Chapter 10: H
Chapter 270:
Temari finds it disturbingly funny the blond would ask that when her
mission is to guarantee he falls in love with her by fucking him like a
common whore. Showing a hint of sadness, even using melancholy
thoughts of Daimaru-kun to make it feel genuine, Temari answers, "I
will do my duty to our village."
"As it should be," Koharu slowly voices from the side of the room.
Naruto seems oblivious of her importance as he quickly asserts, "not
when it comes to who you marry, baa-chan. That's insane," he huffs
and rather than being reprimanded by the council, they simply sigh as
the Hokage agrees with a humming nod. To Temari, it's yet more proof
of how important Uzumaki-kun is to them as well as how much more
vital her success needs to be.
Speaking directly to Naruto, Temari expresses, "deep down, I'd very
much like to love who I marry."
"Then tell that to your tou-chan," Naruto points out. "You're his
daughter, which means you're super important to him. If you explain it
to him, I bet he'll support you."
Kankurō snorts and Temari quickly responds, "it would be… ideal if that
were the case, Naruto-kun. However, our honored father, and by
extension, his children, must do what's best for the village. The people
we protect must always come first."
"Your father must be very proud," Hiruzen voices, patting Uzumaki
before he can protest uselessly again.
"I like to believe so," Temari voices before adding, "but he is also
considerate. It's why I'm here." Forcing blood to rush to her cheeks in
hopes of appearing embarrassed, the sandy-blond kunoichi continues,
"you see, despite the needs of the village and the candidates that
achieve that end, he has honored me with the option of entering a
candidate of my choosing."
"I see," Hiruzen says, and to her surprise, Naruto adds, "I don't."
Trying to move him along, Temari explains with more patience than
necessary, "in an omiai process, the participants chosen for the
potential to be married to me are called candidates. Kazekage-sama
will serve as my omiai's Nakōdo and he already has a candidate that
would greatly help the village."
Naruto's confused face alerted her before his voice asks, "Nakōdo?"
"The Nakōdo serves as the go-between between myself and the
candidates, assisting in research, introduction, and the details behind
the final decision," she answers him to his satisfaction. "With his wide
range of influence and intelligence, my honored father will research
and choose the candidates for me, however, because he does care for
me, he was gracious enough to allow me to offer a candidate of my
own for his approval."
Turning to the flummoxed Naruto with a bemused smirk, Hiruzen asks
Temari, "and you would like Naruto-kun to be your candidate?"
Trying to add as much blush to her cheeks and neck, Temari nervously
professes, "yes, I would, Hokage-sama."
"Whaaaaaaa," a wide-eyed Naruto utters in continuance before
breaking out of his stupor to point out, "b-but you don't- I mean, we
don't even know each other, so, so, how can you l-love me-"
"In time, I may fall in love with you," Temari interjects. As this is the
riskiest part of her plan, she delicately explains, "I want to submit
Naruto-kun because, aside from Gaara, he's the strongest genin I've
ever seen and strength is important, not only to me but to my honored
father, the Nakōdo for my Omiai and Kazekage. Submitting Naruto will
allow me to get to know him as a person and if he shows his strength
to the crowd during the final test of the exams, my father may delay or
end the process with his candidate."
Temari bows deeply and her voice has as much sorrow and hope as
she can artificially muster. "I know I've professed to do my duty for my
village, for our people, and I would like to believe that I will, however, if
at all possible, I'd like to avoid that inevitable union with a stranger for
as long as I can. I apologize, Hokage-sama, Naruto-kun, I know I'm
abusing your kindness and using you—I must seem so selfish to ask
this—but until I saw Naruto fight his teammate in the prelims, I fully
expected to be married off immediately after the Chūnin exams. After
he defeated Uchiha-kun, I knew it had to be him."
"Would your Kazekage not see this as a betrayal," Koharu asks,
looking directly at Baki-sensei.
At Temari's nod, Baki extends an official scroll to no one when a
masked guard of the Hokage appears from the ceiling and takes the
scroll before disappearing again. After five seconds the masked shinobi
appears beside Hiruzen and presents the secured scroll. The wait as
Hiruzen applies his chakra to reveal the formal letter her father
personally wrote.
"My honored father approves," Temari answers. "In that letter, Hokage-
sama, you'll find his words explain how he would rather I marry who I
choose, if not outright love, however, due to the pressures of his office
by the council and the future of our village, he must marry me to the
son of a wealthy merchant if I cannot find someone suitable." Though
every bit of the story is a lie, it's an official lie backed-up and signed by
the authority of Suna's leaders, a document she can't wait to burn after
the success of their surprise attack.
As Hiruzen reads the letter Temari had convinced her father would
secure her plan, Temari adds for Naruto's benefit, "I'm not pressing you
to marry me anytime soon, Naruto-kun. It's true we don't know each
other, but, if we can agree to the process of Omiai and my father
convinces the elders that this is to the village's benefit, we can remain
engaged for years and at least get to know each other and each other's
family."
"Really," Naruto asks and she can easily pick up a hint of interest in his
voice.
"I don't believe Naruto-kun currently has a girlfriend," Hiruzen begins,
adding, "however, if he found someone he loves-"
"If he does, that's fine," Temari assures them, figuring that's where the
elder was heading. "I don't want to shackle Naruto-kun in any way. We
can be friends or date or whatever feels comfortable and still call it off
at any point."
Hiruzen then asks, "and would you prefer to announce publicly-"
"That won't be necessary, Hokage-sama," Temari assures them. "So
long as the necessary people know, that's all that matters."
Chapter 271:
The room then suffocates in apprehensive silence. Kankurō is very
stern, nearly angry, Naruto is looking over the letter her father wrote,
and the Third Hokage is introspective, turning in his chair before
standing to look out of the wide window. This is the brittle moment of
truth for Temari. She's laid out a reasonable need they can easily
facilitate without difficulty. She can then use the last three weeks of the
month to get close to Uzumaki without Konoha's interference and
manipulate him for their combined demise.
Though she worries in many different, yet, equally disturbing ways that
the orphan, and possibly pervert, Uzumaki Naruto will be her first
sexual partner, she can't think about that at the moment. This moment
needs to fall in her father's favor before she can allow herself to stress
about prostituting herself.
The room is tense and everyone seems to be waiting on the pensive
Kage and genin, however, no one expected a gigantic summon to
explode into existence via white puffy smoke in the far off distance.
