Chapter 18

Sweating and panting in exhaustion Naruto looked at Sakura smirking slightly, "So was it good for you?" the whisker marked blonde asked.

The rosette haired girl nodded blushing slightly at the closeness, "A great spar Naruto-kun," she reached up and kissed her fiancée lightly. "Can I get up now?"

"I don't know kind of comfortable like this," Naruto chuckled lightly kissing his fiancée before jumping to his feet and gently helping her up glancing over at their sensei who was rolling his eyes then bopped a certain perverted toad sage who was giggling perversely.

Tsunade just shook her head while she and Shizune were currently administering some treatment to Yakumo after her sparring session with Sakura. Said sparring session lasted longer than the previous five or six since the group began making their trek back to the Hidden Leaf Village. The pace was meant to be slow mostly because Hiryu wanted to build up Yakumo's endurance through these sparring sessions with both her teammates but also go over tactics and team building. Naruto had also started diving into his Clan's jutsu pulling out what he could on certain ninjutsu. Through this he actually discovered a couple of ancient medical ninjutsu which he gave to Tsunade who in turn started brainstorming with his fiancée.

Shizune wasn't included in these mainly because she wasn't an Uzumaki clan member, Tsunade being the granddaughter of one and Sakura going to marry into said clan allowed both to study the scrolls. "Hey Pervy-sage, did my dad ever leave any of his notes on the Hiraishin behind?"

The toad sannin grunted thinking about it, "He might have, the jutsu was actually a joint effort on your parent's part. Your mother provided the seal work while your father provided the idea with the specially made kunai and the elemental chakra. Where he hid it is mystery to me though," Jiraiya admitted.

"Knowing Minato-sama and Kushina-sensei like I do they'd probably hide it in plain sight using a blood seal and given it to either you or me and Hana in an object we would think to give to Naruto at some point. Kushina-sensei never gave me or Hana anything though," Hiryu explain tapping his bottom lip with his finger. "Wait, Jiraiya didn't you say Minato-sama gave you his old frog wallet."

The toad sage nodded, "And I gave it Naruto anomalously on his sixth birthday."

Naruto blinked pulling out his frog wallet which was currently fat filled to near bursting with Ryo, the whisker marked blonde turned it over in his hands while his sensei and Jiraiya stared over his shoulder scanning the orange and green furry wallet. "There just under the right eye, its faint but I see a blood seal," Jiraiya stated

"Wow, if we didn't know what to look for we'd have missed it, looks like just some random folds in the wallet, mom and dad were so awesome," Naruto said softly tears beginning to form in his eyes, he had never known his parents but in the recent months since joining with his team and finding out about them bit by bit. He truly wished he could have known them, just hearing about them from his sensei and several others as well as seeing the various gifts they left behind for him knowing that they loved him with all their hearts made him wish things had gone differently.

The whisker marked blond felt a hand gently squeeze his shoulder looking up he saw Jiraiya give him a sad smile, "Your mom probably set this all up encase of an emergency, woman was unpredictable as hell. She was always happy sure she had her moments losing her temper, but that was only for the most part, I never saw her any happier than when she found out she was pregnant with you. She practically glowed for two weeks, and the amount of pranks she pulled off to show how happy she was, by kami it was scary," the toad sage shuddered.

Naruto chuckled looking down at the seal, "should I wait until we get back to the village to unseal this?"

"Might be a good idea no telling how much is in there," Hiryu explained. "Should be in the village by tomorrow in the meantime, I need you to face Yakumo and Sakura in a two on one spar."

XXX

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed heavily glaring at the paperwork on his desk, if he didn't know any better he'd swear the stuff had created shadow clones of itself just to annoy him if he hadn't been using the shadow clones in his own right but he add a reason for doing it the old fashion way today. Hearing a knock at his door caused him to look up from his work, "What is it?"

His secretary open the door looking excited, "L-Lord Hokage, Lord Jiraiya and Jonin Hiryu have returned a-and they b-brought P-Princess Tsunade," the young woman stumbled over her words in said excitement.

The old man smiled warmly, "please bring them in and hold off all appointments until my meeting has concluded," he stated remembering his latest meeting with his 'advisors' would take place in ten minutes holding it off was welcomed.

A few seconds later Jiraiya, Tsunade, Shizune, and Hiryu were standing around his desks, "You know Lord Hokage I thought you we're using the Shadow Clones for the paperwork?" Hiryu asked.

"I do it the old fashion way when I'm about to have company in the form of Danzo, Hotaru, and Koharu I don't want them noticing I'm actually training more now that I have free time," the Kami of Shinobi smirked. "I found how much I missed it given enough time I'll be back to my old strength by the finals of the Chunin exams."

