AN: If Kurama is your favorite character, just wait. He's a fox, and foxes are the worst of all pranksters.

5: Ghost of the Past

Examining the youngster in front of her, Tsunade Senju, one of the greatest kunoichi the world had ever seen, smiled, "There's no sign on the infection anymore, dear," she said, much to the little boy's relief, "You can go home as soon as your mother comes for you." She rose and looked across the room, spying her three apprentices, "Sakura, Karin, Shizune, how are things over on your side?"

The three young women looked up, smiling, "It looks like we've finally managed to get rid of the infection for good," said a pink-haired girl with a red band over her hair.

"About time, too," said a girl with wild red hair and glasses, "That's the most stubborn viral infection I've ever seen."

The last of the three, a young woman with dark shoulder-length hair, giggled, "Be glad that this one was contained to this village, Karin," she said, "If it had spread, we'd be looking at a longer recovery time, and possibly an epidemic on our hands if we hand't caught it in time."

"Shizune's right, Karin," the pink-haired girl, Sakura, said, wiping sweat from her brow, "We were really lucky."

Tsunade nodded in agreement with her apprentices. Looking back on their arrival in the small Water Country village, she hadn't been all that surprised that a virus had reared its ugly head with all the fighting that had been going on. Dead bodies tended to go unburied, and that lead to all sorts of trouble.

"We'll stay in the village for another day or so to make sure the sickness has passed," she told them, smiling at their combined work, "Then we move on. We've already been here far too long for my liking."

The door to the make-shift hospital slid open as a large man lumbered in, chuckling, "And for good reason." He said, smiling at the blonde woman, who grimaced at the man's sudden appearance, "It's good to see you, Tsunade," He smiled, "You're looking well."

"Jiraiya," she said frostily, "here to propose again?"

"Again?" Sakura and Karin asked in unison while Shizune giggled.

Jiraiya, a giant of a man at six-foot-four with wild spiky white hair tied back into a long ponytail behind his head, and held in place by a special shinobi head band with the word "Oil" carved into it under a pair of small horns, could only chuckle at the woman, the laugh-lines on his face showing. "While I could use another royal run-around like last time, I didn't come here for that," he smiled as the woman crossed her arms under an impressive bust.

"Well, then why did you come all this way when I know for a fact that you've been out in the Whirlpool Islands?" She demanded, her eyes narrowing, "You promised that you'd never leave his side, remember?"

Jiraiya looked over at the two younger girls with Shizune, and jerked his thumb, "Do they know?"

"No, but they can be told," she shrugged, "After all, I helped you raise him for the better part of five years."

Jiraiya chuckled, "That's true," he said, smiling fondly which quickly turned to a frown, "Naruto was taken before the Shogun." Tsunade's eyes widened while Shizune paled, the two younger women looking at each other in confusion.

"What happened to him?" Tsunade breathed out.

"Whipped, fifteen lashes," he said, "It would have been sixty if someone hadn't called out for mercy on his behalf. But all you need to know is that he was in the right."

Sakura looked at the man, "Um, Sir, if this Naruto person you're talking about was whipped by the Shogun, then how was he in the right?"

"I'd like to know why he was punished in the first place," Tsunade growled, "Tell me everything, Jiraiya, now, or I'll send you through a wall!"

Jiraiya shrugged, "About a month ago, Wave country, that little island that just off of our coast, came to Naruto, begging for his help." He said, "I warned him against it, but after we learned what had been going on, even I couldn't fault the boy for going." He sighed, frowning, "The village had been taken over by that thug, Gato, and he was starving out the people to get rid of them. No one got in or out of the village, and if they tried, they were killed off by Gato's thugs."

"That's horrible!" Shizune gasped. "Why would he be so cruel?"