Looking out of the large window, Temari's moss-green eyes widen in
surprise at the sight of a rusty-red toad wearing a large blue happi vest
in the distant forest. The mountain-sized amphibian with a dosu blade
at its hip towers over the tall forest surrounding Konoha and the ninjas
in the office can feel the tail-end of the earthquake it must've caused.
Despite the far range, Temari can see the giant toad blow out a large
cloud of smoke from its kiseru pipe as well as an orange and yellow dot
moving around on its head. From where Temari stands, however, she
can't tell what the dot is.
Hiruzen laughs his slow repetitive laugh, turning to Uzumaki who steps
beside the elder to see before snorting, "ha! I knew it!"
"Isn't that an interesting development," the Hokage voices before the
toad disappears in an enormous puff of white smoke.
Temari was nervous before the giant toad appeared and now she's
confused. Feeling like she's lost her grip on the direction of the dialog,
she reiterates in hopes she hasn't messed up her odds, "as the
Kazekage's only daughter, my father has allowed me to submit my own
candidate into the preliminary list. The selection process includes an
investigation phase of the candidate that requires I get to know
Uzumaki Naruto, which is important because I wish to submit him as
soon as possible. It has not escaped my notice that he is unique—
important to Konoha—and I do not want to cause any undue anxiety
between our allied nations."
"You're here to ask my permission," Hiruzen states returning to his seat
with an elated Naruto next to him.
"I am, Hokage-sama," Temari concedes. "I came to make my intention
clear. I'd like to spend time with Uzumaki-kun and get to know him. It
isn't an engagement, however, should everything proceed without
incident, I would like Naruto to be my husband." Naruto's eyes couldn't
get any larger. He even forgot to breathe until Sarutobi pats his back to
get him functioning again. After an awkward moment, Temari nervously
offers, "I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have…"
Hiruzen turns the option to respond to a perpetually stunned Naruto
and decides to ask instead, "would you be opposed to a chaperon?"
She would be opposed to it, however, that might tip them to an ulterior
motive. When Temari assures the elder leader she wouldn't, Hiruzen
turns to Naruto and responds, "if you're truly to become a clan head
and leader of people, I feel this would be a good opportunity for you to
learn weighing the options of a situation; the advantages and
disadvantages. So, I leave this decision to you."
"That is a mistake," Koharu voices from the side. "This decision is a
political one and must be made by the Hokage."
"He is too young to see the future ramifications of presently benign
decisions," Himura adds.
Seemingly snapping out of his stupor, Naruto tells them, "I am not. I
know Suna and Konoha will always be allies, I just… I didn't expect
this, is all." Though Temari mentally scoffed at his comment, when he
turned his attention on her again, she felt the decisive weight of the
moment. With her critical reservations of being a whore for her village
compartmentalized in an impenetrable box, the prosperity of her village
—of her father's ambition—is what mattered to Temari and she felt they
would rejoice when Naruto says, "I uh, guess. I mean I'm not really
thinking about marriage and stuff. There's a lot I have to do before any
of that."
"I feel the same way," Temari voices, hoping against hope she can get
away with just giving him hand-jobs or, at worst, blow-jobs.
"But," Naruto voices appearing as if it's difficult for him to think,
reaffirming her belief that she can never be attracted to someone with a
sub-par intelligence. Still, he seems to be expressing second thoughts
as he voices, "uh, if I can help…" Her hopes soon began to dash when
he eventually says, "actually, I don't really know what I'd be helping you
with. I mean, all that stuff you said about Omiai and your tou-chan
makes sense, but, what I don't get is you. I mean, I got the feeling you
liked really smart guys."
Temari hadn't expected him to make such an astute observation about
her and rushes to admit, "I can't say for certain why I like you." Though
a part of her easily sees Daimaru-kun in him. His brash, no-fear
attitude toward the world. Her childhood crush didn't have enough
sense to feel threatened by her father or brother… 'or too much
courage.' Shifting thoughts of her deceased affection, Temari blushes
to publicly confess, "you're different, Naruto-kun. Different from all the
other boys I've met. And all I can say to you is, I hope getting to know
each other will help us discover how much we can mean to one
another."
Chapter 272:
Hiruzen tells Naruto, "it wouldn't be too different from what my son,
Asuma, did for Tomoko-hime when she came to visit Konoha some
months back." It doesn't take Temari more than a second to realize
how that works in her favor as the elder continued. "Asuma was tasked
with representing the village as the princess' personal escort, however,
nothing happened that wasn't meant to happen."
"I'm sure we can be friends even if this doesn't work out," Temari
voices. "And of course, I'll still be grateful for your help. So, would it be
okay if I send my father a favorable response?"
"Well, I'm all for hanging out and being friends," Naruto honestly tells
her. "As for that other stuff, I still think you should be allowed to marry
who you want, when you want."
"That's kind of you to say," Temari voices. "If you like, we can talk some
more over lunch."
Turning to his Hokage, the elder nods his consent before Naruto tells
her, "sure. Just let me check to see if the boss is available."
As he crosses his fingers, that statement nor the clone he creates
make any sense to Temari. Additionally, the clone disappears almost
immediately after he created it, prompting Kankurō to look at her for a
hint of comprehension. Silence and confusion grow from the Suna-nin
in the room for many long moments until Naruto startles and blinks like
he's been pinched. This blond boy continues to surprise her as he
sadly voices, "aw man. He definitely wants to meet but he's not in our
dimension anymore."
NARUTO
The news with Temari was surprising, however, as Naruto traverses
through the elevated majesty of Mount Myōboku, he was more
enchanted than he had ever expected to be. Naru-nii did say no
amount of detail he recounted could ever be better than seeing it for
himself, and as ever, Naruto could only agree with his future-self.
Walking in front of a bewildered Jiraiya but behind the hopping sages
Shima and Fukasaku, Ma and Pa respectively, with the orange
Gamakichi riding on his head and the yellow Gamatatsu in his arms,
Naruto is in a daze trekking through the oily-warm lushness of the Land
of Toads.
The colorful floral of the tropical wilderness project every shade of
green with colorful petals and can be as small as a pebble or as tall a
building. Abundant fountains and waterfalls disperse folds of
featherlight mist in the atmosphere, watering the vegetation and
keeping his skin cool. The earthy scent is even stronger than the
forests around Konoha and the gentle breeze distributes murky mist
and pollen alike. Heart-shaped green leaves shade their trail from the
beautiful spring sun, creating greenish-yellow rays or rainbows that
make the land of the Toads seem magical. As the young and energetic
Gamakichi and Gamatatsu comment on the history of many of the
large and small toad statues they pass, Naruto is stunned by the jungle
beauty of it all.