Hiryu chuckled, "speaking of I like to get the chunin exam paperwork for my team, thanks to Lady Tsunade, Yakumo is now healthy and ready alongside her team."

Sarutobi nodded pulling out the paperwork and handing it to the plain looking shinobi, "Kurenai and Asuma have already nominated their own teams," he stated turning to Jiraiya. "I normally ask you for an update but I need you to escort Kakashi and Sasuke to the designated outpost you've selected for the Uchiha's training," he paused steepling his fingers under his nose. "I want the utmost secrecy on this Jiraiya no one and I mean no one is to know where Kakashi and Sasuke have gone except you I don't even want to know where they've gone."

"Your suspecting Danzo or Orochimaru to make a move toward him aren't you sensei?" Jiraiya asked.

"Yes Danzo is taking entirely too much interest in both Sasuke and Naruto for my taste, the fact that old warhawk still hasn't disbanded his Root forces worries me," the old hokage stated. "I confronted him on it and he stated they we're simply private security."

"My ass," Hiryu muttered aloud.

The old hokage smirked, "I agree, but I've worried him. Fact I called him on it will make him bury them in whatever bunker he has until he feels things have cooled off enough for him. In the mean time we'll devote our resources to uncovering the things you and Jiraiya have brought to light," he turned back to Jiraiya. "Once Kakashi and Sasuke are secured I want you to immediately head for the Hidden Grass during your absence I sent some messengers to the village leader and it's been confirmed that Karin Uzumaki is still living their she's even a member of their shinobi forces. She'll be here for the Chunin exams."

Jiraiya nodded, "Basically I get to explain that she has family here, what about Tayuya?"

Sarutobi sighed, "Chunin exams presents an opportunity for Orochimaru to sneak in spies or himself if they aren't here already. We need to draw both out in some way," he paused thinking before looking at the paperwork he gave to Hiryu and let loose a sly smile for a second, "How good is team 7 in looking underneath the underneath?"

"Pretty well not to mention Naruto's sense of smell rivals that of Hana's," Hiryu stated sounding confused for a second before catching onto what the old man was planning. "So you think there will be spies in the exams themselves?"

"Yes, have Naruto smell for snakes, outside of Anko and people from the land of ogres, the only one who smells of snakes would Orochimaru and anyone under his command," Sarutobi explained.

"I'll let him know," Hiryu stated folding up the paperwork.

"Good you and Jiraiya can go, I like to talk to Tsunade and Shizune privately," the old hokage stated both did a salute before leaving. The old man got up walking around the desk before coming to a stop from his wayward student smiling sadly. "I am sorry for making you return Tsunade but I truly need you to take over at least until Naruto is older and wiser, I'm getting far too old for this."

Tsunade nodded holding her arm, "I understand sensei, you can thank a simple hug from that gaki for shattering the walls of grief I felt."

"It was painful I can understand that more so now than at the time, Biwako's death hit me very hard. But know this both Nawaki and Dan were great people but they both fought to keep you from dying because they loved you very much, I simply ask you for their sakes as well as my own take up the mantle in their stead and honor it as I know they would have honored it," Sarutobi stated softly. Tsunade during this monologue had tears flowing down her cheeks. "Fight to protect the family you still have, Kushina's son, Karin, Tayuya, and Nagato wherever he is."

Tsunade's head shot up, "Nagato, you mean that wallflower gaki that Jiraiya trained was an Uzumaki?"

"Yes, Kushina's older brother," Sarutobi stated softly.

Tsunade slumped down into the chair behind her dumbfounded; her images of her favorite hyperactive red-head entered her mind of all the times she pulled little Shizune and Mikoto into her pranks. Tsunade remembered each time she and Kushina would walk around the village together bonding as only family could bond. Then after Dan's death Kushina pleading with her to stay in the village only for the older blonde to refuse leaving with Shizune in tow glancing back briefly seeing Kushina watching them leave tears in the teen girl's eyes. The image then overlaid of one where she saw Nagato looking at the three Sannin in desperation and the only one to answer their plea was Jiraiya. "Oh kami, what have I done, K-Kushina I'm so sorry," the woman buried her hands and began to sob uncontrollably. She felt two sets of arms embrace her as once again all her grief from losing her lover and little brother rose to the surface again but was compounded with the images of her two cousins one she failed to recognize and the other she all but abandoned to run off to get drunk and gamble hoping to dull or forget the pain, now it was magnified through her bad decisions. As the sobs began to subside the ache in her heart felt less heavy, lighter than it had been in a long while. Faced with her bad decisions she realized she could no longer run from it, so she knew she had to learn from it. "I-I made so many bad decision's in my life. Why ask me to take up the Hokage mantle, sensei."

