Chapter 32
7 months- May-
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Naruto looked on, outwardly bored, but inwardly she was very interested. She was in her Kitsune mask beside Minato within the hokage office as Shisui reported to him about Kirigakure attempting to infiltrate the village however they had run back to their village when Ao had seen Shisui.
Shisui no Shunshin was not a person to piss off when he hadn’t seen his girlfriend for over a week, not that anybody knew about that little detail.
“What do you think, Kitsune? Should we send a team to deal with them?” Minato asked her and she hid her surprise. The hokage did not usually address his ANBU for advice.
She cleared her throat and replied, “I’d have to advise against that. My advice to you would be to send a whole team to Kiri and begin negotiations. We know they came for their weapons we won in the war and we can barter with them to sign a new treaty with us and in return we can return their two swordsmen.”
She had hoped the damn blades could be used like this back when they had returned to Konoha and now she could see it through- if Minato agreed.
Minato hummed and nodded, “I’ll address this matter with the council and hopefully the old bats won’t have a problem with it, or we may have issues.” The glint in his eyes had everyone shifting in their stand-up positions minus Naruto and Shisui.
Not long after they were all allowed to leave so Naruto, Raido, Shisui and Genma went to grab something to eat before they had more work to do.
Genma groaned as he took a seat at Ichiraku, “I don’t get where Minato-sama gets his mean streak from.”
Raido cast a glance at Naruto and snorted, “Most likely his father considering Naruto also has a similar mean streak.”
Naruto shrugged but didn’t deny it, locking her fingers with Shisui’s under the table where no one would notice and gave them a small smile, “People tend to forget what type of man he is due to rumours.”
Genma gave her a blank look, “Naruto, but I think we can safely say that those rumours hinder their names. Kushina-sama is said to be the hard-core one and I agree-”
Naruto interrupted him, “Everyone seems to forget, Kushina sensei wished to become hokage but she doesn’t have the heart for the job. She couldn’t handle killing the few people she had to during the third war, do you think she would have been able to wipe out Iwa’s forces in a single night due to righteous fury and stay sane after that? The first lady is not weak, but she doesn’t have the constitution that is necessary to bulldoze her way to become hokage- Minato nii-san did and he became yondaime and not her.”
It was true. Becoming hokage was more than being powerful, intelligent or recognised. Sure you needed those things but you also needed to be able to harden your heart and make the tough decisions.
A kage never makes a mistake.
Those had been words that were drilled into her mind during her war and those were words she stuck by. Each kage has their own method and because of that changes are made but that is how life went.
You do what is necessary to survive and no one should judge anything between that.
She shook her head when she realised she wasn’t making any sense even in her own mind. She noticed she had been doing that a lot lately, where not even her thoughts made sense to her and she refused to blame it on age- she wasn’t old.
The rest of lunch consisted of normal chatter as no one wanted to go into intense conversations that would take away their lunch break and after an hour they paid and made their way back to the tower to delve into their work which at this time of the day consisted of sparring and seeing who could last the longest against the hokage- assuming he had no appointments then.
Usually Naruto but she didn’t really count since she knew the man’s weaknesses and could easily exploit them with her large reserves and stamina.
As it so happens Minato did have appointments in the afternoon so Naruto and Raido were given the first shift off as they weren’t usually as cranky when it came to the late shift.
But at the same time, it meant Genma and Shisui would be cranky when they returned to their respective homes late into the night. So really there was no winning in this situation so one had to bear with it.
Waiting for her shift was the same as being on her shift, a hot mess and not the fun kind. It consisted of being half dressed and being sweaty- again not in the fun way.
Teaching fuinjutsu was not a simple task and required a lot of patience which thanks to her sage training, she now had. There was also her training to get into the Hunter Corps and ANBU but she generally under her other personas for those who refused to help her with anything that was apparently demeaning of their purpose.
Naruto had often played the card that she made them but that never worked.
Thanks to the multitude of documents that needed reading and signed as well as the large number of meetings Minato seemed to have in the evening they didn't get off work till the following day at 2AM and Naruto returned to her apartment with no energy left. Minato seemed to like making the job harder than she remembered it being.
