Chapter 5: Healing and Family 1/3

Hi guys and gals! Back for our weekly update! Last week was a bit intense. The reviews were DEFINITELY a mixed bag. I appreciate all the reviews though, positive and negative alike.

This chapter dives once again into Kenta's coping of his loss of his father, but with a LOT less Angst and crazy. A feel good chapter as I think we all could use a little calming down. Me, you, and especially KENTA's emo, dramatic ass.

Hopefully you all enjoy. Just a few quick announcements.

Kenta's Man Crush list will close NEXT UPDATE! Cast your votes while you still can. Remember, each person get's a total of FIVE VOTES. Use them all!

My schedule has changed and I'm now working night shifts. Sunday updates will be all but done. Monday mornings/Early afternoon for East Coast Peeps will be the norm. Tuesdays for the bigger chapters that take me longer to write.

I'm going to be working on a new fic! It's a crack fic that's JUST serious enough not to be garbage. Kenta is primary focus, so new fic will be updated slowly and irregularly. A means of working through my lack of motivation (like this chapter) when I'm stuck with Kenta's story. Summary can be found at the end!

With that, enjoy chapter 5! Action picks up once again next chapter. Pwomise!

"I'm coming!" I shouted sleepily. This whole waking me up at the ass crack of dawn was starting to get really old, really quick. I glanced over at mom's monstrosity of a cuckoo clock, realizing it was near nine in the morning. Ok, I guess I won't physically maim whoever thought it would be a good idea to wake me up. The two week mandatory leave Lord Fifth gave me after Uncle's recommendation was something I desperately needed.

I opened the door and blinked. Standing on my porch was the last person I expected to see.

Sasuke Uchiha stared back at me with a totally unimpressed looked.

"Do you normally answer the door in nothing but your under garments, Yamanaka?" He drawled.

I glanced down, noticing I was indeed in nothing but underwear. I shrugged and turned a wicked grin on the boy.

"What's wrong, Sasuke? See something you like?" I purred huskily, batting my eyes.

He gagged.

"Put some clothes on then come take a walk with me." He replied.

I pouted for a moment before brightening. "Okay! Give me fifteen minutes and I'll be ready for our date, Lord Uchiha."

I turned around, making a beeline for my room.

"It's not a… You know what, I'm not doing this." I heard him angrily mutter. I snickered to myself. He was always so much fun to rile up.

********************************KentaXSasuke 4Eva*************************************

We had been wandering aimlessly around the village for the last hour. Chatting about everything, yet nothing at the same time. Small talk. Awkward talk. I didn't like it.

"What's the real reason you asked me out, Sasuke?" I asked with a straight face. Inside though I was cackling madly at his reddening face.

He took a deep, calming breath. And then one more for good measure. "How are you?" He asked bluntly.

I stared at the boy for several minutes before my brain restarted. He was worried about me? This was… unexpected.

"I… I'm not fine, but I'm getting better." I replied truthfully. Sasuke was always able to call out my bullshit before it even left my mouth.

He nodded. "I heard about. Well the ordeal with Ino. Naruto also said you had been avoiding everyone for almost a week. I just wanted to make sure. You and I are similar. I didn't speak to anyone either after the massacre. Their pity and sympathy made me nearly as angry as thinking about Itachi. So, if you ever…" He trailed off at the end.

I smiled warmly at Sasuke. He wasn't a wordsmith, and could barely distinguish his own emotions if they were anything other than angry or really angry, however here he was, awkward rambling to make sure I was okay.

"Thanks, Sasuke. I know that was probably the most you've spoken since you left all those years ago, so the effort is appreciated." I cheekily told him.

He glared at me before a small smile betrayed him. "It… might actually have been." He admitted.

I burst out laughing. Loud, obnoxious, and real laughter. For the first time in weeks. Sasuke soon joined me, though his was a much more dignified and controlled laughter. Befitting his "noble" station.

After a few minutes, I finally calmed down. I squeezed Sasuke's shoulder. It was our version of a hug. "I missed you, Sasuke. It's good to have you home." I admitted genuinely.

"It's good to be home. Those near four years… they were not fun, Kenta. I learned a lot. I got strong. But the things I saw. The things I had to do. I want to forget them, but I still have nightmares." He finished in a whisper.