While Naruto is falling in love with the beautiful landscape, Jiraiya had
to interrupt the younglings to ask, "na, ma, pa, we're nearly to the
temple. Can't you just tell me what this is about?" Turning his attention
to Naruto, Jiraiya comments, "and you, Naruto! Don't think you've
gotten out of explaining to me how you managed to summon
Gamabunta on your third attempt. Gamakichi and Gamatatsu I can
understand, but the chief Toad? Not even your father, the best student
I've ever had, could achieve such a feat so quickly."
Chuckling, Naruto returns with a smile, "I told you not to underestimate
me."
"We don't know much more than you Jiraiya-jo," Pa croaks. "Ōjiji-sama
only told us to expect you and pick up Naruto-jo the moment he
summoned Bunta-kun."
"You should be honored, boy," Ma tells Naruto. "Many before you have
had to wait months or years to hear Ōjiji-sama prophecy."
"A destiny has never been so clear," Pa adds and soon the group,
absent Gamakichi and Gamatatsu, find themselves inside a large
circular temple in the presence of the great toad sage. Mostly brown
with a faded white belly, the elder sage is as tall as a building with a
professor's hat with tassels on his head and a necklace with an orb that
has the word for oil on it. He sits on a pillow and the grand circular
room is filled with small and large Fūinjutsu scrolls.
When Ma and Pa take their place either side of their respected elder,
the wrinkly old toad leans forward, seemingly to look at the group
through his squinted eyes. "Today, I have called you for… Who are you
again?"
Naruto looks from Jiraiya back to the giant elder toad as Ma answers,
"this is Uzumaki Naruto. You summoned him, Ōjiji-sama."
"Jiraiya-jo is here too," Pa adds.
"Ho ho… of course," the frozen-faced toad laughs. Slowly, he turns his
squinted focus on Jiraiya before rotating to Naruto, and telling the
blond, "in my dream… there's a voice in your head… that is and is not
yours."
Ma, Pa, and Jiraiya quirk their brow at the divination while Naruto is
surprised the old super-sized toad knew about Naru-nii. For the past
week, Naruto's been relaying the details of the Thunder God technique
line by line. Thirty or so minutes a day without seeing Fūinjutsu is
taking longer than they thought, but, it won't be long now.
Gamamaru continues to slowly voice, "I have also seen… you will meet
an octopus."
"Huh? An octopus," Naruto repeats, wondering if it's the same octopus
Naru-nii told him about.
"The vision is cloudy… but I'm sure they are… octopus tentacles," the
tall elderly toad hums in agreement. His aged voice then adds, "and a
raccoon… a cat… a turtle… an ape… a horse… a slug… and a
beetle."
"Uuuuh, okay," Naruto groans in confusion. Naruto repeats the animals
in his head when Jiraiya steps forward, and with a high volume,
respectfully asks, "ne, Ōgama Sennin, are you well?"
"I am," the still toad answers.
"That makes less sense than usual Ōjiji-sama," Ma notes.
"All things make sense… under the right perspective," the elder sagely
explains to them. He perplexes his young toad sages further when he
reveals to Naruto, "in my dream, you will battle many eyes… blue eyes
I've long since seen… but red eyes as well… all with the power
capable… of destroying the world."
'Naru-nii wasn't kidding,' Naruto mentally remarks. Not that he felt he
was, however, to hear it from this old sage just makes it feel real. Up to
this moment, Zabuza, Sasuke, and Orochimaru have been the
strongest opponents he's ever had to fight, and he couldn't even pin
Orochimaru down. Naruto knows about Itachi, Obito, Pain and all of the
Akatsuki, and Madara are still out there. He knows about the war to
come and the lives that will be lost, and as anxious as that makes him,
he can feel support in Naru-nii, in Jiraiya, in his senseis, his friends,
and in himself. This is what being Hokage means and he's been
preparing for this his entire life.
"Do you understand, Uzumaki Naruto," the elder great sage says,
interrupting his thoughts.
Tilting stern and confident blue eyes on Gamamaru-sennin, Naruto
firmly replies, "yeah."
"Do you really," Jiraiya spouts, bending at the waist to look up at
Naruto sideways. "Care to explain that to us? You know far more than
you should, you're summoning like a pro; there's far too much that's
gone unexplained."
"Such is the uncertainty… of certainty," Gamamaru sagely orates.
Chapter 273:
Simply nodding at the revered toad, Jiraiya turns to Naruto and
expresses, "I know I haven't been around like I should've. I can blame
it on my destiny, on my writing, on my assignment for the village, but
more than all of that, I blame my fear. I've messed up a lot, Naruto, and
I don't have much of a right to ask this, but, will you tell how you went
from Dead Last to holding your own against Orochimaru?"
Out of curiosity, Naruto asks, "Ji-chan tell you all that?" His Godfather
nods. While he hates that he had to be horribly alone when he was
younger, especially when he did have family who could've been in his
life, he forcibly shoves those aching feelings to the side. They've never
helped him before, and that hate won't help him now. Taking a deep
calming breath, Naruto instead smiles as he's always done. He
remembers the people currently in his life and the people that will one
day be in his life, and Ero-sennin is someone he's been eager to meet
since Naru-nii first mentioned him.
Jiraiya isn't sure what to make of the boy's smile before Naruto begins
to explain, "I've been wanting to tell you since I first heard about you."
Turning to his toad instructors, Naruto shares, "I don't mind telling you
guys either, but you all have to swear you won't tell a soul about this. I
mean it. This is probably the biggest secret you'll ever hear."
Standing up straight and nodding to Naruto like an equal, Jiraiya
affirms, "I promise," as do the toad sages.
Naruto asks Pa, "is this place secure?"
Fukasaku hops over to the wall and activates one of the best Fūinjutsu
privacy seals Naruto has ever seen. The alignment and distribution of
tasks were incredibly efficient and multi-layered similarly to a double
helix. He was so impressed with the glowing seals on the walls, Naruto
nearly forgot what he was going to disclose. Jiraiya clears his throat
before Naruto then explains the key points about Naru-nii, the future
that was described to him, the villains that will cause it, and the training
he needed to learn to defend the world from that outcome. Most of his
story is simply the broad strokes, however, Naruto is more delicate
when he reveals how Jiraiya dies and by whose hand.