"Because that's just the kind of scum he is," Jiraiya told the girl, "And when our boy heard about this, there was no stopping him. He flew down to the village like a hurricane and kicked Gato and his men out like yesterday's news. Gato wanted to try and get even with him, so he sent someone to the Shogun to complain about his misconduct. By that time, one of the villagers had found out that the island had once belonged to Naruto's ancestral clan, and stopped the punishment from going any further. Lucky for him, too, because I don't think Naruto would have begged for mercy until all sixty lashes had been administered."

Tsunade nodded, frowning. "There's something else you're not telling me, isn't there?"

Jiraiya sighed, reaching back to scratch his head, "It's a bit of a tale, but since Naruto was falsely accused, Mifune saw fit to make a demand of the Leaf village," he said, much to Sakura's surprise; the Leaf village was her home. "Since Naruto's the last known member of his clan, Mifune wanted to hurry him along and chose a wife for him - "

"WHAT!?" Tsunade roared, shaking the small building with her fury, "And why the hell would he do that?! Naruto's just barely turned sixteen! He's too young to be - "

"Who is Naruto?" Karin asked, not taking to being left out of the loop well.

Tsunade, however, waved her off, "Never mind, you'll meet him soon enough," she snapped, "Pack it up! We're out of here in ten, or else!"

"Yes, Ma'am!"

Jiraiya chuckled as the woman bustled passed him, absolutely fuming, and turned to Shizune, "Sorry about that, Shizune," he said, "I didn't mean to get her riled up like that. But she did need to know."

Shizune sighed, "I know, and Naruto's been like a little brother to me ever since I got to know him." She smiled as her two younger colleagues moved about getting things ready, "How is he doing?"

"Better than expected from what the Toads are telling me," he said, "And the girl...she's a real beauty, and doesn't seem all that afraid of him, considering he's a Demon Lord - "

"DEMON LORD!" Karin and Sakura screeched, dropping everything they were carrying at the moment.

Jiraiya chuckled sheepishly, "Eh, oops, did I not mention that?" He said, "Yes, Naruto is the Ninth Demon Lord, and now master of the Whirlpool Islands, and the Land of Waves." He said, "I'll warn you all right now that the conditions of the village are far from stellar, they've only just started getting back on their feet after Naruto kicked Gato out, and he's still having trouble with thugs now and then. And I heard that he even tangled with one of the samurai not too long ago."

Shizune winced, "That isn't good," she mumbled, and turned to the girls, "Sakura, Karin, please, hurry it up. Tsunade will end up leaving us behind if we're not careful."

.

A short time later found the three young women tailing behind a very upset Tsunade as she and Jiraiya led the way out of the village at a breakneck pace. "I've never seen Lady Tsunade so riled up!" Karin commented as they ran through the trees, "Not even when Orochimaru came around!"

Sakura nodded as she ran alongside the girl, "I know, and it's over one of the Demon Lords," the girl said, frowning, "I don't understand it. I didn't even know she knew any of them, and then this Jiraiya guy just shows up and says she helped him raise him?"

Karin gave her a look, "That Jiraiya is one of the Three Legendary Shinobi, Sakura," she pointed out, "He's one of the Lady's former teammates like Orochimaru was."

Shizune looked back over her shoulder at the two of them, "She's right, Sakura," she said, "Lord Jiraiya's been Tsunade's comrade for as long as I can remember."

"What about the Demon Lord?" Sakura asked her. "He said they raised him."

Shizune smiled, "It was long before we met you two." She said, giggling, "Naruto was six when Jiraiya brought him to meet with Tsunade before all four of us set out for the Whirlpool islands." She smiled fondly, "He was such a tiny thing back then, and always getting himself into mischief with Tsunade that I thought she was going to kill him sometimes."

"So he was just a normal boy?" Karin asked, frowning, "I thought Demon Lords were - "

Shizune looked back at her, "Make no mistake, Demon Lords are more than just simple humans, but they're not real demons, either." She said looking back ahead of them, "I haven't seen Naruto since he was twelve, but he was already growing stronger under Jiraiya's teachings. I can only imagine what kind of man he's become...and I can't wait to see what kind of girl he's to marry!" She laughed happily.