I frowned. A right selfish bastard I've been. Going off the deep end, attempting murder, hurting everyone I love. I didn't even stop to consider that there were others that were in just as much pain as me, even if it was a different kind of pain, they were still hurting.

"Sasuke, listen. I'm sorry I haven't been there for you, but if you need to talk we can-"

"Yes, you and I will talk. After you do your own healing. My problems aren't an immediate concern. They trouble my dreams and make me sick to my stomach, but you? Your pain is immediate and is affecting your personality. Get your shit together, then you can role play as my therapist." His hardened gaze held no room for argument.

I smirked wickedly. "Oh? And after we role play as your therapist, how about we role play back in my roo-Urk!"

Sasuke removed the elbow that had buried itself in my diaphragm. "Do not be perverse." He said simply.

I attempted to wheeze out a reply but settled with a simple head nod.

The last two weeks I had been preoccupying my time with three things. Training Kono and her team a few days a week. Taking Iroko to the park and laughing at his clumsy enthusiasm. And reading Lord Jiraiya's hit series, Icha-Icha. Seems they were perverting my mind a little too much.

"Any way. Let's go spar." Sasuke said suddenly.

I shook my head. "Not allowed. I'm not allowed to do anything aggressive until I've passed my evaluation."

"Are you allowed to work out at least?" He asked.

"Oh yeah. I can still work out and practice my skills. Just not against anyone else." I said, rubbing my stomach and glaring at Sasuke.

He smirked. "Well then, word on the street is you and this infamous Captain Jaguar were pretty close. They also say his workouts would put Might Guy to shame. I don't believe even half those rumors."

The beast had awakened at Sasuke's challenging words. He thought my workouts were easy?! Time to show his pompous ass that Orochimaru's training was academy level compared to mine. I grinned viciously.

"Let's go put it to the test then, eh?"

********************************Jaguar Comin Out Da Cage!*******************************

I smirked savagely at the puddle of sweat that was panting at my feet. Sasuke was attempting to take in heaping gulps of air, but it never seemed to be enough to fill his lungs and restore his breath.

"You were saying?" I drawled in vindictive pleasure. The disbelief and outrage pouring off Sasuke in waves was soothing to my soul. This. This is what I missed and what I needed. Pushing subordinates to their breaking.

For the next five minutes I watched in pure happiness Sasuke's breathing return to normal. Once he could form a full sentence, he glared daggers at me. My smile widened.

"What kind of absolute monster are you?" He growled.

"Me?" I cried in mock disbelief and outrage. "I'm no monster! This was simply Captain Jaguar's warmup exercise! He's the monster, you just asked for a workout of HIS!"

Sasuke snarled at me. "Cut the shit, Yamanaka. I know you're Jaguar. You're sick. Twisted."

I smiled innocently. "Thank you!" I sat down next to the glaring teen, innocent smile still in place.

"Why?" Sasuke suddenly asked.

I turned my goofy smile his face. "What do you mean?"

"Why did you snap?"

My smile fell. Sasuke's social graces smacking me full force in the face.

"I mean. The one thing I was always jealous of, yet admired you for, was your emotional control. When you saved our team in wave, even in your anger over Arata's death, you were in control. In the forest against Orochimaru, you had your fear under control. Every fight and mission you were always in control. I understand you lost your father, but there has to be something else."

I frowned. This was the million dollar question, wasn't it? The same one I had been asking myself for weeks now. Why did I snap like that?

"You don't have to answer. That was inappropriate, wasn't it?" Sasuke mumbled out in embarrassment.

I let out a hallow bark of laughter. "Yes, yes it was." I smiled sadly at the ground. "I don't know, to tell you the truth. I think… I think the pressure I put on myself combined with losing my father was the nail in the coffin."

"Pressure?" Sasuke asked in confusion.

"My entire life, I've always put myself under pressure to be perfect. The perfect son, the perfect brother, the perfect boyfriend, the perfect shinobi. That desire; no need to be the best, was all I ever knew. Up until that day you two had returned, I was the best. Perfect son and brother, perfect boyfriend, and the perfect shinobi. My mission record since the day you two left was perfect. Not a single failure, not a single loss of life under my command. I was loved by the shinobi community. People lined up to join ANBU to even have the chance to work with me; they were selling their souls to work under me."

I laughed hollowly. "I'd give it all up to have my father back."

"You're not the only person to lose someone they love. Especially in our line of work. Your reaction seemed over the top." Sasuke said bluntly.