"I know it's a lot," Naruto continues. "I've had months to get used to it,
but so far, everything Naru-nii told me—everything I was able to
change because of him—has been true."
"That's…" Ma utters to silence, followed by Pa's, "mmn," as they eye a
shaken Jiraiya. The well-built man was eerily silent throughout, head
down with furrowed brows and slumped shoulders. His eyes seemed
vacant, as if searching the memories of his past for any sense of this
future and how he contributed to it.
"Ho, ho, ho," Gamamaru slowly laughs. "Even at my age… I can still
feel humbled."
"Don't be," Naruto tells the great toad. "It's not like I can actually predict
the future or anything. I just got the best cheat array." Turning to Jiraiya
as he processes the magnitude of everything Naruto confessed, the
blond continues, "part of the reason why we wanted to tell you isn't just
because you're family and we want to protect you. Naru-nii and I also
want you to do something." It was part of their brainstorming sessions.
Neither Narutos like it but they can't deny it makes a lot of sense.
When Jiraiya's eyes seem to return to the present, Naruto tells him,
"we think you should talk to Nagato. I'll talk to him too, no doubt, but I
can't right now. On top of that, Nagato doesn't know me, he hasn't
killed you, and I haven't beat him. None of what happened before has
happened yet, so I can't be sure I'll change his mind unless I tell him
about Naru-nii."
Jiraiya's voice is strong, nearly desperate when he finally orders
Naruto, "no one must know about this connection you have."
"Agreed," Pa seconds with Ma's firm nod.
"You must never tell anyone about your insight into the future," Jiraiya
further adds. "And I'll see Nagato. I have to." At the deep concern on
Naruto's face, the white-haired elder pats him on his blond head as he
assures his Godson, "don't worry about me. Now that I know Pain's
fighting capabilities, it's less likely he can defeat me-"
"Kill," Naruto interjects. "He killed you. I may not know you as well as
my future self got to, but just like Haku, I already know I don't want to
lose you. Believe me, I'd be on my way to Amegakure if it wouldn't
cause a ruckus with everyone here."
Comprehending the dilemma, Jiraiya remarks, "you know more
because of your Naru-nii, but you're also restricted by what can and
can't reasonably explain." The stoically worried Naruto doesn't care
about that though and Jiraiya huffs in amusement. "I promise you,
Naruto, I'll come back. I'm done making mistakes, and, you need a
reasonable line of intelligence you can blame the things you know on.
Stay here, learn sage mode and protect Konoha during Suna's
invasion."
"We'll teach ya right up," Ma declares with Pa's nodding hum.
"Gerotora," the great elder sage calls. Naruto didn't know who the giant
toad was talking to until Jiraiya claps his hands together and summons
a long black and orange toad with dark markings under its eyes and
around its mouth. Its abdomen seems to be a scroll until the scroll-toad
shrinks to a dog-sized amphibian. Gamamaru explains to the group, "I
have foreseen… your transfer to Naruto as well."
"Ōjiji-sama," Pa respectfully bellows with concern. "Gerotora is the key
to Tetragram's seal itself. Will it be alright to give it to Naruto-jo?"
"All is as it will be," the elder sagely sounds.
With that, no other objections were raised and Gerotora extends his
abdomen before unrolling the contract key to Naruto's seal. As Naruto
walks up to the unfurled scroll, coating his fingers in his blue chakra,
Jiraiya explained the Yondaime's intent to eventually give Naruto free
access to the key and stresses caution. Nodding to his Godfather,
Naruto taps his five fingers against the squared-off chakra segment of
the Fūin contract before the unsavory frog then struggles to squeeze
its way down his throat. They spend the next hour detailing a decent
plan for the coming weeks before Ma and Pa show Naruto where his
father had buried his Hiraishin no Jutsu Fūin scroll.
Beside a spiral column, under a tall statue of a frog no different than
the other statues he's seen, rests the only thing of his father's he
knows exists. Naruto had the great pang of longing and his hands were
on the statue, ready to hoist it out of the way and dig for his father's
legacy but he stops himself at the last minute. Holding onto the statue
turns into a hug and he closes his eyes to fondly remember the only
conversation he's ever had with him. After many mournful minutes,
Naruto steps away from the closest thing to a burial plot of his father he
has and claps his hands together.
With Ma, Pa, and Jiraiya respectfully looking on, Naruto prays in
silence. He offers them his gratitude for saving his life. He confesses
his deep dismay that they're not with him. He recites his adventures
with Naru-nii. Finally, he promises to make them proud and do
everything in his power to not only save the shinobi world, but
somehow, his divine big-brother as well.
Chapter 274: Hope Vs Experience
KURENAI
Sitting comfortably on Kurenai's couch, cups of tea and an empty box
of dango on the coffee table, Kurenai just finished explaining last
night's dinner with Naruto, Karin, and Hinata. Kurenai remained silent,
waiting on her pensive friend.
The choice to remain silent was finally broken with a short snicker.
Slumping her shoulders, Kurenai exhales as her dearest friend
gradually chuckles louder. The erotic kunoichi manages to yell, "are
you fucking shittin' me?!" before laughing out loud. The dark-haired
woman leans back, holding her gut as she laughs for several long
minutes, till she's leaking from her eyes and hurting from her jaw and
abdomen.
"Anko," Kurenai eventually groans.
She can't completely stop snickering, however, she calms down
enough to apologize. "I'm sorry, babe," she says. "It's just- come on!
The same fucking thing? The same situation twice in one year? It's
insanity! Asuma had to be the escort for that bitch-princess and now
Naruto has to escort the Kazekage's daughter!"
"It's not funny," Kurenai groans around rubbing her frustrated face.
"And it's not the same-"
"You have to tell him," Anko interjects rubbing the laughing-tears from
the corners of her leaking eyes.
Shaking her head with some confusion, Kurenai asks, "tell who what?"
"Oh don't even try to spin that nonsense with-"
Kurenai cuts in, "it's not nonsense-"
To which Anko easily cuts in, "I'm not an idiot-"
Leading Kurenai to interject, "I didn't say you were but don't just
assume-"
"You're falling for him! For Naruto," Anko yells, silencing Kurenai. "Why
else would this bother you enough to tell me? Because you're like,
really and properly falling-"
"I'm not-"
"You are," Anko maintains. "You are, and stop bullshitting a bullshitter."
