worries. We'll have plenty of time to still make the meal when we get home."
((((((((Hunting))))))))
"How may I take your order?"
"We'd like four large fries, a chicken sandwich, a cheeseburger with everything on it, and two double cheeseburgers please."
"Would you like any drinks with that?"
Minato looked back towards his table to see the others all giving him a thumbs-up, "Four large drinks please."
"One minute please, sir."
"Y'know, I think I was promised a full-course meal. What happened to that?" Jiraiya groused with his chin in his hand glaring at the two foxes across from him.
"We're tired from picking up your slack, old man."
"And we can cook dinners tomorrow night as well. Nothing wrong with a quick meal now and then." Kushina said innocuously, taking Jiraiya's peeved glare in stride, "Although I guess that means you'll have to keep another night open to come to visit and get your meal. Oh well!"
Jiraiya kept his glare focused on the two fox Faunus who were so proud of their little deception. He sighed, "I don't know how a strait-laced guy like Minato ended up with a devious pair like you, but gods help him." Naruto snickered with a grin as Kushina playfully stuck out her tongue, "Okay, now you're just rubbing it in."
A yellow flash by their table followed with Minato appearing beside them, two trays piled with food in hand. He sighed and slid them across the table before sitting next to Jiraiya, "I don't get why I had to go pick this stuff up."
"Because you can teleport between there and here in an instant, sweetie." With a giggle, Kushina grabbed her burger and drink, "You're the ultimate fast food delivery guy."
As the table had a laugh and Minato grumbled pitiably they all started digging in. There was no sense of manners or restrictions as they ate as much as they could to fill their bellies. The trays quickly ended up empty but they were still hungry, so they ordered more and more food as the night went on. Laughs and stories and some bickering passed between them as they enjoyed their meal.
The group let out a sigh of relief after gorging themselves on the tasty meal. Minato picked up his drink and looked over at Naruto, "So how long do you think it'll take to handle business in Atlas?"
The whiskered boy's face stilled in thought as his ears twitched for a moment. He sighed and fiddled with his drink straw, "I'm not sure. We need to get the lamp to safety but I can't imagine it's just a delivery job. I think once we get there we'll have to figure out a plan with General Ironwood."
"Good luck with that." Jiraiya scoffed and rolled his eyes knowing how much of a headache that was going to be, "I can't believe all this junk with magic and Relics is real-"
"Hey!" Naruto immediately snapped and tried to cover Jiraiya's mouth before he could say anymore. The toad grabbed his hands before they could get close but they struggled for a moment before Naruto harshly whispered, "Can you not say that stuff out loud?! In case you forgot it's supposed to be a secret!"
"Calm down, kid! Not like anyone's gonna believe it. We certainly couldn't believe when Qrow tried telling us about that Maiden girl."
"It was a crazy thing to hear about for the first time." Kushina agreed, "Honestly, I thought it had been some kind of code for something until you and your friends explained it."
"Ozpin's current circumstances also helped to bring credit to the idea."
As the adults nodded and grimaced, Naruto stifled a chuckle remembering their reaction to Oscar introducing himself to them for the first time. The look of shock and disbelief on their faces was a sight he wasn't going to forget, "Hey, that weird pale creep was your old teammate or something, right? What are you going to do?"
Jiraiya groaned, "I'm still trying to come to terms with the fact he's still alive. And I've had to explain to Tsunade so many times now what happened the last time I saw him." The old Faunus spared his prosthetic arm a look as it clenched into a fist, "But the most pressing thing is following up on these locations and agents he has in his Elysium organization and shutting them down. I know what I'm going to be doing for the next few months."
"Try to remember to come and visit, alright?"
"If it crosses my mind."
Minato held up his drink and Jiraiya bumped his against it in solidarity. Kushina and Naruto did the same with a smile, and then they all put their drinks in the middle for a quick cheer and laugh.
((((((((Hunting))))))))
On the third day of their break, Minato and Kushina told Naruto they had to postpone any activities they had planned as they had a meeting. He understood and was happy to give them the time they needed to finish whatever pressing business might come up. When the doorbell rang Naruto made for the entrance and welcomed them in.
He wished he hadn't, seeing as the moment he opened the door he found himself under the critical, heavy glare of Ghira Belladonna.
The Chieftain of Menagerie, who he had unfortunately crossed during his brief stint as a pirate by invading their island, wreaking havoc in their town, and kidnapping his wife.
Naruto found himself floundering under the giant man's intense stare as several crushing moments passed with no words between them. With sweat running down his cheeks and his ears meekly dipping on his hair he gave the older Faunus a nod, "H-Hello, Chieftain Belladonna. I-It's so nice to see you again."
"Hmmmm…"
"Do you want to come in?" Naruto moved aside and cleared the path for him. But when Ghira remained in the doorway and kept staring down at him so intensely Naruto couldn't help but shy away first, "O-Or you can just stand there. Whatever floats your boat."