I snarled at the boy, the demon's that had been slowly being put down back in full force. "What the hell do you know? Your family died traitors. My father died a hero."

He shrugged. "You're right. I also was put under possibly the most powerful illusion in the world and had to relive my brother slaughtering the clan for 72 hours straight."

My snarl froze. "At least you didn't have to hold your father while he died." I retorted childishly.

"Talk to me. You helped me more than you could possibly know. The thing that helped the most was just getting all my thoughts off my chest, knowing you would listen and not judge." Sasuke stated simply.

The demon's quieted down. The threat had passed. Sasuke's chakra had remained strong, steady and stoic the entire time.

"The day you and Sakura returned, I had just recently returned from a mission where we captured Kabuto. I… My emotions were still hyper-charged. I hadn't had time to properly ground myself." I admitted quietly.

"What do you mean?"

"You… you know my style of fighting an opponent, right?" I glanced at the boy.

"You're talking about your mind games?" He asked.

I nodded. "The better I get, the more I walk into the darkness that comes along with breaking someone. As my sensing has gotten stronger, and I can actually feel every single emotion they feel, it's even harder to resist that pull to full darkness. I broke Kabuto, Sasuke. I mean… I broke him. I used my psychological warfare as well as a forbidden technique I developed and completely shattered his mind. The thrill of that, it was too much. My emotions were volatile. When I ground myself, it's what I told you about years ago in the hospital. I surround myself with my family and friends, reminding myself who Kenta actually is."

"Dad was super busy, I hadn't seen him since my return. Mom was also busier. Kono was gearing up for the academy. I can't really talk to my baby brother." I paused and shot Sasuke a quick smile. "You have to come by and meet Iroko sometime, by the way. He's literally the cutest baby in the world."

Sasuke smiled softly. "I'd love to. Where is he?"

"Mom takes him to Aunt and Uncles when she has to work. Says I need this time without any stress. Iroko is a good baby, but he is a baby. He has meltdowns from time to time. Plus, Auntie Aia absolutely dotes on him. I also believe he's chakra sensitive. He can tell when I'm more volatile than usual. He gets fussy." I smiled.

Sasuke nodded. "I'll meet him soon. Continue."

"So I didn't have much family time. Fú has been busy at the hospital. Finally, I spent time with Naruto, but he's… not the best at stuff like this. Long story short, people in my life were busy, and I don't fault them for that. My grounding rituals, I've realized are too dependent on other people. I've been working on exercises I can do by myself for the future."

"So you're still going to continue to use your mind games? Even if it's as dangerous to your mental health as it seems?" Sasuke asked in concern. I think it was concern at least. His chakra was still very, very neutral. Suspicious, I was.

"I am. This is the legacy my father left to me. It is a legacy that I will pass down to my own children one day. I just need to find healthy ways to cope from now on." I said in fierce determination.

"I will help if I can." Sasuke said.

I smiled in appreciation. "Thanks. Now, after I said all that. Ami comes to my house, says you two are back. I had a mini meltdown right there. I was the team captain for that mission. I knew the details. I still hadn't forgiven Sakura for her words, but especially her actions that day. My control slipped, and I made an absolute ass of myself in front of the entire council, your brother, my uncle, everyone."

A wave of guilt and sadness came from Sasuke momentarily before he regained his neutral energy. "About that day…"

"I have a lot to say on that, and we will get there. It all ties in to everything." I cut the boy off. Sasuke nodded and went silent once more.

I sighed. "How do I explain this without it sounding like a copout or an excuse?" I pondered that question for a few moments. "I stopped caring." I admitted.

"What do you mean?" Sasuke's eyebrow rose slightly.

"About my perfect image to the world. I stormed into the Hokage's office, and for once in my entire life, I acted like a human. Not a perfect Shinobi. I lashed out. I got angry. I talked back to my superiors. It felt… Invigorating. At least in the heat of the moment. However, my upbringing quickly replaced that base animal urge to lash out, and I regained my control. Until I heard who was leading the mission against two S-Rank opponents."

"If I tell you something Sasuke, and I mean, S-Class secret, can I trust you with it?"

Sasuke mulled over the question for a few moments. "Is this in regards to you personally, or village secrets?"

"Personal." I said instantly. Even if my thoughts were a maelstrom and my emotions conflicted, I loved my village, and I would never betray it.

