CHAPTER 33 Victory and Finales
The victory party had started a few days after the end of the battle and it roared for a week straight. Now the village council was gathered to discuss the outcome of the war and how to deal with current issues that had arose during the battle. First was the revival of Minato and Kushina that had been hidden from them when it happened in the battle with pain. Minato and Kushina stood in the center of the council room looking at all their old friends now aged well past them.
"Alright first order of business is the return of the fourth and his wife Kushina." Hiashi began
"What is the issue?" Kushina demanded "We were dead now we are not, it happened to plenty of people after the fight with pain."
"The issue is you have been dead for years and they were only dead for a few hours at most." Inoichi said
"And the fact the Hokage hid it from us." Hiashi added looking at Tsunade.
"And for good reason." Tsunade said "The village was in chaos and they may not of taken it well that the long dead fourth was back amongst the living. As well as the rock may had used it as an opportunity and reason to attack, since they hate him so much."
"It is sound thinking" Shikaku nodded "Wait till things calmed down, before laying that on them."
"Very well." Hiashi sighed "So do we move to open the Namikaze chair in the council back to it's former place?"
"Aye." Every other clan head said.
"Then it is unanimous." Hiashi said as he hit his gavel and Minato took his seat. "Now on to the more serious matter at hand." He said as Sasuke stepped out in front of the council "The former traitor of the village has returned wishing to rejoin us."
Naruto was standing off to the side next to Tsunade and leaned over "Hey just play along."
"What do you mean?" Tsunade replied "wait what did you do?"
"Actually I was on mission the whole time and the betrayal was my cover." Sasuke said.
"What do you mean?" Hiashi asked
"I can explain." Naruto said as he walked up holding a scroll.
"What is it now Fox?" Hiashi said with spite.
"I was given the mission scroll to Sasuke when he left the village." Naruto said "Tsunade figured since he was already going to Orochimaru, that she would make it an official mission and have him gather intel and eventually eliminate him with my assistance, and then hunt down his brother, and that if he were to accept it, it would legitimize his defection because he would be a double agent. I was to hold on to the scroll since she didn't want anyone to find out about. Since I'm a neutral party and I wanted the bounty on Orochimaru's head, I wouldn't double cross him." He finished tossing the scroll to Hiashi who looked it over and passed it to the rest of the council.
"It has the official seal." Minato replied as he passed it to Shikaku.
"It is her signature." Shikaku replied as he passed it along.
"I still don't like this it doesn't smell right." Hiashi replied
"Don't think they are buying it" Sasuke whispered.
"Wait for it." Naruto said as he saw Hinata lean over to her father.
"Fine but as a gesture of loyalty you must marry my daughter." Hiashi said as Hinata gave a grin as she licked her lips.
"Very well." Sasuke said "I was planning on courting her once I got back. Our two clans coming together will strengthen both our clans."
"Then I have no objections." Hiashi replied as Naruto and Sasuke took a sigh of relief. "That concludes our meeting." He said as he stood and walked out of the council chambers followed by the rest of the clan heads.
"I don't say this often but thanks." Sasuke said looking at Naruto "I don't know how you did it with that scroll but you saved my ass"
"Yes I would like to know how you did this myself." Tsunade asked in an annoyed tone.
"don't you remember?" Naruto shrugged. "you ordered it." He said as he walked out of the council chamber waving his hand back to them.
When he entered the hall way leading out of the chambers he ran into someone he really didn't want to deal with, Sakura's father.
"Naruto." Kizashi called out to get a death glare from the mercenary "Fox." He said recoiling a bit.
"What do you want?" Naruto asked with venom
"I wanted to apologize for the way I…" Kizashi began.
"You know I don't give a fuck what you say or how you treat me?" Naruto cut him off "I'm used to it and I stopped caring long ago. But you hurt Sakura like you did again I will give you a real reason to call me a demon." He said as he went in to fox sage form.