As she removed her cloak she let Kurama out of the seal to do whatever he wanted as she went to catch up on some well needed sleep, something she hadn't been getting much of thanks to all the missions and such.
As she didn’t have a roommate anymore she could change wherever she wanted however the philosophy of changing in one’s private quarters should be something for her to go back to as shinobi had zero regard for privacy.
Much to her surprise Anko appeared at her window and she shrugged, allowing the snake mistress to enter her apartment as she got dressed.
It's not like she didn’t have the same body as Anko anyway- if it had been Kakashi she would have given him a taste if her right hook for not knocking.
"Is something wrong Anko?" She finally asked when she was fully dressed and had registered the other female going to get a bottle of sake from her cupboard as well as a cup to drink from before pouring some in.
She didn’t say a word for the first three cups but then, "I'm having relationship issues." The purple haired girl confessed and Naruto quirked a brow, intrigued.
"Anything in particular?" She asked, perching herself on one of the kitchen chairs.
Anko but her lip, "Do you think Iruka is cheating?"
Naruto did a double take, unsure of she heard that right. "What?"
Anko looked onto her sake cup, eyes downcast more than they should be in her opinion, "He’s been distant and comes back late. I know it’s not work because we work together. I don’t mind him having fun being out though if that's what you're thinking but... the other day, I noticed he had this really feint smell of perfume and..."
Naruto not so gently places her hands on the girls face and the worrisome look turned to one of sadness and confusion. Anko shouldn't look like this, something said in the back of her kind and she had to agree.
"Iruka is head over heels for you and I don’t want you thinking otherwise. I don’t say this as his friend or teammate because I wouldn't try to reassure someone of something I didn’t believe. Speak with him and let him know what you're upset about, I'm sure he'll have an explanation for you that you will like and believe because he can’t lie to T&Is psychopath." She gave Anko a grin and the girl smiled at her.
She downed another cup and replied, "Thanks. I think I'll do that right now." And she went, giving the blonde a small bow by inclining her head and left through the window.
Naruto felt no remorse over the lack of sleep Iruka would be getting because he had upset the snake mistress and that didn’t settle right with Naruto. Anko was too lively to be so down.
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A few weeks later- end of May-
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Naruto stood within the shadows of the cave once again as Kushina gave birth to her latest child, a little boy that they would be naming Hariken. It seemed no matter how many times she gave birth, she intended on screaming at the same volume each time. Naruto had a suspicion that if it wasn’t for the silencing seals around the cave that the whole of the village would be able to hear the previous jinchuriki.
Arashi, Narumi and Tatsumaki were all with Orochimaru within the village as someone had to watch over the honourable children of the yondaime hokage who was going to be busy being by the side of his wife as she gave birth, not caring for the fact he was missing several meetings and that Kushina was no longer a jinchuriki at risk of losing the bijou. Meaning she no longer required the help from him as she gave birth.
Sure, she wanted her husband there for emotional support but she would have understood if he had stayed within his office to have a meeting with the fire daimyo.
In fact, there was no need for the whole of the Guard Platoon to be here for this birth but here they were, on guard waiting for the enemy’s attack. The last attack which had led to Kyuubi being released and resealed had been a taxing one and everyone had been relieved when none of the nations had attacked them at their moment of weakness.
But that was most likely because they were all still licking their wounds after the war- minus Suna who had a treaty with them. Naruto doubted she would ever drop the topic no matter how many times she spoke about it.
Gaara’s mother was alive.
Naruto and the others let out sighs of relief when they heard the new born cry only to go on high alert when an individual appeared out of nowhere, a sharingan eye spinning wildly behind a black and blue mask.
A mask Naruto didn’t recognise as it wasn’t the usual colour nor did it have its usual swirls.
Naruto didn’t recognise the person nor their chakra but she couldn’t help the feeling of familiarity when she felt it- most likely from her original childhood. Or the current one.
No one moved and no one blinked, never removing their eyes from the masked individual who fazed right through them and Naruto felt smug satisfaction when they couldn’t go through her barrier seals nor the ones of hr fellow Platoon.