"Then yes, you can trust me." He said simply.

"Do you remember those dreams and weird visions I had from time to time?"

"Like in wave? I remember. Did you ever figure those out?" He asked.

"Yes and no. I…" A thought struck me. "It's better if I show you. During the preliminaries you remember how I 'spoke' with Lady Korinna?"

"When you and Naruto had your cute little forehead to forehead moment?" Sasuke smirked in triumph.

"Yes that. It was my second favorite part of the entire preliminary match, followed only by that romantic kiss we shared." I purred, batting my eyelashes.

Saskue rolled his eyes. "It's been too long. I keep forgetting I can't ruffle you like I can Naruto."

I laughed loudly at that. "Naruto is a fifty-fifty shot nowadays. He either sputters, or he fires back so quickly your head spins."

"He definitely isn't as dumb as he used to be. I can admit that at least."

I held out my hands. "Trust me?" Sasuke nodded instantly. I placed my hands onto his forehead and showed him the conversation that Lady Korinna and I had about that day. The theories we concocted and the what-ifs. Seconds later I pulled back and Sasuke was left blinking.

"What did that seal do?" He asked immediately.

I stared in confusion. "What seal?"

He stared at me incredulously. "She put a seal on your soul! Did you forget about that?!"

Huh. I did forget about that. It had never bothered me, and it made no noticeable difference. After everything else happened, I kind of put it to the back of my mind.

I shrugged. "I guess. I'll go ask the resident experts tomorrow. Maybe they can explain."

Sasuke stared at me a few more minutes before nodded slowly, muttering about idiots not taking a soul seal seriously. "So, your visions and dreams, you theorize are some type of glimpse into the future?"

I nodded. "A static future. One that hasn't changed at all. You were the original bearer of the curse seal, not Sakura. Naruto was originally part of team 7. A few other things. One of them being, it was Asuma who originally died during that fight, not my father." I finished gravely.

Sasuke's eyes widened slightly, his chakra mirroring his shock. "So, you knew that your father would die, but you were hoping to change the future that had already been changed."

I nodded sadly. "I was hoping that our timeline is already so different than the one I keep viewing that I could somehow make a difference, or that it wouldn't have the same outcome. Some things just can't be changed, I guess."

"I'm not very good at this stuff. But… If it were me, I would be thankful for the small things. Like you did get to hold your dad and say goodbye." Sasuke said in a small voice.

I stared at the boy, processing his words. "Yeah… Yeah, I guess that is a small mercy."

"That still doesn't explain your… explosion following his death. You really went there, Kenta."

I smiled guiltily. "Like I said, I was already in emotional turmoil, and had it been anyone other than my father, I wouldn't have taken it so hard. He taught me everything. His words are the reason I'm still me today. The words he told me the day we began our training still ring in my head. He was my rock, Sasuke. He was the only person in the entire village that can 100% understand the emotional struggle I deal with after every fight."

"Losing him, was losing my anchor to the side of sanity I had to claw back to. The darkness I dive into to completely break an opponent is suffocating and all-consuming. His presence, his words, his advice, they were all the things that allowed me to find that rope and drag myself back to my sense of self. Losing him, I lost all that. Between the pressures of being perfect, my hyper charged emotions, and losing him… It was the literal perfect storm." I finished, a wave of bone-crushing sadness washing over me.

Sasuke placed his arm on my shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "Yet despite all that, you're dragging yourself inch by inch back to who Kenta is. I understand now. He wasn't just your father. He was your best friend, mentor, and the one who was able to check you when you began to lose it."

I blinked away the few stray tears that had attempted to escape their prison and nodded. "I guess the best way for me to describe to you what happened when I snapped would be to ask you how you think you would be if you had never learned the truth about your brother until after you had killed him."

Sasuke frowned and his forehead furrowed, attempting to visualize himself in such a scenario. My vision went white momentarily, a vision of Sasuke with onyx eyes full of hatred. Blood leaked from the orbs.

"By killing every last one of you, until the leaf is crushed forever! Any link to The Uchiha will be severed and our name will be purified! That is how I'll revive my clan!"

"I'm going to kill you and every last person in your beloved village!"

I blinked. Well, it's nice to know that that particular vision won't be coming true!