Sakura looked over at Karin, "I'd kind'a be scared of being married to a Demon Lord," she said, "Don't they have tentacles or something?"

Karin shivered, "That's not something I wanna think about."

Ahead of the trio, Jiraiya chuckled, having overheard them, "Young women these days have a very unhealthy obsession with tentacles and such," he laughed, "I remember I published a book like that some time ago, and it sold like hotcakes."

Tsunade rolled her eyes at that, "It's ridiculous to think any part of Naruto isn't human," she remarked with a huff. "The only times I've seen him in his demonic persona is when he was enraged."

Jiraiya nodded, "He's grown quite a bit since you last saw him, Princess," he said, "He's not the little brat you used to chase around the castle. And he's certainly not the poor little boy that I rescued from being stoned to death just outside his father's village, the ungrateful bastards." He growled, "But he's no killer, that's for certain. He's far too gentle sometimes for me to even believe that he's a Demon Lord."

"What about Kurama?" She asked, remembering the tricky little Fox, "Do we need to worry about him?"

Jiraiya shook his head, "He's actually been friendly to the boy for a while now." He said, "If it weren't for him, Naruto wouldn't know how to do half the things he does now." He smiled slightly, "He's a proper Demon Lord, now."

"That's being forced to marry so that his child can be made into his replacement," the blonde woman growled angrily. "Have you met her?"

Jiraiya shook his head, "I've only seen her in passing while I was keeping an eye on Naruto in the capital," he said, sighing, "She's a Hyuga, and a very pretty one, even among their clan. They met briefly while Naruto was leaving the city, and she worried over him because he was still bleeding from the lashings." He said, having watched the short meeting from the shadows, "And the Toad I left in the village said that she rushed to aid him while he fought with a small detachment of samurai that came to do harm to the village because they favored Naruto over a human lord."

"A Branch Hyuga?" She murmured, "Not bad, I guess, but it's a bit of an insult to him to be given a slave to bed."

Jiraiya gave her a look, "She's from the Main House, and the daughter of the clan head, no less," he told her, gaining a look of surprise from the woman, "I know, I was surprised they let her go, too. Especially since she doesn't have that blasted seal on her head to protect those precious Byakugan of theirs."

"Well, thank goodness it wasn't a girl with the Sharingan," she reasoned, "I doubt he would've liked her all that much if she was."

Jiraiya chuckled, "True." He said, and turned his eyes forward, "We'll hit the coast soon, and then it's a near straight shot toward Wave from there if you're willing to chance running across the ocean."

"My girls can handle it." Tsunade smiled, "Besides, I want to meet this girl."

(*)

"And you are certain that Hajime has not been seen?" Mifune frowned as he listened to his second, "I realize that Saito is not a supporter of the Demon Lords, but you claim that he openly attacked the young Lord Nine, and threatened his village?"

Ichigo lowered his head, "I do, Lord Mifune," he said, "One of Master Hajime's men returned out of fear of retaliation from the Demon Lord, and came back. he told me that Hajime was heading into the opposite direction."

"And the one that returned?" Mifune asked.

"He took his own life afterwards," the young man grimaced, "He had a dagger on him that we failed to notice." He bowed his head, "I'm sorry, Lord."

Mifune sighed, "It is of no consequence, young one," he said, prompting the boy to raise his head, "He deserved an honorable death after his services. Have someone notify his family that he died honorably, and have his body properly cared for."

"Yes, Lord," the young man said, "And what is to be done with Hajime?"