"Ghira, that's enough." Kali walked around from the side, slapping her husband's arm as she made her way in, "Stop scaring the poor boy." Her expression immediately brightened as she walked in and embraced Naruto in a hug, "Hello dear, it's good to see you again!"
"H-Hello, Mrs. Belladonna."
"Please, just call me Kali. You already saved my life once so we're past the point of formalities. Plus I've heard so much about you that it feels stuffy." An embarrassed flush came over Naruto's face at Kali's casual and warm greeting, which just made her laugh even more and made him even more embarrassed, "We can't just stand in the doorway all day, honey. Let's go."
Kali made her way in, calling out to Minato and Kushina as they greeted the cat Faunus. Ghira made his way in, towering over Naruto and causing the blond boy to look away in fright before he went to join his wife. Once they had passed Naruto let out a sigh of relief.
It synced up with the groan of mortification from the doorway.
He looked over and was surprised to see Blake covering her face and red up to her ears from secondhand embarrassment. She pulled her hands away, letting her eyes peek out as she looked up at him, "I'm sorry about that."
"Why are you here? I mean I'm happy to see you but…couldn't have helped me through that?"
"Sorry. My parents said they had to come over here and talk with your parents, so I wanted to come with them. I didn't think they were going to come after you like that."
"Your mom didn't come after me. She's as sweet as ever," Blake let out a pitiful groan when he said that, "Your dad on the other hand…"
"Yeah, in his defense all the stories and talking up we did weren't ever going to change his first impression of you. The one where you kidnapped my mom."
"The other pirates kidnapped her. I rescued her." Blake's eyebrow quirked up, waiting for his follow-up to that distinction as if it would make everything seem better. When he couldn't think of anything Naruto deflated and hung his head, "If I knew they were your parents I never would have let them get hurt."
"Did you not know they were my parents?" She smirked, "Was the name Belladonna not enough of a hint?"
"For your information, I didn't know their names. The only hint I had that you guys were related was that shameful feeling I got when your mom gave me that look."
"What look?"
"The signature look of profound disappointment and judgment. The one you give me whenever I do or say something stupid." Blake narrowed her eyes with an indignant pout, "There it is!" She smacked his shoulder as he let out a laugh, "Okay, come on. I'm gonna get bored listening to our folks talk business for however long they need to. We can go to my room."
"Sounds good." Blake agreed with a warm smile as she followed him upstairs while their parents started their meeting in the kitchen. Once they were in his room he closed the door while she walked around and looked at everything, "This is an interesting room." She took note of the movie and comic posters on the wall, along with the action figures on the shelves, "More colorful than I expected your room to be."
"Yeah," Naruto scratched his cheek with a faint blush, "This is all the stuff in my room before I left for the White Fang, back when I was 13. Dad filled it up with this stuff after he moved."
"I can see that." Blake stopped by a shelf, a smile coming to her face as she reached up and pulled out a book. She turned back to Naruto and held the familiar book up for him to see, "So you already had these books back when you were a kid?"
"Heh, no, those are new." He stepped up by her side, looking at the shelf filled with the books he had read since starting Beacon, "When I came over here to clean up the house, I'd buy a book and put them on the shelf. Make it feel more like my home. Remembering all those books you convinced me to start reading."
"I didn't recommend a few of these."
"I know. Started reading without your recommendations." He puffed out his chest with a smirk, "Haven't I grown?" Blake scoffed and shook her head in amusement, "Have you read any new books since I last saw you?"
"No, I…I stopped reading for a while after everything that happened." She said in a solemn tone before a faint smile came back up, "But I think I might start trying it again. Back with all of you, the White Fang being restricted, and Adam out of power…" Her smile grew a little bigger as her ears poked up in her hair eagerly, "This is the best I've felt in a long time."
"Me too."
Blake put the book back in its place and walked around the room, "Have you been talking to the others? They've all been so busy preparing everything here in Mistral that they haven't had a lot of time to relax."
"Not to worry," Naruto smiled as he fished out his Scroll, turning it around to her to show the rows and rows of recent messages he had gotten in the last few days since seeing his friends. From general catching up with Ruby, Yang, and Jaune to goofy posts from Nora and Sun to even cooking ideas with Ren. The largest message threads were the ones between NKTS, "I check in with the team through the day, and we have a conference call before we all go to bed at night. Making sure to keep in touch and telling each other everything that happened while we were apart."
"That's good to hear." Blake smiled seeing the way Naruto's face brightened while getting to talk with his team again.