Kurenai begins to say, "I…" however, can't quite separate her thoughts
from her emotions and it's unclear to her what she wants. It still
amazes her that Naruto can matter this much to her; that she's truly
considering a public and committed relationship with him. But it's not
what's expected of her. What if it doesn't work? Would her father
approve? Would her Hokage approve? Is their relationship fine as it is?
Kurenai is bombarded with questions she can't answer without some
perspective. It's why she immediately called Anko. Exhaling, Kurenai
simply talks to her friend.
"Anko, I know for sure I love parts of him and really really like all of
him," Kurenai begins. "He's just amazing, plain and simple. Someone
who's suffered so much for so long and still cares that much about his
village is almost impossible to imagine in our world, but I see it in him
every day. He's handsome and strong… really strong. In fact, I'm fairly
certain he can be promoted to a special-Jōnin on his Fūinjutsu acumen
alone."
"That's hilarious," Anko quips with a snort. Having read the genin's
jacket, Anko knows a great deal about the blond and comments,
"Uzumaki Naruto, the dead last of his class being bumped up to the
brain sect with all the other geniuses. Kami, who would've thought,
eh?"
"He's just full of surprises," Kurenai replies. Blushing, she honestly
adds, "and the sex… it's, well, otherworldly. He's a beast and I can't
keep up anymore."
"Mnn, do tell," Anko seductively voices with a coy grin.
Ignoring her friend's lewdness, the raven-haired beauty speaks, "there
are so many reasons why he's great, but that's not love; not romance.
When Asuma and I were together, every day was pure joy. I felt so
loved and beautiful and energized and smitten and nothing in this world
seemed insurmountable so long as I loved him and he loved me."
Earnestly, Anko asks her confused friend, "and you don't feel the same
for Naruto?"
"No," Kurenai sadly answers.
"I guess I'm screwed then," Anko huffs.
Focusing her curious gaze on her friend, Kurenai asks, "what do you
mean?"
Anko prefaces her answer by asking a question. "Does that mean you
can't love Naruto or someone in a different way?" Kurenai isn't sure
how that relates until Anko further explains, "what you just described
when you and Asuma were together is the type of love I hear all these
young bitches gush about like it's the single most amazing thing in the
world. Not that I'm knocking you for it, but, five, six years ago, you were
the same. That's romanticism and if that's the only way to have that
long-haul love, then I'll never find someone because I can't stomach
shit like that."
"It's not the only way to love someone," Kurenai admits. With
considering, the red-eyed Jōnin states, "your love will be different from
my love but that certainly doesn't say you can't wake up every day just
thrilled to be alive, in love, and full of hope."
"I get that," Anko agrees, adding, "and that sounds nice."
"It is," Kurenai assures her.
However, Anko's face winces as she slowly affirms, "a little too nice."
Tilting her head so her lush ebony hair slides farther along her
shoulder, Kurenai groans, "Anko…"
"No, babe," Anko protests. With animated hands and a head full of
steam, Anko argues, "I like the sound of that, really, I do, but, rhetorical
question here; who's dick is currently fucking you into high heaven?
Are you going to blame not currently being with Asuma on timing,
circumstance, or your careers? As if things like that are strong enough
to erode that life-long pure joy?" With racing thoughts, Kurenai remains
silent and Anko continues to say her piece. "In my rather humble
observation, a long-lasting healthy relationship needs more than just
that frilly love or, by definition, it's not as strong as it can be. It's like you
tell your brats, you need more than one skill up your sleeve or you
don't make it in this world. You love Asuma but as great as your love
was, as much joy as you had, you aren't together. You guys didn't have
the… whatever else you needed to get that mission success."
Kurenai felt judged and sidelined, but disregarding her knee-jerk
emotions, she listened to the blunt words for what they were and
respond, "I'm not trying to be argumentative about this, but, I felt like
Asuma and I had more than love. We were friends first and have a
working relationship." Thinking about his life as the Hokage's son and
the string of loveless relationships he's had, Kurenai admits, "I knew
we were different, but I'm telling you, I felt we understood enough to
make our love work."
Chapter 275:
"You're not alone. We all did," Anko remarks, shuffling closer to her
upset friend. "If you forgave him for the bitch princess, I'd even say
you'd more than likely be together by now, maybe pop out a kid in a
couple of years… or maybe not."
"I remember how certain I was that my heart belonged to him," Kurenai
sadly recalls, falling further into her clear memory banks. "Even now, I-
my heart still wants him more than anyone."
"I know, Babe," Anko sympathizes, taking ahold of her friend around
the shoulder for a firm supportive hug. "You've been distracting yourself
with your team and with Naruto, but I think it's been long enough. It's
time to put on your big-girl panties and come to terms you can live with.
I mean, when stuff doesn't work out, most of us want there to be
meaning behind it, but whether there is or isn't, you gotta figure if this is
just a holding pattern, or, is this the new you."
"Being precedes essence," Kurenai softly recites into Anko's strong
nape.
"Come again," Anko curiously asks.
"It's a concept of existentialism," Kurnai lazily answers, enjoying the
comforting embrace of her friend. "It boils down to having a choice
even when we're under the illusion that we don't."
"Kami, you're such a nerd," Anko happily huffs, easily adding with a
pinch of her shirt-covered nipple, "a super hot nerd."
Pushing away, Kurenai laughs. "Ever since my father, I've always been
independent, and with Asuma, I truly felt in my heart I could finally
devote myself to another man again… but now… after everything
Asuma and I have been through… and Naruto… it's like choosing
between experience and pragmatism or love and hope."
"Sounds shitty," a nodding Anko agrees before asking, "how many
times have you guys broken up?"
"Ugh, three times," Kurenai shamefully admits. "The first one was when
he didn't know how serious I felt about him. He thought we were just
having fun."
"It's hard to give up the bachelors' life," Anko mumbles her
commentary.
"Second time was after our fight about him giving up being a field
ninja," Kurenai stresses aloud.
"Oh, yeah," Anko recalls with a hum. "You wanted him to be the Head
of the Sarutobi Clan?"
"Sandaime-sama wanted it as well," Kurenai argues, making it clear
she wasn't forcing Asuma into it. "And it would've been safer."