"I think… I would return to the leaf and demand justice for my clan, as well as to air out the entire truth for the world to hear." Sasuke spoke up suddenly. I laughed, LOUDLY. Sasuke stared at me in confusion. "What? I would!" He grumbled over my laughter.

I calmed myself down and patted him on the cheek. Lightning chakra flared to life as he attempted to remove the offending appendage. "I'm sure that's exactly what you would do, dearest Sasuke."

He grumbled to himself for a few more minutes. "Anyway, what you're saying is these visions are a rough blueprint and we can't base facts off them anymore. Whatever happened along the way, things are changing from this original timeline." He interrupted my laughter.

I nodded. "Basically. That knowledge didn't really register with me until that day. I kept seeing Asuma's face where my father's was. It should have been him I kept telling myself. That bitterness, anger, and unfairness of it all began to fester. I started placing the blame everywhere, Sasuke. I mean everywhere." I emphasized that last point, attempting to get him to understand just how little people actually knew of the true extent of my thoughts.

He didn't miss it, the smart little bugger he was. "How far did that rabbit hole go?" He asked quietly.

"I haven't told these things to anyone, Sasuke. Not Naruto, my family, not even Fú. But, I know you won't judge me or take to heart what I'm about to tell you." I said sadly.

He nodded. "Whatever it is, get it off your chest. I attempted to kill you one time for thinking you were trying to come between Sakura and I, this is only fair." He attempted to lighten the mood a bit.

I frowned. "We'll talk about her after. This entire ordeal has made me… more sympathetic to her and her actions that day."

Sasuke looked surprised at that but nodded.

"After I realized the only reason that Asuma wasn't the team captain, my mind lashed out and clung to the idea of why he had to back out of that mission last minute." I said, voice laden with guilt.

Sasuke's genius shown through. "You blamed Kurenai and her pregnancy."

I nodded and stared at him with eyes full of unshed tears. "I thought about destroying her, Sasuke. I thought about killing her and her unborn child. Neither was the reason, but at that point I was a drowning man looking for a purchase."

His arm was back on my shoulder, giving me a reassuring squeeze. "We can't be blamed for the thoughts our grief stricken minds come up with. You didn't touch her. Didn't even look at her. You should feel no guilt."

I laughed shakily. "Easier said than done. When you contemplate a double homicide of two innocent people, it tends to shake you up a bit."

He nodded but remained silent, arm falling back to the grass below.

"Next I… Shit, I still need to apologize to him." I muttered. "Anyway, long story short, I mind raped Shikamaru and saw the entire fight before we arrived." I finished in a rush.

"You mind raped Shikamaru? As in, a mindwalk without permission and forced?" Sasuke asked in an unimpressed voice.

I laughed sheepishly. "I gave him medicine to help with the pain, ehehe…"

I yelped in pain as a few arcs of electricity licked at my exposed skin. "After this, go apologize." I nodded, rubbing the pink and tender skin on my arm.

"Anyway, I saw everything. It… was actually really impressive now that I think about it. All four of them killed that man, but he wouldn't stay down. Choji even managed to get a death blow in while keeping the other man occupied with only two Chunin as backup. He's a sleeper, Sasuke. Don't underestimate Choji." I laughed lightly.

"The chubby kid from our class? He's that strong?"

"Yup. He was apprenticed to Lord Third. He's a powerhouse now. He has a personal summon from the monkey clan. He uses a bo-staff. His style a perfect mix of the speed and deadliness of the Sarutobi clan, along with the rare power his own family uses. Not to mention his clan techniques are some of the best, and his defensive earth techniques are nearly impenetrable. He's a solid person to have on your team now." I praised the boy. Sasuke looked mildly impressed.

"I'll have to challenge him to a spar as well." He muttered. Same old Sasuke.

"In my insane haze, I then began to blame Yugao for teaching Ino too well. I reasoned that her style of teaching was the reason that Ino was left so exposed and what led to my father pushing her out of the way. Hidan, the man who they were facing, was a berserker. Ino was trained as a swordsman." I didn't elaborate further. Sasuke himself was a swordsman, and a damn good one at that.

"She was looking for feints where there weren't any and left herself open when she thought she had an opening. In reality, it wasn't a planned move, but the enemy recovered quick enough to counter Ino's technical skills with raw strength and speed." Sasuke deduced beautifully.