"It is! It's so good to have them back!" Naruto was giddy with excitement as he started flicking through their conversations, "Kiba told me how he got his new friends to join the fight. And Sasuke fought some giant beast Grimm in the shape of an Atlas official – although that's more Kiba's words than anything. And Tenten's Semblance has started to evolve! I can't wait to see it!" He walked around his room, looking down at his Scroll with barely contained excitement as Blake watched him with a fond smile, "There's so much here I wanted to show Kiba and Sasuke before we leave, and I bet Tenten has some good suggestions too. So once I'm back we can…" He looked her way with a smile, and as he looked at her his smile started to subside, "What's wrong?"
"Huh?"
"Is something wrong?" Naruto repeated seeing the pinched smile on Blake's face while he spoke, "You look like you're worried about something."
"No, I'm fine." Blake immediately responded. When Naruto looked doubtful she persisted, "I mean it! Seriously, Naruto, it's fine! I want to hear more from you. Tell me more about what happened after Beacon. What plans do you have for your team next week? Um - oh, your weapon! Mr. Minato was up keeping it constantly in Menagerie. Do you think you might add some modifications to it now or-"
"Blake," She clammed up when he crossed his arms, unconvinced that she wasn't hiding something as she tensed and looked down meekly, "What's going on with your team?"
"N-Nothing! Nothing, everything fine." She stressed pointedly, her eyes lingering aside for a moment before looking up at Naruto, "Ruby is constantly trying to chat me up about everything. And Weiss keeps inviting me out to shop around Mistral and to train together. Heh, those summoned creatures she makes have added to her fighting power. And Yang…" The cat Faunus hesitated before shaking her head, "Everything is good."
"And…that's not alright?"
Blake cursed at his weirdly perceptive intuition. For someone she knew hated to study and consistently scored low on tests he always seemed to see right through her when she least expected it. The black-haired girl fell in a chair, her hands nervously shuffling around in her lap before she spoke up, "I've been accepted back into the team so quickly. I'm so happy to be with them again after all this time apart. But…" She wrestled to find the right words, "Shouldn't they be angry at me?"
One of Naruto's eyebrows raised in confusion at the genuine confusion in her voice. He leaned against the wall while still facing her, "Do you want them to be angry with you?"
"No. I-I mean of course I don't, but wasn't this too easy? Even if I came back, and I helped fight, and I'll never leave again…I feel like they should hate me." When she saw Naruto's concerned expression she sighed, "I know. It's stupid. I went through this same thing with my parents already. After finally seeing them after so many years I kept waiting for them to reprimand me and yell at me and just…"
"Hate you?" He finished her sentence as she solemnly nodded her head, Naruto scoffed, his thoughts lingering on how he acted when he faced Minato again after so many years…and wanted nothing more than to hear he despised him after causing him so much pain, "I guess we have that in common."
"But they still loved me and were happy to have me back. I can't express how wonderful that feels."
"Even though it doesn't feel like you deserve it." He finished her sentiment and she let out a tired sigh. Naruto leaned back a little harder into the wall and looked up at his ceiling, "So even though you're happy to be back with Team RWBY, you're still waiting for the other shoe to drop or something?"
"I just don't know what to do. I can't just get off so easily, right?" She asked, "So I should do something to make up for it. Maybe I should set up a day with everyone? Make it up to them? I know what they like so I just need to figure out how to put it all together. I-" As Blake started rambling, a shadow stretched over and encompassed her. When she looked up she saw Naruto standing over her, "Naruto-"
He reached forward with his finger chambered against his thumb. His finger flicked out against her forehead and caused Blake to flinch. She rubbed her head before looking up at his frown.
"If you're waiting for someone to say it, I will." He crossed his arms and frowned, "What you did was stupid. It was stupid and selfish and cruel." She flinched with each word, folding into herself at his harsh tone as he continued, "I know you just thought you were doing the right thing, but all you did was hurt your friends when things were already at their worst. Even if you were doing it for the sake of others, it wasn't right, Blake. And more than anything…it wasn't fair to them."
Blake sat silently in her chair, her head slowly hanging forward as her ears lay dejectedly in her hair. After a moment Naruto realized just how much that must have affected her, "Was that about what you expected to hear?"
"Yes."
"Did it hurt like you expected?"
"Yeah."
"Do you want the girls to say something like that?"
Blake silently deflated even further.
Naruto stepped up and knelt by her chair so she would see him. She raised her gaze a little to see him smile, "You don't need to push it. Don't look at them expecting a confrontation and don't walk around waiting to be berated. If they have something to say to you, they'll say it when the time is right. And if they do, don't make excuses. Don't say you deserve anything worse. Just say sorry. That's all you need to say."
Blake's ears slowly raised a little higher on her head. She gave a small nod before looking at him, "That all sounded like it was on your mind."