Mifune sighed, "I do not like to admit it, but he is of little consequence to me, as well." He said, making the young man frown, "Have you not heard the whispering among the villages? With Yagura dead, and Lord Utakata wandering around freely, the Land of Water is in turmoil, even thought a new Mizukage has been elected, things are still dire. Many smaller villages have taken the chance to move in and try to depose her. Thankfully she is both strong and merciful. Her forces grow with each group she defeats, but that still remains a problem. If the Three Tails appears again, then it will be a mad dash to have the beast contained, and the Hidden Water Village must be the one to have it, or else the balance of the Five Great Nations will crumble."

"Master Himura is of a mind to leave the demons be," Ichigo put in, frowning.

Mifune chuckled, "Such is my old friend," he said, "Kenshin is a peaceable man, even by my standards. That blade of his is proof enough of that." He said, "Have the Ninth Lord, and his new bride met yet?"

"Yes, Lord, as a matter of fact, she stood against Hajime when he tried to fight with Lord Uzumaki."

"Did she now?" Mifune asked in delight, "Perhaps we shall see his line continue after all."

Ichigo looked at the man with a small frown, "Lord Mifune, if the Uzumaki were so important, then why were they allowed to be attacked as they were?"

Mifune frowned, "A fair, but sore question." He said, "My predecessor, the previous Shogun, was a fearful, paranoid man, and the Uzumaki were growing both in numbers, and in strength." He said, frowning, "Bonded with the Senju and the Uchiha as they were, they were easily the most powerful of shinobi, and nations. They had their own brand of government. Their Daimyo were strong, and long-lived, capable of living close to two hundred years old, meaning they had decades to prepare their successors. Their military might dwarfed any one village, which is why it took the combined efforts of three to lay them low."

"An entire nation wiped out because of fear and jealousy," Ichigo sighed, "What made the other shinobi nations fear them so much?"

"Fear, of course," Mifune sighed, "An Uzumaki, a pure-blooded one, had massive amounts of chakra. So much so that they were compared to the Tailed Beasts. And there were thousands of them." He said, "If one were to become a samurai, I dare say that one Wind Scar from their blade could cleave a mountain in twain."

The young samurai thought the elder was joking for a moment, "Surely that's impossible?"

"I wish it was, my boy, but the destruction they could cause was devastating." He said, "Which is why they were feared, and allowed to be destroyed as they were. Their lands, the laws, culture, all of it wiped from the face of the world, save for a few that survived...and now we only have our young Lord of Nine remaining."

"Is that why everyone walks on eggshells when he's around?" The boy asked.

"That's exactly the reason why," Mifune said, "You see, Naruto has that massive amount of chakra his people were known for, and he also holds the powers and chakra of the Nine Tails, which means he's even more dangerous than what anyone would expect of an Uzumaki, or a Demon Lord."

Ichigo frowned, 'If that's the case,' he wondered silently, 'Then why doesn't he free himself from the laws that were forced on him?' Whatever the answer to his silent musings was, he hoped that he never had to find out.

(*)

Naruto sighed as he and Hinata walked around his(their) village. It had been two days since the attack by Hajime and his men, and things had been busier than ever with the young Lord, leaving the girl little to no time to meet and talk with him. it did not seem to bother her, but it wouldn't be long before her family and friends would have to leave for the Leaf village, and he didn't want them to worry for her because of him.

"You've done good work here," she commented quietly as she surveyed the village. The people were looking more and more alive with each passing day she spent among them. To her surprise, she enjoyed spending time with Tsunami and her family. Tazuna and his men were working tirelessly on a new bridge that would stretch across the bay to the second largest of the Whirlpool islands. It would take weeks, perhaps even months to finish, but the elderly bridge builder was determined to do it.

Naruto looked down at her with a small smile, "I've done what I could," he said, and frowned slightly, "But it still isn't enough, yet." He said, looking around the streets, "Gato's influence is still here to be seen." He said as a sickly little boy ran passed them, "Some of these people will never recover from this."

Hinata silently agreed with him. She had seen this sort of thing from time to time in her career as a kunoichi.

