Rain: Reaper's Blood...So much history with this fic…All of its iterations…I had a blast writing this fic and the others. I think this bad boy was my first Naruto fanfiction. Forged in Hellfire is my popular one but Reaper's Blood is my baby and I'm going to miss it. As I'm sure many saw, I'm leaving but I'm updating my fic one last time before Blues takes over and continues in my stead. I want to thank you all for putting up with me for all these years. Highs and lows. So thanks. Enjoy the chapter.

Reaper's Blood: Final Mix
Chapter Thirty - Three

When Sasuke saw Naruto's shocked expression turn into near crazed laughter, he thought the blonde had finally lost his mind but as he stared down at his mother body, he suddenly understood why Naruto had laughed.

All this time…He thought his mother dead. He had saw her dead body…And yet, she was here. And she was alive.

His mother was alive.

"Sasuke-kun, snap out of it," Tamaki said as she smacked him upside the head.

"Ow, Kami Tamaki!" Sasuke exclaimed as he rubbed the back of his head and glanced down as Kakashi knelt down to observe the tank silently. "I have so many questions," Kakashi said. "We need to find a way to get her out of here…"

"Let's just break the glass," Sakura said as she held up her right arm.

"No…There could be something that is keeping her alive," Sasuke said as he leaned a little more on Tamaki. "Kakashi-sensei, my…mother was hidden beneath the seal on the floor that belonged to my clan. Do you see my clan's insignia anywhere?"

He watched as Kakashi gazed at the machine until the older man said "There is…There is also two needles in it."

Sasuke nodded and carefully removed himself from Tamaki and quickly fell to one knee. "Sasuke-kun!" Both Sakura and Tamaki said but he raised his hand to stop them. Sasuke rose on shaky feet and took three steps forward and slide down into an open area beside Kakashi and wordlessly, he pressed his thumb against the needles and pressed down, drawing blood.

He watched as the blood filled his insignia and for a moment, nothing seemed to happen. Without warning, they heard a machine come to life beneath them and the water began to drain from the tank.

"Occupant's life signature at one-hundred percent. Estimated awakening time: 10 minutes." A mechanical voice said as the water slowly drained out. Sasuke could see the border around his vision begin to darken.

He had been heavily injured from his battle but he would not fall now but as he stood there, watching the water drain from the tank, the darkness began to grow before his head slumped, unconscious.

"Old man, did you have to use the transportation by toad to get us close to Konoha?" Naruto asked with a green face, alongside the green faces of Neji, Tenten and Lee.

Once the group's boat docked, Jiraiya had the bright idea to use a toad to take Naruto and Team Gai closer to Konoha. While the Genin were unsure, Gai figured it would be perfect training.

It was not. The ride also didn't help Naruto or Tenten.

The pair had spent most of their boat ride discussing all that had occurred to Naruto and just as they were going to crash and fall asleep, the boat docked and the horror of the toad ride began.

"I never want to ride on a toad again," Tenten mumbled sickly while Neji nodded with a small glare to the two older men, who were laughing at the four of them, while he and Tenten held the unconscious Lee's arms around their shoulders.

After smacking Lee awake and getting their barrings straight, Lee bounced on each foot excitedly as he shouted "Yosh! It feels good to be back in Hi no Kuni!"

"I just can't wait to get home," Tenten said as she rubbed her neck. "I just want to sleep the world away."

"I agree," Neji said with a cross of his arms. "That boat and toad ride can exhaust even the strongest man."

"Nonsense," Both Gai and Jiraiya said in unison.

The four Genin stared at the older men for a moment before Naruto asked "So anyways, what happens now? We just go back to Konoha?"

"Yeah, barring some other emergency but the sun is setting so we should rest at the nearby village again before we start the trek for the return," Gai said before he turned to Jiraiya and asked "Is this where we are parting ways?"

Jiraiya nodded before he glanced to Naruto's disappointed face and said "Hey, relax that face. I'm still not allowed back in Konoha but don't fret. That ban is coming up very soon and I'll see you then kiddo."

"Alright…" Naruto said.

"But…That doesn't mean you don't have homework," Jiraiya said as he removed a scroll from his pocket and handed it to Naruto. "With how strong you've become, I expect you to have this mastered by the time I return."

Naruto took the scroll and replied with "I will. Believe it. But will you look out for the other thing?"

Jiraiya ruffled Naruto's hair and said "Believe that I will. Now Naruto, Team Nine! You all have a safe journey back and I hope to see you all again soon."

The group nodded and after a goodbye fist-bump between Naruto and Jiraiya, Jiraiya leapt back on the green with red spotted toad and shouted "Later!" as the toad launched itself into the air while everyone waved him goodbye.

Once Jiraiya was gone, the group began to walk in the direction of the village but it was then Naruto's ankles were grabbed by two snakes. "What the?!" Naruto barely shouted before he was swept off his feet and dragged away sharply.

"Naruto!" The group yelled as Naruto was dragged away from them, yelling in horror only to crash and slide into a bush where he was then lifted into the air upside down on a tree branch.

"Hey Gaki," Anko said with a cheerful smile.

Naruto looked up and smiled brightly. "Anko-nee! You scared the shit out of me!"

"Sorry Naruto but I couldn't resist. I saw the toad you and the others were riding on top of. It took me a good bit to get over here," Anko explained. "Though I am curious, what were you doing with Jiraiya of all people?"