"Honestly, it's stuff that can be said about me as well. I made a stupid and selfish decision. Decided to attack the Wyvern thinking it would help everyone, but in the end, I just screwed myself over and left everyone thinking I was dead. I'm paying for that choice." He stood back up with a huff, putting on a goofy smile as he pressed his thumb to his chest, "If you wanna get back at me you can tell me how much of an idiot I was. I can take it. Go on."
Blake let out a long sigh and stood out of her chair. She turned to face Naruto…
And tightly hugged him as she buried her face into his chest.
Naruto stilled in surprise, not expecting that response instead of the reprimand he was planning for, "Blake?"
"I know I didn't show it when we were in that fight, but I want you to know; that I am so happy that you're alive." Her voice slightly wavered as her hug tightened around his chest, "When we found out you were alive we were so happy. Your mother and father took a turn for the better when they realized they would see you again. Tenten decided that no matter what happened she would do everything she could to make you and the others proud. And I…was scared of everything. I doubted every move I made, and thinking about how I lost you, ran from Yang, and everything at Beacon just made me want to keep running forever. But once I knew you were alive…I started thinking about what you would do if you saw me as I was."
"And what was that?"
"Flick me in the head and tell me I'm stupid." There was a wave of laughter that ran through them at that observation, "When I finally got to see you again…I can't describe the relief I felt knowing it was real. I'm so glad you're back with us."
Blake felt Naruto's arms tighten around her in return, and she caught the faint tremble in his voice as he took a shuddering breath, "I-I'm glad you didn't find me right away. The person I was before I made it back here to Mistral…it wasn't the kind of person I wanted to be."
"But you're here now, right?"
"Yeah," He weakly chuckled, "Yeah, I'm here."
They pulled back, their eyes both brimming with tears and watery smiles on their faces. Blake quickly dried her eyes, "I want to talk more. I want to tell you everything that happened after Beacon. And I want to hear what happened to you too."
"Yeah, that's not exactly a feel-good story, but if you're willing to listen I'll tell you." He sniffled and pulled a faint smile, "And maybe after that, we can get our teams together and just go celebrate, huh? It might be almost kinda-"
"No." Blake interrupted before he could finish their signature phrase. Instead, she smiled warmly, "Let's just have fun from now on, okay?"
"Okay. Sounds good."
They sealed their promise with another hug before laughing and drying their slobbering faces. This hadn't been how they expected their little meetup to go.
Both of their ears shot up when they heard a creak against his bedroom door. They turned to it before Blake frowned and stomped over, "Mom, if that's you eavesdropping on my conversations again I swear I'm going to be so-"
She pried the door open…to find her father's gigantic frame standing right behind it.
Ghira looked around in a panic as both young Hunters stared at him in surprise, "I-I was just coming up here to tell Blake that our meeting was wrapping up. And that we would be leaving soon. I only just arrived. I didn't hear anything. A-And I'm not curious about those several seconds when you both didn't say anything. I-I was just - please don't look at me like that."
Blake's cheeks were puffed up and red as she glowered at her father and made him shrink back. Naruto rubbed his head and forced out a nervous laugh at their situation.
((((((((Hunting))))))))
"This is my partner, Kiba Inuzaka. My teammate and best friend, Sasuke Uchiha. And I don't need to introduce you to Tenten."
"You sure don't!" The grinning brunette said as she stepped up and hugged Kushina as the older woman gladly reciprocated, "How have you been?"
"Perfect," Kushina pulled back from her young friend, "Glad to finally be back home?"
"I swear my dad could crush me with the hugs he gives me every morning."
"Don't fault him for wanting to embrace his daughter again." Tenten rolled her eyes and scoffed while Kushina turned from her to the other members of NKTS, "So you're Naruto's partner?"
"Not by choice," Kiba shrugged, "But we make due anyway."
"Thank you so much for watching over him."
"I wish I could say it was no big deal, but your son seriously knows how to make us worry." He dodged a quick jab from Naruto and then stuck his tongue out to mock his leader. As the boys started butting heads Kushina turned to the last member of her son's team.
Her gaze lingered down to the knot his sleeve ended in. A swell of guilt grew in her stomach, "I'm sorry I didn't act sooner."
"I'm glad you acted." Sasuke said, a small smile on his face while looking at the older woman, "Considering what you were forced into doing, I'm glad you stepped in at all." He looked over at Naruto, "And I'm glad you made it back here as well."
Never before had Kushina felt so glad to know her son's safety and trust were in the hands of others until now. With these kids, plus the rest of their team going to Atlas to continue their mission…she was relieved to know he'd be okay.
Tenten clapped and cheered as she walked into the house, greeting Minato as he gathered everything in the kitchen for them to cook with. Sasuke and Kiba followed in and offered to help however they could. Naruto and Kushina made their way into the kitchen and started preparing the meal as the others dragged over some seats and started setting the table. Sasuke and Kiba quickly prepared for everyone as Tenten talked up Minato and told him everything he'd missed at Skyggen over the week.