“Who are you?” she asked as she adorned her chakra cloak, Kurama’s chakra turning into a golden halo around her as she created another arm to hold the person in place.
The voice was squeaky and unfamiliar, “I am no one you know, jinchuriki. But I must thank you for showing me where the jinchuriki is. We were wondering where they were.” His voice changed in the last sentence to something deeper.
She eyes widened and her teeth elongated as she lurched forwards to attack the man only for her attack to pass through.
'What the hell? The only people that should be able to do that are Kakashi and Obito!'
'No, not even they should be able to do so as neither of them have activated their mangekyou sharingan.' Murmured Kurama.
The dark voice boomed, "You will make this so easy to bring back my mother." With that, he went forwards however he wasn’t expecting her next attack.
She raised her right hand covered in her finger-less gloves and mesh arm band, "Almighty push." Naruto was no Sasuke nor was she Nagato but she did have enough control over this dojutsu to make it work in her favour. After all, she had half Hagoromo's power as well as the soul of his son.
She made sure to push him the opposite direction of where the cave was or it would have depleted the whole purpose.
‘How was Zetsu able to get Obito’s sharingan? Did he take it when Obito was with Danzo?’
‘I don’t know. Perhaps if you used the Human Path, you’d be able to get everything you want to know and kill him.’
‘Knowing Zetsu, it wouldn’t work.’
Five seconds went and then whosever body Zetsu was inhabiting returned, “You have Hagoromo’s power, perhaps I should not have wasted my time on him.” Naruto didn’t need the specification on who he was referring to, knowing fully well he meant Madara.
Naruto smirked when she felt Minato hiraishin everyone in the cave away, including Lady Biwako and Taji.
“You’ll have no luck making me your minion. When has Ashura ever shown any interest in you?” she asked, knowing she couldn’t reveal too much in front of the others.
The man and Zetsu hybrid hissed before evaporating through the ground much like Tobi could and Naruto slapped her forehead when she realised she never sensed him. He was right in front of her but she didn’t do the one thing that would allow her to track him down.
“Who was that?” asked Genma and Naruto shook her head.
“I don’t know, not completely.”
With that, the Guard Platoon together, minus Naruto of course, teleported to the yondaime to give in their reports as Naruto went separately.
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Naruto stood outside the hospital on a branch, looking on into the room where Obito was fast asleep. A place she had confirmed he had been a few hours prior, verifying it with the nurses. She knew it couldn't have been him but she needed to confirm it for her own peace of mind.
Once satisfied, she teleported to her apartment and sighed heavily. It had been a stressful 24 hours and she wanted nothing more than to sleep but she knew it wasnt over yet.
Despite knowing that she still went ahead and got ready for bed and even as she slept, she waited for the other shoe to drop.
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Iruka sighed as he looked at the brats. He recalled his days in the academy and whenever he did, he became filled with rage. Very little they taught in the academy was useful for when they became genin so he had approached the yondaime a few years ago.
He requested that an active joining and a regular chunin should teach the children. Even if they were at peace, it was best the kings knew about real life and not the sparkly version the teachers in the academy gave them.
Just as he raised the chalk to the board the door slammed open and in came two irritated ANBU were not out of their uniforms and in their standard mission outfits.
Iruka quirked a brow at them, unsure what they were doing here till Naruto dat on the desk and Shisui stood leaning against the window, "I'm Naruto Namikaze and this is Shisui Uchiha. We're going to be teaching you today along with Iruka about the different countries and their elites. Any questions?"
One of the boys, Chouji, raised his hand, "Are you related to lord fourth?"
Naruto gave him a small smile, "I am Chouji Akimichi. I'm his... sister." There was a slight pause that none of the children noticed but Iruka and Shisui noticed. Lately there had been rumours that she was thr yondaime and Kushina senseis long lost daughter and often Narhto didnt know how to respond to them.
Arashi raised his hand next, "Auntie shouldnt you be in ANBU now or guarding my dad?"