I nodded and smiled in appreciation at his smarts. "Exactly. So now I have it in my head that Ino's weakness got my father killed. You've more than likely heard the rest. The only other part I never told anyone…" I trailed off, the guilt in my stomach constricting my throat, not allowing me to finish.

"What happened, Kenta?" Sasuke asked quietly.

"I… For a moment, after I was disqualified for almost killing Ino that a thought tried to take hold in my mind. A dark thought, Sasuke. Worse than killing an unborn child."I admitted quietly.

"Did you consider becoming rouge?" He asked gently.

I nodded, but then shook my head. "Yes and no. I thought… I thought about pulling a Lord Fifth, but on my own volition, not on orders from my superiors." I pushed through the guilt and finished my admission.

Sasuke's eyes widened and his chakra spiked in alarm. "What do you mean by 'Pull a Lord Fifth.' What… you thought about killing your clan?!"

I nodded in shame. "Yes. I thought they were holding me back. That they were spitting on my dream, talking behind my back. I thought about right then and there killing my uncle and the elders and taking over. It was… I prepared my chakra, Sasuke. I have a technique that could have killed them all, instantly." My voice broke then, and I clammed up.

"Again. Your thoughts are your own. You were in a dark place, and those dark thoughts you always had that you dismissed attempted to take hold. You… ah, so that is why you said you can empathize with Sakura." He deduced.

I shook my head. "Easy for someone not part of a clan that can read thoughts to say." A wet laugh escaped my throat at that thought. "But you're right. I replayed our conversation. How she said her voiced thoughts were ones she always had, but she pushed them away. When her emotions weren't her own, they were able to take root. I get it now. I want to talk to her one last time though before we put the past behind us."

Sasuke nodded. "We can meet tomorrow if you like."

"Yeah, let's do that. Let me get my emotions back under control. Don't need to blow up on her when I'm attempting to rebuild the bridge that was burned."

Sasuke then stood up and offered me his hand. I accepted and he pulled me to my feet. "When is your evaluation?"

I dusted my pants off before answering. "Three days. I meet with Uncle and Lord Fifth at noon."

"Well then, you better pass that evaluation. I need to pay you back for humiliating me today." He smirked in challenge.

I laughed lightly. "Deal. Once I get cleared, I'll kick your ass from here to the other end of Konoha."

With that we walked out of the training ground we used to use as kids. My heart, though heavy from the omissions that day, felt a bit lighter at the same time. Sasuke was right, sometimes just voicing those doubts and troubles is enough to ease the burden; even if it's just a bit.

I still wasn't 100% me, but I was slowly getting there.

****************************BROMENTS ARE BACK~**************************************

I bounced the babbling toddler on my hip as we made our way through the town. I decided to forego the stroller, a bad decision on my part I now realized. Thanfully, our destination was rapidly approaching.

"Are you ready to see Naruto, Iroko?" I said cheerily.

"Nawto! Nawto!" He clapped and laughed excitedly, causing my own laughter to join him. Seriously. Why do I have the most adorable siblings in the world? I remember a time when I hated kids. Didn't want them. Now? I can't wait until this Akatsuki threat is over so Fú and I can start our own family. Grandkids would certainly make mom over-the-moon types of happy.

We arrived ourside the door to the main house. I quickly nicked my thumb and applied a drop to the blood seal. Honoka had added me just over a year ago. The seal glowed blue for a second and an audible 'click' could be heard.

"Pweety cower!" Iroko cheered at the seal. I laughed loudly once again. I can see why Auntie was so enamored by him. He had a certain charisma already at the ripe age of two. I didn't have to worry about Kono and dating for some time. She was too professional to allow for any distractions. Iroko though? He'll have fan girls, no doubt. I pushed open the door and was met with an explosion of noise.

"ZENJIRO! RYUJIRO! YOU TWERPS ARE DEAD!" A female voice echoed throughout the house.

"Dead! Dead! Dead!" Iroko clapped and laughed. I took my shoes off, not bothering with Iroko's. That is a battle I wasn't planning on having when it was time to leave. I walked into the kitchen and laughed loudly.

Tayuya stood in the center of the room. Pupils constricted, eyes wild, hair violently violet.

"What the hell happened to you, cross dresser? Lose a fight to a bottle of hair dye?" I called loudly. She whipped around, mouth already open in retort. I raised a finger and pointed to the wide-eyed toddler. She bristled but controlled herself.