Naruto's ears perked as he looked over at the door, "I think someone's here." When the doorbell rang a second later he smirked, "Called it."
"Don't be smug."
"Yeah, it's not a good look for you."
Kushina scoffed as he started arguing with his friends. She placed her utensils down and went to answer the door. When she looked outside she couldn't help but grin when she saw the grumpy expression on Jiraiya's face, "Hey! You just made it in time for dinner! Naruto's team arrived a little while ago."
"His team is here?" The old toad grimaced, "Ugh, I might be coming down with something. Wouldn't wanna spread it-"
Kushina grabbed his arm and yanked him in before he could escape. After she did she turned to the two unexpected guests standing outside the door, "Oh, hello."
"H-Hello!"
"Hey," Qrow and Ruby greeted her with a casual wave and a goofy smile respectively. The grizzled Huntsman raised a bottle of wine into sight, "I heard you were having some big dinner tonight and I thought I should bring over a gift." Qrow held up the pricey bottle of wine he procured, "How about this? Pretty nice, right?"
"Qrow, Minato doesn't drink anymore."
"Oh no~, I forgot. But don't want this to go to waste." Qrow scoffed and immediately tried to open the bottle himself. Only for a mechanical hand to swoop in and snatch it out of his grasp, "Hey!" As Jiraiya started to open the bottle for himself, Qrow swiped at his head, "Give that back, old man."
"Sorry, old man, but this is a gift and I never let gifts go ignored. I'll be sure to enjoy every drop of this so it doesn't go to waste."
"I can do that myself!"
Ruby sighed as Qrow and Jiraiya started to not-so-playful roughhouse for the bottle. Kushina rolled her eyes before channeling her Semblance and shoving two Aura hands between them. She forced them apart and then with a snarl made them shut up instantly, "If you two are just gonna fight, do it outside." Qrow and Jiraiya glowered at each other before turning away with a childish huff. With another sigh Kushina turned to the young Huntress, "And what's that?"
"A cake! Naruto texted me about the big dinner and I thought you guys could use a big dessert!" Ruby held up the box with the pastry inside and smiled, "I hope that's okay."
"That's perfect. Let me-"
"I'll take it." Jiraiya swooped in, scooping the cake out of the young Huntress' hands and making his way towards the kitchen, "We've got things covered over in the kitchen so take your time."
After he left, it was just Kushina and Ruby standing across from each other with Qrow silently standing aside. He watched his niece shuffle and sheepishly duck her head in embarrassment. Kushina was no better, looking at the girl with a mix of awe and quiet recognition. Qrow looked between the two and rolled his eyes exhaustedly, "Ruby, are you just gonna stand there or introduce yourself?"
"Oh, right! Heh, sorry." She nervously giggled, "I'm Ruby Rose. I'm a friend of your son."
"I'm Kushina Uzumaki, the mother of your friend." They shared a quick laugh at her goofy joke before Kushina spoke, "Your mother was Summer Rose, right?"
"Yep, that's her."
"Figured," She looked to Qrow, "She reminds me of Summer."
"Yeah, they're both high-maintenance brats I end up taking care of." With an indignant pout and grumble Ruby attempted to kick her uncle's shin. But he lifted his leg away at the last second with a smirk, "Ah, gotta try harder than that."
"That's funny. I remember it differently." Kushina crossed her arms and smirked at the grouchy Huntsman, "I remember Summer having to mediate and drag you guys everywhere. Tai was too unfocused and Raven was too reserved. And you? You were the most melodramatic, wannabe serious punk I've seen in my whole life."
A cold sweat ran down Qrow's cheek while Ruby snickered, trying to hide her smile behind her hand when he glared at her, "That's big talk from someone I remember glaring all the time with a stick up her butt."
"I had precedence for the stick up my butt. You were just an edgy brat who thought he was better than everyone else."
"Did you see the other people in our year? I was right to think that way."
"And I remember handing you and your team your ass the first time we fought."
"And the first time only. We quickly got out ahead of you immediately after."
"And your sister still bossed you around like nothing. I, on the other hand-"
"Worked in a maid cafe after that."
"YOU SONUVA-"
"U-Um, Ms. Kushina?" Ruby spoke up before Kushina could start scrapping with Qrow, "You were friends with my mom, right? I keep hearing little stories and bits about how you met her when she was in school."
Kushina bashfully chuckled and nodded, "I did. When I was young, I ran away from my guardian because I realized how much of a monster he was. I had to survive and make a living, so I started working as a muscle for some criminals. And then one day when I was called in…some new students from Beacon were causing trouble."
"That'd be us." Qrow scoffed, "Our first outing into the city as a team ended with us tracking a little criminal syndicate causing problems."
"Which is where I stepped in. As the muscle, I intercepted these guys and beat them back."
"Barely."