"That's true," Anko chimes, taking a sip of her cool tea. "The third one
was… oh, yeah, he wanted you to stay home; cook, clean, and pump
out baby after baby."
"We both wanted different things," Kurenai slowly supposes. "To do,
and be, more for the village."
"Does Naruto care what you do?"
"He just wants me to be safe and happy," Kurenai affirms. "…he said
he'd always protect me," she shyly adds with a repressed grin and
slightly blushing cheeks.
"Look at you all giddy and girly," Anko teases, poking at her friend.
"Kami, that's so disgustingly cute. Making me wish I fucked him first."
Wide-eyed, Kurenai yells, "Anko!"
Raising her hands into an X, Anko calls out, "alright, no B.S, no
judgment, no one but you and Naruto. Just brutal, ugly, uncomfortable
truth…" Kurenai's anxiety amped up in the short pause before Anko
asks, "can you love- can you be happy with Naruto?"
For a solid two minutes, Kurenai sat in silence, staring at nothing, deep
in thought, and blank in expression until her cheeks blush red and
plops her face in her hands, as if defeated. Anko was nice enough to
withhold her laughter and just smiled broadly.
NARUTO
With his eyes closed, the sound of a falling stream of water splashing
into a tranquil pond felt no different than the flow of natural energy
fusing with Naruto's expanse of chakra. Naruto felt at peace molding
with nature like the purity of serenity. Everything feels in line with how
Naru-nii had described the feeling and he was ready for the substantial
increase in his strength when a horribly rigid club whacks Naruto hard
against his skull.
"Oww," Naruto yells as Pa huffs, "alright," dripping with sweat. "Break
time."
Wincing while he rubs his head, Naruto complains, "but I can keep
going," as Pa smacks the five clones Naruto has meditating near the oil
into puffs of white smoke.
"Well I most certainly can't, ma boy," Pa responds, wiping his brow of
sweat. "We've been at it all morning and you're doing phenomenally
well. I assume your future self gave you some insights as to how it's
supposed to feel."
"He did," Naruto replies before adding, "but so did the Kyūbi," with a
smack to his stomach.
Nearly gasping, he asks, "truly?"
"Yup," Naruto enunciates with a hard P. "He said since all bijū are half
nature and half something else, I've been exposed to it for a long time."
Curious thick and gray brows draw together as Pa asks, "something
else?"
"He wouldn't say," Naruto asserts with a shrug. "But he said all the bijū
have an affinity for natural energy, which is probably why it doesn't feel
all that impossible for me."
"There's some logic there, and if true, that's quite the benefit for you,"
Pa hums. "Let's grab some grub. Ma's cooking the good worms for you
today."
His stomach lurches at the thought of eating more of Ma's worm soup.
Smiling politely, Naruto shyly admits, "you know, I can just wait for you
here- AH!"
Raising his brow in concern, Pa asks, "what?"
"Naru-nii is here," Naruto gratefully declares. "I should…"
"Of course, of course," Pa chimes with a wave of his webbed feet. "Tell
him we say hello and thank you."
"Will do," Naruto responds before taking his mediation pose and
mentally greeting, 'yo! Perfect timing. I nearly had to eat more of Ma's
cooking!'
Naruto can almost sense his future counterparts need to hurl,
sounding, 'Ugh… the worms,' across Naruto's mind. 'I'm here for ya
man,' Naru-nii sternly promises.
'They say hello by the way,' Naruto readily passes on.
'Cool,' Naru-nii comments. 'It's weird how other people know about me
now.'
'I know,' Naruto agrees, shifting in his stone seat. 'Ero-sennin actually
took it pretty hard but I think he's better now. I can't tell if it's a good
thing or not. Makes me wonder about who else we should tell.'
'Yeah, same here, but I think coming clean is for the best,' Naru-nii
slowly and objectively voices. 'Doing this by ourselves doesn't feel
right, which only means that some people need to know.'
'Here's hoping,' Naruto mumbles.
'We gotta talk about the Hiraishin,' Naru-nii proclaims. Naruto perks up
as his future self adds, 'not sure if we have enough time though, which
is pretty funny.'
Chapter 276:
Naruto chuckles at the irony of not having enough time to talk about a
time extending technique before asking, 'what's up?'
'So, you know the time expansion at the heart of the contract? Not the
chakra imitating gravity part-"
As a bird lands on his shoulder, Naruto mentally asks, 'the equation?
T=To/√1-V²/C²?'
'Yeah,' Naru-nii answers before further adding, 'breaking down the guts
of this tech doesn't quite fit with how Tou-chan described it.'
'You know,' Naruto hums recalling that odd feeling. 'At the time I was
just super stoked to be talking to Tou-chan so I hadn't noticed, but
when I was repeating it back to you, I did think something wasn't
adding up. I'm pretty sure I wrote it out right.'
'Yeah, you did,' Naru-nii assures him. 'Looking over it, it should work
fine. It's just how tou-chan worded it that threw me a bit.'
'What'cha got?'
'Nothing too difficult,' Naru-nii answers. Like a gut instinct, Naruto
doesn't need to really think when he hears Naru-nii orate with technical
accuracy, 'T, which is time, equals To, which is the time recorded on
earth, over √one minus V², which is velocity-squared, over C². C is,
obviously, the speed of light, which is then squared.'
Nodding in total understanding, Naruto allows his intuition to speak the
pictures in his head, easily plugging in, 'T is the time I move in relative
to others. To is the time recorded of the people on the earth, which is a
relatively slower velocity than me. V is the velocity of the earth. C is the
speed of light.'
'Right,' Naru-nii agrees before voicing, 'so, if I need your speed—T—
within the tunnel created by the gravity function to be faster than
everyone else's—To—outside the tunnel, then I need to solve for
velocity to make the speed you move at—relative to everyone else—
closer to the speed of light so that from your perspective, everyone'll
look like they're frozen.'
'Sounds like how I wrote it,' Naruto thoughtfully points out, easily
recalling the formula. 'There's also the gravitational function of the Fūin
contract which uses my chakra to create a hole in space-time I can
pass through—the tunnel—which is going to take a lot of chakra.'
'I think that's the info tou-chan was mixed up on,' Naru-nii voices with
mild concern. 'Like, I know he didn't have a lot of time to explain
everything, but he didn't even mention how you can make the distance
you 'teleport' feel shorter by adding more chakra to condense the
tunnel you're traveling through. Imagine how much easier it'll be
spending minutes inside the Hiraishin instead of hours to 'instantly'
'teleport' to Suna or somewhere far.'