"The terrible twins have been taking pranking lessons with our dear clan leader. They thought that dying my hair a 'cool' blue color would be awesome. They forgot that red and blue make purple! Those fuc- friggin shi-twerps are going to be my latest experiments for my illusions." She growled out.

"I see. It seems they've also been taking lessons from Naruto on stealth and evasion. That, or you just suck." I smirked.

"Listen here you girly looking shit head! I'm goin-"

"Tayuya Uzumaki! You do NOT talk like that to Lord Kenta! Especially when there is a toddler in the room!" Honoka's disapproving tone sounded from behind me. I turned around, flashing a bright smile. Karin was hot on her heals, a glare of her own in place.

"But! He! GAH! I'm going to train!" Tayuya said in annoyance. She turned on her heels and was about to head towards her room before she turned around once more. Her irriation momentarily displaced by a neutral expression. "Hey. Kenta. What you and your family did for Naruto… Erm. Thanks." Her cheeks reddened and she was beating a hasty retreat. I stared after the girl. I turned back to Honoka and Karin only to be quickly smothered by two mops of crimson hair.

"Hugs! Hugs!" Iroko cheered loudly. Hands reaching out for the two girls. The two girls pulled back after that. Karin a bright blush on her face, Honoka crying tears of joy.

"She's right, Lord Kenta. Naruto has been over the moon for the last week. You and your family. Well, I speak for all of us when I say the Yamanaka will always have an ally with the Uzumaki." Honoka's emotional declaration finshed. A thought instantly popped into my head.

"Shall we draw up a formal alliance on that, then?" I asked with a grin in place.

Honoka's eyes widened momentarily before her smile returned. "Yes. Yes I do believe we shall. Our clan is small, yes. But our power is still there. Allying ourselves to one of the six noble clans will be a solid move. It will cement our loyalty to Konoha, as well as give our voice a little more 'oomph' in the meetings with some of the smaller clans who doubt the Uzumaki."

The clan was still pissed at me, rightfully so. I did call them pathetic. This should go a little ways towards repairing that damage. "I'll talk to Uncle and have him set up a meeting time. You're acting clan head until Naruto turns 21, right?"

The Konoha Shinobi council was strange. Upon obtaining the rank of Chunin, the village saw you as a legal adult. It didn't matter if you were six or sixteen. The council though wouldn't allow a member to sit in place of their clan unless they were at least 21. It didn't matter if they were a genin or jonin. The council advised the Hokage. Age was the requirement they needed. Don't ask me, I didn't write that charter. I knew twelve year olds that were wise beyond their years, and forty year olds who acted like they were twelve. Until the head turned 21, someone of age from the clan was put forth to represent them.

She nodded. "Now that Naruto is home, I've been dragging him to the meetings. I also make sure that we discuss all the decisions we make. Naruto isn't dumb, despite what people think, though I know you know that first hand. However, he can be a bit… rash, still, in some of his thoughts and actions. I'm hoping that within these four years I can at least give him enough to not be eaten alive by those sharks."

Speak of the devil and he shall appear. "Kenta!" Naruto cried out and bull rushed me. I held up Iroko like the meat shield he was. Naruto halted in his tracks and his eyes lit up. "IROKO!" Naruto grabbed the toddler and began to cuddle him.

"Nawto! Miss you!" Iroko's happy cries sounded.

"And I missed you, you little cutie!" Naruto's equally enthusiastic reply came. He turned to us. "Whatcha guys talking about?"

"Well I came here to inquire about a seal, but Honoka and I were just talking about a formal alliance between our clans." I smiled at the sight of Naruto cuddling my baby, correction, our baby brother.

"That's an awesome idea! I approve! Honoka, lemme know when you wanna discuss this further. I'm gunna take Iroko out back with the other kids. Later! Lemme know if you need anything!" And with that Naruto bounded out of the room, Iroko on his shoulders laughing like a madman.

"He's so good with the kids. They all love him. Even Stadie is coming out of her shell day by day." Honoka said in a voice full of pride. "Now then, you said you had a question about seals?"

"I did. Do you know anything about 'soul seals?' I was talking with Sasuke yesterday and remembered that Naruto's grandmother had put on of them on me." I said, watching her face carefully and her chakra even more closely.

Success. Her chakra spiked. Excitement and anxiety warring with one another. "Lady Korinna put a soul seal on you?! Which one! I've only read about them! They're almost impossible to use and each one is very dangerous! Hold on!" She bolted from the room, leaving me alone with Karin.