"They were so uncoordinated and at each other's throats that they couldn't hold a candle to me."
"So Summer invited her new friend and his team along to join us." Qrow nodded aside, Ruby and Kushina looking over to see Minato had walked over to join their conversation, "It was humiliating having to come to Pretty Minnie and the Boy Band Brigade."
"I was happy to help Summer out so we all teamed up and faced the crime ring together."
"Which got them facing me again. They had their shit together so I didn't stand as much of a chance this time – don't be smug." She said when she saw Qrow's smirk, "I was gonna keep fighting…but your mom stepped up to face me instead." Kushina had a fond smile while remembering her faceoff with Summer, "She kept begging me to stop fighting them and not to help the people who hired me. I never bothered listening to anyone say stuff like that to me before but…the way she said it…just made me want to believe her. So I lowered my weapons and surrendered. But my boss didn't like that, and I had turned off my Semblance to show I wasn't going to fight."
"You got hit when your Aura was down." Ruby pieced together, "Like what happened to Naruto during the 1st semester."
"Yep. Summer and her friends carried me to the hospital and got me fixed up. But I didn't want to stick around so I was planning to jump the first chance I got. Just as I was about to leave, Summer called out that she wanted to be my friend and hang out with me. Says something about my hair being so pretty. I – seriously, I had no idea how to respond so I just left-"
"With your face as red as a pepper."
"And I thought that would be the last of it. But I stuck around in Vale for a while after that. Met all of them time and time again." She looked back at Minato, "Fell in love. Made some friends. And now…I wouldn't be where I am now if Summer hadn't taken the chance to reach out to me then."
Ruby looked down with a proud smile and a twinge of wistfulness. She nodded, "Yeah…that sounds like Mom."
Kushina stepped up towards the short, hooded girl as she looked up at her, "Naruto told me a lot about what you've done to help him. Tenten and Blake said the same things. About how you showed them what it means to be a true Huntress, and how proud they are to have you as a friend. So can you promise; will you keep doing what you do and help watch over my son during your mission?"
Ruby's eyes were watering but she quickly dried them, giving a small sniffle before nodding her head with fierce determination. Kushina gave a quiet thanks and hugged the little Huntress. Qrow watched the scene quietly while Minato…
He couldn't stand watching any longer.
((((((((Hunting))))))))
It was well after midnight following the dinner party when Kushina was stirred awake by the sound of frantic movement. She stirred awake, lifting her head and rubbing her eyes as she heard whispers, "Huh?"
"Kushina. Good, get up. We have to go."
"Minato?" She mumbled once she realized it was her lover making all that noise. Her blurry vision cleared and she saw him dressed in dark colors, rushing around the room and forcing things into a duffle, "What are you doing?"
"Get up. We don't have time." He reached over and took her hand, pulling her out of bed and into the hall. They rushed down the stairs as Minato spoke, "We need to get out of here."
"What are you talking about?"
"We're leaving. "
"We can't leave. I can't leave, Minato. The agreement states-"
"Fuck the agreement." With a snarl Minato turned to her, fury and focus in his eyes, "I'm not letting you get taken away. You don't need to pay for the mistakes of Sienna and Danzō and Adam!" He grabbed her shoulders roughly, "You aren't going away for the White Fang."
"Minato-"
"You don't need to do this. It can all fall on Danzō. Adam will bear all of it when he's finally caught! That's what matters. Until then, we'll hide you away. I can convince the council to see reason, we just need to keep you hidden."
"Minato, if I run away and hide, it'll only make things worse."
"There's nothing worse than giving up your freedom. So come on! We'll-"
"Minato, I can smell it on your breath." He froze mid-sentence and looked down shamefully as Kushina pulled his hands off her shoulders, "Jiraiya took the bottle with him when he left. There wasn't any for you to have." He lowered his head further, "It was here already, wasn't it?"
He looked back at her, "Kushina, please, this is what matters more. I-I can't let this happen again. I can't let you go when I know I could do something."
"Minato-"
"Guys?" Naruto walked down the stairs, stirred awake from all the sounds and voices he heard late at night. He saw his father fully dressed with a bag by his feet and his mother still in her nightgown. The ears on his head twitched, "What's going on?"
"Nothing, Sweetie, we're just-"
"We're getting your mother out of Mistral tonight."
"Minato-"
"I'm not letting her take the blame for the White Fang's crimes. It's bullshit." Minato snapped, "The responsibilities of their actions don't fall on her. Khan should be picking up the pieces. And Adam will get dragged through the mud after we're done with him. But you don't need to pay for their mistakes."
"Minato, I was a leader of the White Fang."
"You were a figurehead!"
"My reputation spread everywhere."
"It was just a title! You didn't do anything."
"You know that's not true-"
"Compared to them?! You're just the convenient scapegoat."