"Because I know you've learned from those terrible choices and won't repeat them, you'll still bad decisions in the future, Tsunade. But humans are not perfect, we are fallible, imperfect; only Kami is perfect and infallible so don't beat yourself up over it. Time heals all wounds, my little princess, not to say you'll be left without scars but it will heal, and more so with that hyperactive blonde something tells me he won't let you wallow in your misery," the old hokage states.

Tsunade snorted, "he's starting to call me 'baa-chan', the little gaki is a royal pain in the ass," she huffed a sad smile on her face, "just like his mother."

Another knock came prompting the old man to turn, "Yes?"

His secretary opened the door, "Um, Lord Hokage your advisors are becoming insistent that they be allowed in for their meeting," the young woman stated looking nervously behind her.

"Very well give me a moment and I'll see them," the woman nodded closing the door, Sarutobi stood up cracking his back walking back behind his desk and sitting down adjusting the pile of paperwork he then pulled out a scroll and handing it to Shizune, "What is in that scroll is your new assignment Shizune, you are to deal with the Hospital staff as you see fit and begin setting up a lesson plan for Med-nin training I want a detailed report in three weeks on my desk."

Shizune looked at the scroll her eyes gleaming before turning to Tsunade who nodded, "Understood Lord Hokage, I'll get started right away," the dark haired young woman vanished in a shunshin leaving student and teacher alone.

"Take a seat on the couch my little princess," the old hokage smiled softly. "Watch your old teacher at work."

Tsunade smiled back, "Glad there are still things I can learn."

"Remember what I use to say to you three, life has many lessons to teach us, some hard, some easy, but all are important," the old man watched as the three old 'advisors' stepped into the room. "But the path to true knowledge is not without its obstacles."

XXX

Hiryu entered his fiancées home hearing significant lack of dogs barking meaning the majority of the Inuzuka clan were out on missions, fact he didn't hear Tsume shouting at Kiba meant the little brat was out on his own mission. She's really hard on him and all because he reminds her of his father, the man really fucked up playing on this dog mentality the Inuzuka clan has manipulating it hiding his true motives, ten years having two kids with Tsume only so he could steal the Inuzuka clan scrolls and go rogue. I don't think my future mother-in-law has ever gotten over it. Well healed wound true but it drives her to be brutal on Kiba to prevent him from becoming like his father. The internal monologue was ended when someone cleared their throat. He turned to see the subject of half of his mental monologue standing at the entrance to the living room before him, "Hey Tsume," he smiled and was promptly bopped on the head by the older woman, "hey what was that for!?"

"How many times do I have to tell you pup, you're going to be my Hana's mate so you better start calling me Kaa-san do I make my clear, gaki," she stated crossing her arms over her chest giving him her patent motherly glares, the same she uses on Naruto.

"Sorry Kaa-san still a little new for me," Hiryu smiled rubbing the back of his head. "I haven't called anyone that since Kushina-sensei passed away."

"Hmph, well like Kushi-chan I'll break you of that habit, it's annoying," the woman paused. "Hana's in the clinic, the fact you're here means Lady Tsunade is in the village."

"Yeah she is probably still with Hokage-sama, Naruto will probably be with Sakura this evening so don't expect him over," Hiryu smirked slightly.

Tsume raised an eyebrow, "What did you do?"

Hiryu interlaced his finger putting them behind his hands behind his head whistling, "May have made it impossible for them for them to sleep alone. I can imagine both will start out sleeping separately Naruto at his apartment and Sakura at her home, but that'll go downhill fast."

Tsume snickered, "I knew there was a reason I liked you gaki. Just remember the moment you and Hana are formally mated I want Hana heavy with pups."

Hiryu sputtered looking at his future mother-in-law, "are you practically asking me to knock up Hana-chan?"

"I'm not asking you nothing," Tsume grabbed his flak jacket pulling him close until they were nose to nose. "I'm telling you, give me grand-pups," the wild looking woman stated with a nasty smile. "The wedding night I better hear Hana howling multiple times and I want her heavy with pups by the end of that week. Or I'll take extreme pleasure of teaching you the first two tiers of the Inuzuka taijutsu styles."

"Y-Yes Kaa-san," Hiryu stated sweat pouring down his face. Not even Kushina-sensei was this scary.

Tsume smile softened, "That's a good boy," she gently patted him on the head. "Well I got a council meeting to get to, please feel free to use the house." The wild looking woman said cheerfully before shunshined away.