"No never again." Kizashi said. "I want to apologize to her for the way I acted and treated her. But she won't see me. I was hoping you could convince her to at least hear me out" He finished with pleading in his eyes.
"Fine." Naruto sighed "Be at the BBQ place at eight. I'll tell her you are waiting for her I can't promise you she will go just that I will pass on the message."
"Thank you." Kizashi said as Naruto walked away.
Naruto walked into his house where Kushina and Sakura were in the kitchen where Kushina was teaching Sakura how to cook, and it was failing as smoke billowed from the kitchen.
"Damn't how am I so bad at this?" Sakura coughed as she walked out of the kitchen as the smoke alarms went off.
"You do know that isn't the timer right?" Naruto asked over the whine of the smoke alarm.
"Oh shut up." Sakura shot at him, as he grinned.
"Besides I think you should go get some BBQ." Naruto replied
"Why is that?" Sakura asked
"Because your father is waiting there for you." Naruto replied as her face turned to a scowl. "Why would I go meet him?"
"So he has a chance to redeem himself." Naruto said Sakura started to say something but was cut off "You know it will eat away at you. I'm the one who holds grudges not you."
"Fine I'll go see him." Sakura sighed as she stormed out of the house.
"Well now what are we going to do for dinner then?" Kushina sighed as she looked at the destroyed kitchen but turned to see Naruto wasn't there. "Screw it I'm calling take out." She sighed
Naruto had slipped in to a booth on the far side of the restaurant but with an unhindered view of where Kizashi was sitting waiting for his daughter.
'Damn't Sakura, where…' Naruto thought as he saw her walk in and sit down in an angry mood.
Naruto then spent the next hour listening in on their conversation, it was mostly Kizashi apologizing and not wanting her to hate him.
'Alright I've heard enough she is going to accept his apology, now she is just dragging it out to see how much groveling she can get out of him' Naruto sighed as he paid his bill and slipped out.
Naruto walked into the house and went to the bed room to see Kuza and Kira curled up at the foot of the bed together.
"So finally gave in?" Naruto asked
"Well she has been like this ever since the battle." Kuza replied "she keeps going on about something about the battle but I don't remember anything. Since she won't leave it alone I just gave up."
"You do know I can tell when you're lying right?" Naruto asked
"Ok fine I love her." Kuza snapped "There you happy? You got me to say it."
"Not really but she is." Naruto said pointing at the white ball of fluff next to him that was laying her head under his smiling.
"Oh go chase your tails." Kuza sighed as he put his head back over top of hers
"Rather you chased my tail." Came Sakura's voice as he turned around and saw her standing in the doorway.
"Ah so how did your meeting with your dad go?" Naruto asked
"Oh like you don't know I could sense you through the fox seal." Sakura replied
"I keep forgetting about that." Naruto sighed as he sat down on the bed
"Well it went well it may take a bit but I did forgive him but may still take a while for me to trust him, again." Sakura replied as she got in the bed with him.
"Good." Naruto replied "but there is something I have to tell you."
"What is it?" Sakura asked as she curled up to him.
"I need to get moving again." Naruto said
"You're leaving?" she asked in shock and fear.
"Don't act so shocked you know I don't like being tied down to one place." Naruto replied "I need to roam, be free."
"But what about…" Sakura began
"I love you, and I tried to stay here for you." Naruto replied "But even staying here for a week was to long for me to many bad memories."
"Then what about us." Sakura asked
"I would rather you come with me." Naruto said "But I can't ask that of you, since this is your home, and you are a ninja here. Also now that you are just patching things up with your dad."
"Right." Sakura said as she curled up tighter to him. "when are you leaving?"
"Tomorrow around noon and please don't go trying to nark on me to my mother to keep me here either." Naruto said
"Fine." Sakura replied as they fell asleep in each other arms.
The next morning Sakura walked into Tsunade's office.