'You think there's any chance I can see him again,' Naruto asks before
elaborating, 'you know, just to tell him?'
'Kami do I wish there was,' Naru-nii sadly confesses. A moment of
silence passes between the orphaned blonds before the future Naruto
adds, 'I never say never, but…'
'…Yeah,' Naruto agrees with a dour tone. Another bird lands on his
shoulder before he moves away from that sore ache in his heart. 'Um,
yeah, so, that gravity energy part is my chakra manipulating mass and
warping matter around me which lets me pass through solid objects
and space in an 'instant.''
'You got it,' Naru-nii agrees as if they're one mind. 'Basically, the laws
of nature say that Space is a three-dimensional spectrum that provides
us with length, width, and height. Time is the fourth dimension and
offers a forward direction to that spectrum, thus a space-time
continuum. Gravity is a curve in space-time, which means gravity can
bend time and space, so according to this Fūin contract, your chakra,
acting like gravitational energy, warps matter around you like a hole.'
'I wonder what the tunnel's going to look like,' Naruto casually muses.
'I'm imagining one of those funny mirrors, you know, the warped ones
that make everything look twisted or curved but more circular,' Naruto
postulates, tilting his head so the birds momentarily flap away before
returning.
'Same here,' Naru-nii chuckles. 'It'll be super heavy moving through
that tunnel so you'll really need to train your ass off if you don't want to
be crushed to death. The faster you can get through the tunnel, the
less chakra you need to use.'
With serious concern, Naruto exhales through his teeth and flapping
lips, sounding, 'psshhh, a lot of training is the bare minimum to
becoming Hokage, so I got this. But, considering what I'm up against, I
can't help but feel a bit green, you know?' Naru-nii hums in agreement
before Naruto adds, 'we're less than three weeks from the third task,
and even though Ero-sennin promised to stay for the invasion,
Orochimaru is crazy strong.'
Naru-nii pauses a second before doubtlessly asking, 'is that going to
stop you from fighting Orochimaru or anyone else who's stronger?'
'Hell no,' Naruto quickly asserts.
'I know,' Naru-nii calls out, further arguing, 'it's how we're wired. Look,
when you get back to Konoha, ask for help where you need it. There's
nothing we can't do when it comes to saving our special people.
Definitely ask Hinata-chan for pointers on shooting out chakra from
your tenketsu.' After Naruto's agreeable hum, Naru-nii adds, 'let people
help you because I know you're going to do everything in your power to
stop the invasion, stop Ji-chan's death, stop Gaara, and capture
Orochimaru.'
'It sounds insane when you say it out loud,' Naruto briskly utters.
'Life of a hero, dattebayo,' Naru-nii proudly proclaims. 'I have the
utmost faith in myself which means I have the utmost faith in you. As
much as you want to protect Iruka-sensei, Ji-chan, Team 7, Kurenai-
chan, Karin-chan, Haku-kun, on top of all our friends and sensei, they
definitely want to protect you too.'
'…You're making me want to train so bad right now,' Naruto mentally
admits feeling hot moisture form at the corners of his closed eyes.
'I know the feeling but don't burn yourself out,' Naru-nii warns. 'I've
passed out a few times going all out. It wastes more time than saves.
Actually, tell me what's been going on with you. We've been all about
the Hiraishin for a while, we haven't really talked.'
Happy and eager to oblige, Naruto begins by asking, 'out of curiosity,
did Temari-chan ever say she liked you?'
Naruto can't hear his future-self smack himself in the head, however,
he can imagine it before the older Naruto wearily challenges, 'you gotta
be shittin' me… another one?'
Chapter 277:
Fortunately, Naru-nii hadn't taken the sudden and astonishing
alternative development of Temari's Omiai too personally. Naruto had
explained signing a document diplomatically outlining everything they
had gone over in Ji-chan's office and how the relationship is nothing
more or less than what they want it to be. Naruto also told his future
ego how he's planning on using this opportunity to get closer to Gaara.
'If we don't have to fight,' Naruto mentally reasons, asking, 'that'd be
better, wouldn't it?'
'I guess,' Naru-nii capitulates. 'So long as you both truly understand
each other, then yeah; that's all that matters. It sucks about Temari's
dad making her do that though. How'd Ino-chan or Kurenai-chan react
when you told them?'
'I haven't had a chance to tell Ino-chan yet,' Naruto starts before he
further reasons, 'and I figure, with the invasion coming, there wasn't
much need to tell Nai-chan more than the escort story.'
'Ugh, I hate lying,' Naru-nii muses.
'Same,' Naruto emphatically agrees, nodding his head and
momentarily clearing his head of a resting bluebird before it lands on
his soft hair again.
As previously stated, Naru-nii makes certain that Naruto understands,
'you know I don't care if you tell Kurenai about me, right?'
Naruto answers with a droll certainty, 'I know.' Standing from the stone
platform bordering the pond, the blond begins stretching as he
explains, 'I want to, but with her, I think she'd prefer not to know…
unless ordered to. She's really big on covert intel gathering,
management, and dissemination. I can hear her voice now, telling me
how flattered she is that I trust her so much but how dangerous the
information is and how I need to be more responsible and words,
words, words. She's such an adult,' he finishes with a roll of his
humored eyes and a small smirk.
Chuckling a bit, Naru-nii comments, 'that's funny. Was she cool with the
escort thing?'
'She said she understands,' Naruto hesitates to admit. Thinking over
dinner with Kurenai, Hinata, and Karin, Naruto felt as if Hinata's and
Kurenai's reactions were lackluster. Karin seemed excited, however,
recalling Hinata and Kurenai's tepid feedback, Naruto responds, 'but it
didn't feel like she was okay with it. Plus, the skin between her brow
crinkles when she thinks too much about something that worries her.'
'Maybe it does worry her… or doesn't… I don't know,' Naru-nii huffs.
'You know I'm clueless about this kind of stuff. Though, I did gain more
insight into people when I mastered Kyūbi Sage mode. Maybe that'll
help you out.'
'Sounds sweet,' Naruto happily notes. 'How long do you think before I
master that?'
'Oh, not anytime soon,' Naru-nii quickly responds, making Naruto
grumble at the loss of instant gratification. 'Anyway, I'm about out…'
Lately, it's been getting harder and harder to leave Naru-nii for the day.