XXX

After recovering from his run in with his future mother-in-law Hiryu entered the veterinary clinic and spotted his team sitting around examination table watching as Hana was treating one of the villages Messenger Hawks.

"And what are my lovely little Genin's doing here?" he asked.

"Hey sensei we brought in one of the hawks Tsume-obasan usually uses I notice this poor guy has troubles lifting off," Naruto stated watching Hana intently.

"It's a girl Naruto-kun," Sakura corrected.

Naruto's eyes widen before he bowed to the hawk, "I'm sorry," the hawk straightened looking regal and flapped its free wing at him. This caused everyone gathered to laugh.

"I thought you and Sakura would be at her place for dinner, Naruto?" Hiryu asked.

"We are sensei just I thought you want to be present when I opened that blood seal that's on Gama-chan, and I knew you always visited Hana-chan after a mission," Naruto explained.

Hana smirked slightly as she finished her treatment of the hawk, "Got your pattern down, Hiryu-kun."

Hiryu chuckled patting the boy on the head, "That he does, okay Naruto let's see what your parents left you."

Biting his thumb Naruto wipe the blood over the seal and after a brief flash of light and puff of smoke three scrolls appeared one address to Naruto from both his parents the other labeled Hiraishin and the other was another storage scroll. "wonder what's in that one?" Yakumo asked.

"With Sensei anything is possible," Hana stated.

Naruto however had his eyes glued to the scroll that was addressed to him his fingers shaking as he grasped the scroll slid partially open and a book fell to the examination table, the book was faded but the title was still embossed in emerald green on the cover, "Tale of the Gutsy Ninja," Naruto whispered aloud. He unrolled the rest of the scroll and his eyes fell on the first two words and tears began to fall from his eyes, "Dear Sochi…,"

Author's Note: WWWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOTTTTTTTTTTTTTT chapter update has arrived for all those eager to see and waited on baited breath well wait no more bask in glow on this latest chapter and hope it sustains you for a while. With my DBZ/Naruto challenge accepted from I believe four people I'm actually looking forward to doing the beta on those if the author's are so incline to allow me to do so. I'm hoping for more to accept that challenge with rumors of a dragon ball reboot after Battle of Gods being released on DVD and Blu-ray and the thirty-three minute animated special from the Xbox Kinect game being shown on youtube I feel if any series deserving of such of reboot it is the Dragon Ball series alongside Cowboy Bebop and Trigun, if those three are rebooted then I'll truly be a happy guy. Also for those who've seen the ending of Naruto I don't know if you like or not, but the fact that Kishimoto pulled a J.K Rowling on us in regards to pairings everything was leaning toward the final pairing being Hermione and Harry, but no we get Harry and Ginny I was a bit miffed at that, but what Kishimoto did was borderline cruel to I think thirty-five percent of his fanbase, that's a generous estimate mainly because a lot of fans have different pairing likes when it comes to Naruto, most like Hinata, most like Sakura myself included, most like Ino, some like Tenten, and some like Temari others vary from person to person, but the first three get a three way split just based off fanfiction alone, with Hinata edging out Sakura by a hundred fic margin, but that's just fanfiction, series itself was pretty evenly split between Hinata and Sakura. Kishimoto however teased us with the Naru/Saku possibility all through the Shippuden storyline and then in the last eight or nine chapters does this complete 180 degree turn and states in an interview that he was messing with us and it was always going to be Hinata, so that means all the similiarities between Sakura and Kushina, all the parallels the teasing at the Tenchi bridge incident, the post Pein fight hug, Sakura attempting to kill Sasuke to save Naruto, Minato mentioning and Naruto confirming that Sakura was his girlfriend was one big lie, that Hinata's brief appearances and interactions with Naruto in the manga, grand total of three before the timeskip not counting the filler arcs and one before the big confession again not counting the filler arcs then Hinata's big moment near the end justifies spitting in the face of half your fanbase Kishimoto I must say that is arguably the worst and most evil prank someone has ever pulled and you should be a ashamed of yourself. Now that is out of the way rest assured I'll ignoring the canon from this point on and I won't be buying anymore Naruto DVD's once I get Road to Ninja, I won't buy the Final as its an even bigger slap in the face to the fans, but Road to Ninja does open things up to something the DBZ fans have been doing for years and Akira Toriyama himself acknowledges as possible canon, so much so I think he actually implies it in Battle of Gods, I'm talking about the DBZ Multiverse. So I'm sending a shout out to those guys and ask any of those guys who do that please start making a multiverse of Naruto for us who actually want to see him and Sakura get together, or see him go all Gaara on the hidden leaf.