Chapter 23 ( bonus )

A month after the Kyuubi disaster.

Shikaku Nara: "Congratulations on your marriage, Sindbad."

Sindbad and Anko are standing, each wearing their own special kimono. Anko's is adorned with flowers, while Sindbad's is plain without decorations.

The wedding takes place at Sindbad's newly built house near the Uchiha clan residences, which fortunately haven't been relocated to the village outskirts as in the original story.

Only a very select few are present at the wedding, but they are the elite (leaders of the main clans and their friends).

Kurenai happily says to Anko, "Congratulations, Anko-chan. I hope your happiness lasts forever."

Anko, with a beautiful smile: "I hope so too."

The next morning, Sindbad wakes up to find Anko lying beside him.

Sindbad, happily to himself: "This was the happiest day of my life." He then smiles stupidly, remembering what happened last night.

Anko weakly opens her eyes to find Sindbad staring at her, then she suddenly feels pain and weakly says, "Go to hell." Sindbad laughs proudly in response.

Sindbad picks her up.

Anko, with dead eyes: "-----"

Sindbad: "What? Don't worry, we'll go make breakfast."

After breakfast.

Sindbad suggests: "What do you think about a trip to the Fire Capital and then to Kumo?"

Anko, curious: "Do you think Kumo will leave us alone after what you did to them in the war?"

Sindbad, proudly: "You should have seen me beat the crap out of the current Raikage."

Anko, curious, holding an egg sandwich: "So, when do we leave?"

Sindbad: "Today."

Anko nudges him with her foot: "And how am I supposed to walk in my condition?"

Sindbad: "Don't worry, my dear. I'll carry you from here to Kumo."

Anko blushes, imagining Sindbad carrying her like a princess.

Sindbad jumps from tree to tree, carrying Anko over one shoulder like a carpet.

Sindbad: "How do you like the trip?"

Anko elbows him in the head as veins burst in her forehead: "Damn you! I never imagined you'd carry me like this." Sindbad responds with lots of laughter.

Sindbad: "Get ready, I'm going to speed up a lot."

Anko: "Wait—" She is surprised by the sudden increase in speed.

After a while, they arrive at the Fire Capital. Sindbad puts Anko, whose hair is now disheveled, down from his shoulder.

Sindbad: "Here we are."

Anko, breathing heavily: "I... saw... my life flash before my eyes... over and over again."

Sindbad, smiling: "Welcome to the Fire Capital."

They spend a week exploring every inch of the city, ending up spending a million ryo on the trip.

Anko, worried: "Are you sure it's okay to spend all this money?"

Sindbad, smiling: "Don't worry, this is a small part of what I got from the war. Plus, the Shimura, Mitokado, and Utatane families gave me most of their money willingly. These people are very generous."

Anko, with a sweat drop on her cheek: "You mean you threatened them."

Sindbad: "Of course not, they just made a deal with me."

Anko: "Their lives in exchange for most of their possessions, right?"

Sindbad, blowing smoke off a takoyaki ball in his hand: "I love you so much because you understand me."

Anko, eating her takoyaki: "It's very delicious but not as good as dango."

Sindbad looks at her.

Anko, puzzled: "What?"

Sindbad: "I'm now sure that I want to have children with you." Anko blushes so hard that steam comes out of her.

After two weeks of comfortable walking and camping in the wild, they finally reach Kumo, where they are stopped by several Kumo Anbu on the road, who look at Sindbad with hostility.

Sindbad, trying to break the tension: "Come on, don't be so hostile, you Kumo scum."

One of the newly appointed Anbu: "Damn you!" He tries to attack Sindbad, but his commander stops him by force.

The Anbu squad leader: "Shut up, you fool! You don't know who we're facing." He recalls the number of deaths and the destruction Sindbad caused. "I can't believe you're still alive."

Sindbad, happily: "Of course, I'm better than the Third Raikage who died from just 10,000 insects. As you know, insects will always be insects no matter how many there are."

The veins on the Anbu leader's forehead burst from anger, but he doesn't respond.

After a while, the Fourth Raikage and B arrive.

The Raikage, angrily: "What are you doing here?"

Sindbad, smiling: "I'm here for my honeymoon."

The Raikage looks into Sindbad's eyes, then says, resignedly: "Alright."

Sindbad, shocked: "Just like that?"

Raikage: "It doesn't matter what I say, you won't listen. But know that there will be Jonin accompanying you."

Two days after returning from their honeymoon.

Sindbad, during breakfast: "It's time for me to leave."

Anko, sadly: "Yes."

Sindbad: "Don't be sad. It's not like I won't come to check on you from time to time."

To be continued in the next chapters...