"Ah good morning Sakura" Tsunade said with a smile "What can I do for you this morning?"
"I just found out last night Naruto is planning on leaving the village." Sakura replied
"Ah yes well he is a roaming mercenary and we knew this was going to happen eventually." Tsunade replied
"Right and that is why I wish to re…" Sakura began but was interrupted by Tsunade
"Before you say anymore I want to discuss a few things with you." Tsunade said
"Ah what is it shisho?" Sakura asked
"Well I just found out Minato doesn't wish to take the hat again." Tsunade replied
"Alright." Sakura said a bit confused
"That forces me to stay here and with Shizune running the hospital that leaves us stuck here unable to research new medical treatments and bring them back to the leaf." Tsunade said as a look of realization spread across Sakura's face. "So I'm giving you a mission as a medic and my apprentice to go out into the world and research the different medical treatments, techniques, and medicines. And with the field of medicine constantly changing it may take years, to do." She finished with a smile
"I accept." Sakura spat out not being able to get the words out fast enough.
"Now the world is a dangerous place you will need to find someone to travel with, who knows where they are going and what they are doing if the need for a fight arises." Tsunade says
"Don't worry I know someone who fits the bill." Sakura said with a smile as she took the mission scroll from Tsunade and rushed out the door back to Naruto's place and packed her things as quick as she could and then rushed to the village gate. Where Naruto was about to walk out of.
"You better not leave without me." she called to him, getting him to stop.
"Sakura I can't make you leave your home." Naruto began.
"No I have a mission." She replied as she held up a scroll "I have been tasked to travel the world and research different medical techniques."
"Well it is a dangerous world out there so better be careful." Naruto grinned
"Well guess I'll have to hire some protection." Sakura replied as they headed out the gate.
"Well I can give you some references." Naruto replied "Cause I don't think you can afford my rates."
"Oh I'm sure we can come to some sort of agreement." Sakura replied with a sultry smile
"Well maybe we can." Naruto gave her a fox like grin.
"Wait did you tell your parents you were leaving?" Sakura asked
"Yep." Naruto replied
"And they were ok with it?" Sakura asked
"HE DID WHAT?!" Came Kushina's voice from across the village.
"Well I told my dad, he said he would break it to my mom." Naruto said as he started running
"So you better be able to keep up." He said as she raced after him
EPILOGUE
A thirteen-year-old boy with spiky blond hair and red highlights walked over a hill with a black fox with a white strip running down it's back, and spotted the large monument of the six Hokages on the face of the mountain with Kakashi's face added to it a few years ago.
"Come on you guys hurry up." The boy yelled back at his parents and sister.
"Calm down Menma the village isn't going anywhere." Naruto called over to him
"And neither is Jiraymia." The girl with long blonde hair and pink highlights that seemed to be three years young than him called out to her brother as a small white fox ran next to her.
"Oh shut up Kushina." Menma shot back as he held back a blush "Besides I'm sure you can't wait to see Itachi." At this the girl went beat red
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Kushina replied
"Alright you two knock it off we will be at the village shortly, and you can argue all you want at your grandparent's place." Sakura replied
"I wonder how Aunt Karin and Uncle Kiba are doing?" Kushina asked
"I just want to have a spare with our cousins." Menma replied.
Naruto stopped for a second as a large black fox appeared next to him
"You sure about this brother?" Kuza asked
"Yeah they need a stable environment and honestly the leaf is the best place for that no matter what my history with it is." Naruto sighed as he watched his family walk toward the village he once despised, and now they will call home.
END LOST FOX
A/N well this has been a long fic and certainly hoped you liked it please let me know what you thought in the reviews. Now I can focus on my other fics, such as Broken Fox, and a few others I've started but have been waiting to release, till I was done with this one. i got a star wars/halo, and may start up Fox's run again as well as my old star wars bounty hunter fic. and possibly down the road I may do some short stories about this fic, and how things have changed and why things ended up like they did.