Narutos smile widened at her nephews question, "I'm doing a mission right now Arashi. Its technically an ANBU mission but the two of us were given permission to be without our masks."
Shisui was apparently not going to say anything as he stood on the side where he had been staying for tha last few minutes and Iruka wondered why he was really here. Naruto knew enough information about each of the foreign nations to become their respective kage never mind the fact she was foreign to each of them.
"Any other questions?" The class was too star stuck to ask any further questions minus Narumi and Arashi but they knew everything there was to know about their two supply teachers so they didnt ask any further questions.
Naruto clapped her hands, "Great. Now we can get on with the lesson." She turned around and took the chalk writing the title of each kage, "I e written these and now I want to see if you know where EA h belongs in regards to hidden villages." Naruto shook her head, "Sorry. I when I say one of these I want you to tell me which village they rule."
Thankfully Naejti had caught herself in her sentence as Iruka doubted anyone besides Shikamaru, Narumu, Arashi and Satsuki knew what she had said.
"Hokage."
"Konohagakure!" They all replied together and Naruto wrote that under the word hokage.
"Mizukage."
"Kirigakure!"
"Kazekage."
"Sunagakure!"
"Raikage."
"Kumogakure!"
"And Tsuchikage."
"Iwagakure!"
Naruto turned around with a small smile on her face, "Well you all know that much at least. By the end of the day you'll know each of their elite squads, their kekkei-genkai and whatever trivial information you want to know." She turned to look at Shisui who simply shook his head.
“I know Shisui and I came towards the end of the class so we planned on changing your routine today so you’ll have to bear with us. You can go on your break early but we’re only giving you 15 minutes-”she raised her hand to stop them from complaining, “We’re only giving you 15 minutes now and then we’re going to have a 35 minute lesson on what’s on the board. Then you’ll have the next 15 minutes for another break and then we’ll have another 35 minute lesson and the remaining time will be used to have question time.
“After lunch break we’ll do the physical things. We’ll be opening up your access to your chakra first and then we’ll do some weapons practise. Between each of those lessons we’ll have 15 minute breaks and after weapons class we’ll come back inside and do more theory to talk about specialization options. It may seem a bit early but I always found it easier to know what you intend to be in the future to know what you need to master.”
She turned and looked to Iruka and he gave her an encouraging smile before looking back to the class, “Well you heard the lady. Off you all go for your break and we’ll come out when it’s time for you to come back in.” he gave them all a wave of his hand and they felt the room in murmurs and smiles, giggling to themselves as they looked at the Uchiha and Namikaze.
Iruka turned to Naruto and Shisui, his eyes widening before he turned around. They weren’t doing anything scandalous however he always found that when they gave each other their chakra to be a private moment to themselves so he didn’t like to watch. Well, Naruto was giving Shisui her chakra.
Once he sensed Naruto had stopped he turned around to see her leaning her head on his shoulder, “Are you two okay?” he asked, knowing the aftermath usually left one or both slightly lethargic.
They gave him a smile each and nodded, Shisui replying, “Yeah. She’s just having to do that a bit more often lately.” He shrugged his shoulders before moving her hair away from her face.
Iruka bemoaned the fact they weren’t a couple considering they both clearly liked each other and wondered if they’d get together if he gave them a push.
He decided against it, it wasn’t his business to hook his friends together since he apparently couldn’t manage his own love life. He winced at the memory of Anko coming to his apartment late in the night with frustrated tears in her eyes.
He’d gotten immediately worried and had to calm her down before asking what was wrong. He hadn’t noticed how negligent he had been towards his girlfriend till that night and he reassured her he hadn’t been cheating and the perfume smell had been on him because he had been shopping for his mother’s birthday gift in a cosmetics store.
From then, he’d made sure to spend more time with her since their work kept them bust as it was. He noticed they were more irritated with each other when they didn’t see much of each other, something they had remedied by inviting the other to ‘friends nights’ when their friends got together for dinner or drinks either out at a restaurant, bar, or someone’s house.
He smiled and left his teammates as he went over to his girlfriend who was currently in the headmaster’s office.
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