"I wanted this. I wanted to pay for my part in the crimes-"
"You shouldn't have to!" Minato yelled, "It wasn't your choice! You were forced! Coerced into doing it! Just run! Be free! Don't make us see you get locked-"
Her hand whipped up and swiftly slapped him across the face. The echo of the impact reverberated through the room and Naruto flinched when he heard it. Minato hadn't projected his Aura so he was left stunned as his cheek stung.
"I was always going to do this. You know I was. I told you ever since we were on Menagerie. Even if Danzō threatened me into joining the White Fang, what he did with my influence and figure falls on me. What happened in Vale happened partly because I didn't stand up to Adam until it was too late." She gently cupped his cheeks, rubbing them softly as she looked into his eyes, "Our son is still alive and breathing…but we didn't think he was for the longest time. Now how many other people feel that way because of what I allowed to happen?"
"But-"
"I was always ready for this. For the sins of the White Fang to be paid so that something new and better can form. I'm not afraid to give up my freedom - I'm doing it on my terms this time. But what does scare me…is not knowing if you two will be alright while I'm gone." She looked between Naruto and Minato, "Can you keep yourself together, even when I'm not here?"
"I…" Minato shut his mouth, the drink still lingering on his tongue as he hung his head, "I don't think I can."
"…"
"Then leave." Kushina looked over after hearing Naruto whisper under his breath. The whiskered fox stepped up, "He's right; you don't have to go to jail for what happened in the White Fang. You just don't. So you can take the bag and leave. Go hide-"
"Naruto, I need to take responsibility for my actions-"
"What about me? Shouldn't I do that too?" Naruto challenged, "I was a member of the White Fang too. So was Blake. And that Noble Guard sticking to Khan. And I was a thief after that, stealing from Atlas and other Kingdoms too. I should be going to jail. So if we can walk away without consequence - if I can - why can't you?"
"Because we aren't just walking away," Kushina said resolutely, sounding so firm she silenced her family. She sighed, "You aren't just walking away without paying for what you did. You're going to Atlas, aren't you? Delivering that lamp to safety and trying to make a plan with Ozpin to fight the people behind this all? Then that's what you have to do. That's how you've chosen to make amends. You and Blake are fixing your mistakes by fighting. Nii will fix hers by making sure this new White Fang doesn't end up like the last one. But me?" She shook her head, "I'm done running and fighting and hiding. The only way to try and make up for these things…is to take responsibility for what I let happen."
Naruto's face was pinched with a mix of emotions churning in his chest. He shook his head, "It isn't fair."
"Maybe not," She pressed her hand to his chest, "But this is how we do what we can to make things right. Whatever happens to me, I'll be okay. But just promise me – both of you," She looked back at Minato, "Promise me you'll be alright even when I'm not around."
A silence descended upon the broken family as not another word passed between them. They were all too tired to continue, but not so much that they could go back to sleep. There was nothing else for them to do…
A feeling each of them was more than familiar with.
((((((((Hunting))))))))
"You're leaving?"
"Yeah, I'm going out for a bit. Yang was over earlier and invited me to hang with the others." He lied, already making his way to the door, "So I guess you two have the house for the evening."
"Naruto-"
"I don't need to know what might happen," He grimaced, turning away while Kushina rolled her eyes and chuckled, "Just enjoy the night, okay? I'll be back a little later. Love you both!"
Kushina and Minato seemed to take the not-so-subtle hint, saying goodbye before he closed the door and made his way into the street. It was a little weird to think he was giving his parents the house for some private time, but he tried to push those thoughts out of his head.
Instead, he just walked along the paths of Mistral at night while his mind lingered on other things. Like the fact that come this time tomorrow, he'll have said goodbye to his mother again – perhaps once and for all.
All those years he had dreamed of finding his mother again. He imagined what it would be like to finally come together as a family again after Danzō's cruel interference had broken them apart. And now that they were together it was everything he had hoped for and more. He could introduce them to his teammates and friends. His family grew with the addition of Jiraiya and other close friends of Skyggen. It was everything he had hoped for…
But only for a week.
Tomorrow would be the last day and she'd be carted away to be locked up. It wasn't fair and it left Naruto's stomach in a knot. The rage inside him wasn't even hot anymore – dull and burnt into a resigned feeling of disappointment. They had finally reunited, and it was on a time limit.
Kushina's plea for them to both promise her they'd be alright after she was gone echoed in his mind. And even though she had prepared to turn herself in, a small part of Naruto was concocting plans and schemes to hoist her away before anyone had an idea what would happen. But if he did that, he'd have to go on the run too. Which meant abandoning his friends just as they were about to take on this next terrible endeavor.