"How are you doing, Miss Karin? Konoha treating you alright?" I asked politely, attempting to engage the Uzumaki I knew the least about.

"O-oh. Um. Yes. I like it here. Much better than Kusa. They were…" Her chakra became fearful and enraged.

"What did they do to you?" I asked with a hard voice.

She shook her head. "Not so much me, but my mother. They… they killed her."

I frowned, her words reopening the fresh wound of my own. "I see. Why did they do it?"

"She had a unique ability. One she passed down to me. Our chakra has even more incredible life-force than a typical Uzumaki. If someone were to bite us, their wounds heal almost instantly. They turned my mother into a machine. Forcing her to heal their wounded. Each time, it took a bit of her own life-force. One day, they took too much and her body couldn't recover." Her short story finished, her chakra was agonizingly sorrowful.

"They turned to you next to take her place?" I guessed.

She nodded. "They did, but then Naruto arrived a few months after and took me away from there. I travelled with their group for two years, getting trained in seals from Lord Jiraiya. It was… it was nice."

I smiled. "Naruto's got a good heart. Did he want to burn the entire village to the ground?"

She giggled. "Naruto AND Lord Jiraiya. Lord Kakashi had to drag them away once the paperwork for my release as a Kusa Kunoichi was completed."

I laughed loudly at that, the picture clear as day in my mind. I opened my mouth to speak but Honoka came barreling into the room. Arms laddened with scrolls and books. She threw them down onto the table, eyes bright with excitement.

"Oh this is… I've never heard of anyone having a soul seal. And one given to you by THEE Korinna Uzumaki?! Oh this is a wonderful day!" Honoka rambled excitedly.

I sat down at the table where she was sorting scrolls and books, Karin followed suit.

"Now, Lord Kenta, what was the name, if you know it, of the seal Lady Korinna placed on you?" Honoka asked while unrolling a scroll.

"Please, Honoka, no need for the Lord. It's weird. You all are my brother's family." I asked in a pleading tone.

"It wouldn't be proper. You are the Clan Head's nephew an-"

"Call me Lord Kenta one more time and you'll be joining Tayuya in her violet colored hair." I growled out.

She stared at me in shock for a few moments before a sly smile slid into place. "As you wish, Kenta. Just remember whom it is you are threatening. I can make your life hell with a just a few simple seals." She finished her threat with an impressive amount of bloodlust.

A bead of sweat rolled down my forehead and a cold sweat broke out on my back. "Of course. My apologies. I just…" I had no excuse.

She brightened up. "Apology accepted!" The bloodlust vanished. "Now. Seal. What was it?"

"It was called "Gift of the Lord of the Morning" I believe." I stated at once.

She gasped SUPER dramatically. And that was coming from me.

"Are you sure?!" She asked in hysterics.

I nodded. "100% sure. I can show you the memory."

She nodded her head so rapidly I feared she may snap her neck. "Yes please! Oooooh! Can you show me the entire memory? Lady Korinna is my idol! She is such a bad ass!"

I laughed at Honoka's excitement. So she could be just as excitable as the rest of her clan. I held out my hands and arched an eyebrow in question. She literally shot out of her seat and was next to me in an instant. I placed my hands on her forehead, activating the technique once more. This time, I started at the arrival of Lady Korinna all the way until Naruto collapsed.

The memories ended and I removed my hands from Honoka's head. I turned a quizzical look to Karin, eyebrow raised in question. She shook her head.

"No thank you. I barely know who Lady Korinna is. I'm sure big sis will tell me all about it." Karin politely said.

I shrugged and turned back to Honoka. She was blinking rapidly but a wide grin stretched her face.

"GAH! Lady Korinna is SO cool!" She squealed like Ino and Sakura used to do every time Sasuke's face so much as twitched. "Yosh! I will work even harder now to surpass her genius. If I cannot do it, I will punish myself with pain seals!" She declared loudly, an aboluste WAVE of déjà vu rolling over me.

"Honoka, have you ever met Rock Lee or Might Guy?" I asked.

"Who's that? A restaurant?" She asked absentmindedly.

I shook my head. "Never mind. Honoka, how old are you?"

"Twenty three. Why?" She asked, eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Would you ever date someone who's younger than you?" I asked with a wicked smile, plans formulating.