"It's a long ass story Anko-nee," Naruto said with a laugh, happy to see that she was okay. "But um…Can you put me down?"

A slow smirk appeared on Anko's face and without warning, Naruto sailed to the ground and collided with it face first. His body then slumped backwards and his back hit the ground next. "Ow…" Naruto wheezed out in pain.

Anko leapt down to his side as Team Gai ran through the bushes and saw her. "Ah! Hello Anko-chan!" Gai exclaimed happily.

"Hey Gai. Hey kiddos," Anko said with a wave.

"Whew, for a second there, I thought that was Guren again," Tenten said with a sigh of relief.

"Guren?" Anko asked.

"It's a part of that long story," Naruto said as he leaned up. "She's from Oto. Apparently Orochimaru wants me dead."

Anko's face morphed into a blank slate but Naruto could tell from her eyes that there was rage and fear swirling within them. "What happened?" Anko asked, her tone urgent.

"I'll tell you that part on the way to this village," Naruto said with a smile.

But had Naruto and the group been paying attention, they would have noticed a pair of eyes observing him from a distance, narrowed in confusion and anger.

Mikoto found herself floating.

She had been floating for what felt like an eternity. But she wasn't afraid at all. If anything, being able to float like this was simply divine.

"Koto…You have to get up…" A familiar voice whispered into her ear.

Mikoto opened her eyes slowly and found herself on the ground with a ton of flowers around her. She slowly leaned up off the ground and in the distance, she saw a familiar sight.

A woman with flowing red hair and a wearing a white sun dress but she noticed that there were pale, almost ghostly chains wrapped around her limbs and torso but they were so faint, she thought she had imagined it for a moment.

But regardless, Mikoto knew who she was and nearly sobbed. It had been so long…So long since she had seen the other woman. "Ku-?" Mikoto murmured faintly as she stood up and took a step forward but the woman held a hand back to stop her.

"I don't have much time…" the woman said gently as she turned her head slightly, just so Mikoto could see tears falling down her left cheek. "Naruto…Sasuke...Tayuya…Itachi…" the woman said softly. "I am unable to break free from binds me…They all need you…"

"Break free? From where?" Mikoto asked.

"The Snake…" the woman replied solemnly. It was then Mikoto noticed that everything started to become brighter to her. "Our time is up Mikoto…It's time for you to wake up."

"There's so much I want to say to you…" Mikoto said as tears began to fall from her eyes.

She saw the woman turned around as the world began to brighten but Mikoto could make out the sad smile on the woman's face

"Take care of our children…My dear Mikoto…"

Mikoto snapped up out of bed and panted heavily, sweat dripping down her face. She looked around in confusion.

"W-Where…" she stammered, her voice very hoarse. After a few seconds, she instantly knew where she was.

Nekobaa's.

How did she get here?

Last thing she remembered was…

Like a sledgehammer, it all came back to her. From finding out Kushina and Minato had died, the attempted coup, to Itachi slaughtering their clan. Mikoto took a shuddered breath as she placed a hand to her chest as the tears began to fall down her face.

She suddenly stopped as Kushina's words floated into her mind. "Naruto…Sasuke...Tayuya…Itachi…I am unable to break free from binds me…They all need you…"

No.

This was not the time for tears.

There was work to be done. She had to get up and get to Konoha. She knew Itachi and Tayuya would be out of the village but she had to make sure at least Naruto and Sasuke were okay. She slowly placed both feet on the floor and slowly rose up but like a fish, she fell to the ground hard.

"Well… that is humiliating…" Mikoto noted with a faint joking tone. She could hear the oncoming footsteps and without hesitation, the door opened and she saw the familiar faces of Nekobaa, Tamaki and Kakashi, along with two other people she had never seen but from the looks of them, they were Genin.

"Holy moley….Mikoto-san! You're awake!" Tamaki yelled with a happy smile as she ran forward and gave Mikoto a huge hug.

"Wow, you grew," Mikoto said happily as Tamaki leaned away so Nekobaa could approach her. Mikoto felt the stinging of tears in her eyes as she saw tears in Nekobaa's own eyes.

"When they brought you here, I couldn't believe it," Nekobaa said as she knelt down and embraced Mikoto, who returned the embrace tightly. "Welcome back my little neko…"

"It's so good to be back Baa-Baa," Mikoto whispered softly against the older woman's shoulder.

"This has been a wonderful last two days. Sasuke returned and you returned. It fills this old heart with a joy that can barely be untamed," Nekobaa told her as they separated.

"Sasuke? He's here?" Mikoto asked with shock.

"He is," Kakashi said. "It's been a long time Mikoto-san. Sasuke is a part of my Genin Squad. I'm his sensei."

"I'm sure he's been in wonderful hands Kakashi. Thank you for looking out for him," Mikoto said with a smile of appreciation. "But where is my son?"

Rain: And that is where I leave the story. The next chapter will belong to Blues but a lot of things has been done. With what happened to Naruto previously and now Mikoto, it shows that Kushina's soul can reach out but only for a moment. Mikoto is now fucking awake and Anko has met up with Naruto.

The next chapter I know for a fact will have the mother-son Uchiha be reunited and more trouble is brewing for Naruto. I can't wait to see how Blues handles it all so again, thank you all for the many years of fun!

Mario: See you next time Rain!