Naruto's thoughts were a mess of terrible choices and terrible decisions. He kept walking step after step until he finally sat down on the stoop outside the door. The sounds of people talking and laughing inside stirred him to walk in but he knew he'd just drag everything down if he did. So he stayed outside instead, looking up at the shattered moon until the thoughts in his head weren't so scrambled.
At some point, he lost track of how long he had been sitting out there because he wasn't attentive enough to hear the door open behind him.
"Naruto?"
His ears snapped to attention atop his head, and the whiskered blond looked away from the moon to see the others watching him. He immediately forced a smile on his face when he looked at Ruby, "Oh, hey guys!"
((((((((Hunting))))))))
It was early when Kushina stirred awake. She felt both tired and rejuvenated after that last night.
She yawned and smacked her lips, reaching across the bed and feeling the empty spot where Minato should have been.
It was only after a moment did she notice the lovely scent of breakfast wafting up from downstairs.
She made her way down to see Naruto and Minato tirelessly preparing a huge breakfast.
Naruto picked up her steps and looked over, greeting her with a big smile as Minato started pouring the coffee.
They had smiles on their faces but she could tell they were just for her benefit.
She didn't say anything as she scarfed down every piece of delicious food she could.
It was time to get dressed. Kushina did it a lot faster than them. They had wanted to drag this out as long as they could.
They made their way up to the roof, where they all held hands and Minato reluctantly teleported them until they landed on Skyggen's roof. He slowly made his way over to the door and opened it up for them.
Naruto's ears picked up the sound of people out front making a ruckus. He bit down his fury and followed his parents inside.
They walked down the stairway and made their way out into the lobby. When they did, they were met with a crowd of friends and loved ones to see them off.
RWBY, JNPR, NKTS, Oscar, Qrow, Jiraiya, Skyggen's crew, Ghira, Kali, Ilia, and even Sun had woken up early to come and see her off one last time.
Kushina smiled as she started walking forward. She nodded to Sun and Ilia, thanking them for all they did to help. She shook hands with Ghira and Kali, wishing them luck in the difficult journey ahead. With a grin, she saw off old friends from Skyggen. For the members of Team RWBY and JNPR, she wished them safe travels and a successful journey. She thanked Jiraiya for putting up with her on their trek to Menagerie and wished Qrow and Oscar the best of luck.
She hugged Blake and Tenten, muttering words of gratitude to them both. If it hadn't been for these girls stepping up to talk some sense into her when she was at her lowest she wasn't sure how things would have ended for her. Blake looked at her solemnly and Tenten dried her eyes before they wished for her safety.
She turned to Sasuke and Kiba, thanking them for watching over her son, and pleading that they continued to do the same. Sasuke gave a silent nod of affirmation as Kiba promised to knock some sense into Naruto if he ever lost his way again. There were no words to describe how grateful she was knowing they were looking out for him.
Before she reached the doors, there were just two people left…
Minato and Naruto stood before her, looks of resignation and hurt across their faces. Kushina mustered up as much of a smile as she could as she walked in and gently hugged them both. It took a moment but their arms wrapped around her in return until their hug finally stopped.
"Will you be okay even when I'm not around?"
"I'll…" Minato spoke softly, "I'll do my best."
It wasn't what Kushina wanted to hear but it was good enough for her. She turned to look up at her son, seeing the tears building in his eyes as he clenched his mouth shut. Even she could tell he was probably clenching his teeth together just trying to weather this situation.
Kushina smiled softly, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a piece of cloth. Taking his hands, she placed the purple bandana into his palm and curled his fingers around it. Naruto looked down at it in confusion as his mother's hands tightened around his, "You have to keep going, okay? Be the Huntsman you always told me you wanted to become. That's how you'll make things right. Make me proud, okay?"
"I will." A teary-eyed Naruto nodded, "I love you, Mom."
"I love you too."
She leaned up and gently kissed him on the cheek. Then turned and shared one last kiss with Minato before stepping away. With a big smile, she waved them off and said goodbye. Shikaku stepped up to her side, whispering his apologies as he took her by the arm and opened the door outside.
The moment it opened, a blinding array of flashing lights and journalists asking questions assailed them. Questions about who she was, why she joined the White Fang, and if she regretted her actions. Shikaku just briskly led her along until they reached the police vehicle parked outside waiting for her. They opened the door and she carefully stepped in before it was closed behind her.
She spared one last look at Skyggen, the people watching her inside, and the two most important people in her life watching her as she was escorted away to atone for her crimes.
As the car left, the paparazzi and journalists quickly followed the story as far as they could. Everyone else had to move on, a solemn weight in the air bringing them down for the rest of the day.
All the while Naruto and Minato stood in place…having long since lost sight of Kushina…and praying that it wasn't the last time they'd see her.
((((((((Hunting))))))))
Done
There's something so wrong about finally bringing a family together…just to tear them apart again. But at least they did it on their own terms, right?
I'll see myself out.
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Thank You and Bye