"I'm sorry," the blond Lord said suddenly, making her look up at him, "It's something I've wanted to say to you since you came here, but I haven't been brave enough." He sighed, halting their procession, "Since we met in the capital, I wished you well because of your words to me back then, but now it looks like I've brought you down with me." He said, looking back across the village where they saw Hiashi, Hanabi and her friends talking around Tsunami's home, "They're here, now, but your family and friends will be leaving soon. And I'me sure you've got friends back in the Leaf that you'll miss."

Hinata smiled, and looked up at him, "It's true, I'm going to miss my father, and my little sister, but the rest of my family aren't overly fond of me," she said, "As for friends, yes, I had a few, but those were my teammates, Kiba and Shino. Unfortunately we never saw each other outside of missions all that much, but we did try to spend quite a bit of time together." She said, and tentatively reached for his hand, "But I can tell that you are just as kind as I thought you were when we first met. You're no Demon, or mythical creature."

Naruto let a laugh escape him, "You say that after seeing my less pleasant side when I fought those samurai?"

"No different than looking at angry Inuzuka," the girl smiled, making the man chuckle again, "Besides, between the possibility of being married to a fat lord, or a Daimyo, I think I prefer this situation to those."

"Yeah, instead of being married to a rich and respectable feudal lord, you have the luxury of being with a poor, unlikable Demon Lord with a rundown fishing village," he said, grinning, "Oh, yes, that's a much better deal, ya know?"

Hinata giggled, "I had a friend that said 'ya know' a lot when I was small," she smiled.

"Did you?" He said, "What happened to him?"

Hinata shrugged, "I suppose he moved off somewhere. I haven't seen him since we were children."

Naruto stiffened at that. "I...see..."

Hinata looked up at him curiously, "D-did I say something wrong?"

Naruto shook his head, "No, no, I was just thinking, that's all," he frowned, but then sighed, "When will your friends have to leave?"

"I-In another day or so," she said, slightly depressed, "I-If it wouldn't be too much of a bother, I would like to visit them from time to time, if you find that agreeable?"

Naruto smiled at her widely, "Of course I don't mind," he said, "You're not a prisoner here, Hinata. If anything, I'm glad you haven't run for the hills screaming."

Hinata beamed at him, dazzling him with the smile on her face, "Thank you, so much." She said, stepping away from him, "I'm going to go tell my father...I'll see you in a bit?"

"Yeah, of course," he grinned, waving as she jogged away from him, and then frowned deeply, "She can't be...there's no way it's her."

"Something the matter, Brat?" Kurama's voice drifted to his ears as the Fox came up to him, "You look like you've just seen a ghost?"

Naruto frowned, "I think I might have." He said, and sighed, "We've got another day or so before Hinata's family and friends leave, and I'd like to show them the castle before the have to go. Think you could bring the ship around?"

Kurama chuckled happily, "Gladly." He said, "That reminds me; that old pervert and the hag are on their way here with three others." He said, making the young man grin, "I assume that one of them will be Shizune, but I don't know who the other two might be."

Naruto smiled at the Fox, "If they're with Grandpa and Grandma, then there's no need to worry, ya know?" He said, "When will they be here?"

"Some time tomorrow morning, I think," Kurama said, looking up at a passing cloud, "The wind tells me that they're traveling on foot, but fast, even for those two."

Naruto sighed, "I wish I could read the winds like you can, Kurama," he said, "Usually I can't sense anyone unless I'm trying, or in Sage Mode."

Kurama gave a small shrug of his shoulder, "Well, you can gain all of my powers, obviously," the Fox said, and started scratching at his ears, "But you did get the best parts."

"I guess I did," the blond smiled, "We can get the ship in the morning. That way we can meet with Jiraiya and Tsunade, too."

Kurama chuckled again, "That's going to be a fun ride." He said, "Let's go join your mate and her friends. I can smell dinner."

AN: Not much happening in this chapter, except a few explanations and revelations.

If you liked it, leave a review please, if not, see ya next time.