The more Naruto wants to help his important people in his timeline, the
more he wants his future self. Even though the only difference between
them is age, Naruto sees him more as a brother than his future self;
always watching out for him like he imagined brothers do. So with a
hint of melancholy, Naruto responds, 'thanks, Naru-nii. Tomorrow?'
'Tomorrow,' Naru-nii replies with determination.
After a quick chat with Kurama, the rest of his training on Mount
Myōboku went well. Naruto felt closer to tapping into the monstrous
might of the planet's spirit energy known as senjutsu chakra. After Pa
called it for the day, Naruto became eager to return to Konoha and
meet his appointments. With the sudden amount of connections in his
life, he felt a warm comfort at the thought meeting Karin to talk clan
business, Mabui to talk Fūinjutsu, Ino-chan to become centered,
Temari to learn more about her family, his team for comradery. As it's
been the past two days, Naruto is returned in a puff of white smoke
atop the stone monument of his father so he can gaze upon the lush
wonder of his home. Regardless of the village's hostility toward him, he
has more than enough people in his life to make this community a
home.
Creating three clones, one heads to meet Karin, another meets Mabui,
and the third meets with Temari while he visits Iruka before meeting his
team.
MABUI
"You continue to impress," Mabui gushes in genuine amazement. She
and Naruto are closing the numerous scrolls laid out on the table.
They've been meeting fairly regularly to discuss and practice Fūinjutsu
and though neither of them said it out loud, Mabui has become his
unofficial student. Mabui recognizes his brilliance and can't help but
ask him all sorts of questions about processes and procedures. With
two master's degrees, the silver-haired model feels like a student again
looking up to her young genius sensei.
Naruto blushes and waves her compliment away, chuckling, "thanks
but it's nothing."
Watching him seal all his materials in his a single scroll before
pocketing it in his back pounch, Mabui shakes her head, asserting, "it
most certainly is not nothing. You could be instructing the finest
Fūinjutsu masters."
Walking out of the Fūinjutsu section of the library, Naruto chuckles
before responding with, "well, right now, you're my only… student?
Which is beyond weird to think about!"
With her mission always in mind, Mabui tends to stay as close as
physically possible when they study, always leaning toward him when
she asks for help and as they exit the library to the wonderful daylight
and busy Konoha streets, she merrily bumps him with her shoulder.
Continuing to tease, Mabui asks as if wounded, "because I'm old?"
"If you're old then I must still be sperm," Naruto jokes, making light of
the small age difference between them. They walk to their usual bench
in the nearby park. Many kids play and chase each other and a few of
the men openly stare at Mabui's statuesque form in a fitted pencil skirt
and long sleeve gray blouse. As they take a seat, Naruto explains, "it's
weird because no one's ever thought of me like a sensei before."
"That can't be," Mabui asserts with confidence.
"It's true," the blond argues.
"If I may be candid," she voices in askance. With his nod, she pridefully
answers, "in all my years of study, you are one of the greatest
practitioners of Fūinjutsu I've ever met, and I used to rub shoulders
with the upper echelon of academics." Mabui doesn't mention how
hard it was to be in some of those parties or discussions and remain
professional. In fact, she's certain her fiance took her to many of these
gatherings because he knew she was a sapiosexual and would be
aroused the entire night. While Mabui wouldn't say intelligence is her
number one desirable trait in a partner—kindness to all and strength
also factor in—she knows how wet she can get when a genius is
blowing her mind with phenomenal expertise.
Chapter 278:
Naruto's explanations tend to have her warm and moist by the end of
their study sessions, though, fortunately for her, he's rather young for
her. Her fiance may have been thirty years her senior but there's
something about sexual relations with a boy ten years younger than
her that seems taboo. Even still, she enjoys her time with him as she
adds, "so, I find it incredibly difficult to believe you're not the most
influential name in the field of Fūinjutsu across the five nations."
"Wow, I wouldn't go that far," Naruto responds with a chuckle. Mabui
looks at him in earnest, to the point a doubtful Naruto has to ask, "…
are you being serious?"
"Of course," Mabui returns, fingers in her hair to keep in place as the
wind picks up. Mabui ignores the few men glancing at her seated, leg
crossed, as she readily informs the blond genius, "I should be calling
you Naruto-sensei."
"Stop it," he lamely gaffs. Looking at her as if she were crazy, Naruto
admits, "I may know a little more than you, but you're learning really
fast. You're nearly at the intermediate stuff and it's only been a week
since we met." When Mabui thinks about how many months she's
spent attempting to decipher a single Fūinjutsu, his comment doesn't
feel as flattering. She quickly becomes a mixture of aroused and
scared when he finishes, "I'm a hundred percent sure you'll figure out
that secret project you keep showing me in no time."
Surprised he could tell she's been sneaking segments of the old Fūin
scroll she inherited, Mabui's face braces as she hesitates to ask, "you
could tell?"
"Yeah," Naruto easily replies. She feels defeated when he adds,
"you've only snuck in three segments of the initial array but it's pretty
obvious they come from the same jutsu."
Cautiously, Mabui asks, "does it bother you that I'm keeping it a
secret?"
"No," he quickly assures her and it just touches her heart when he
reassures her, "I only want to help."
"Funny," Mabui enjoys saying, adding, "that's exactly what a sensei
would say." Naruto rolls his head back exhaustively and Mabui smiles
as she tells him, "I'd like to help you too. That is to say, I don't want you
to think I'm only using you for your intelligence."
"Add that to the list of things no one's ever said to me before," Naruto
blurts
"Well then, it's my honor to be your first," Mabui teases, tightening her
thighs together at the titillating thought of taking the virginity of a
genius. "Maybe if I know I've helped you, maybe with your love life,
then I'll feel more comfortable trusting you with my family's Fūinjutsu.
Have you asked either one of those girls about… You didn't ask, did
you?" The sour look washing over his face was answer enough.
With a spirit of failure, he huffs, "well… it's not an easy thing to ask!
How would you feel if your boyfriend asked you to be in a polyamorous
relationship with another girl?"
A sequenced flicker of reflected light tells Mabui that Samui is nearby
observing. With the stoic beauty near, Mabui knew there was only one
answer to that question. Despite her aversion toward the poly lifestyle,
Mabui knew she had to say whatever she needed to for the desired
outcome. Adopting a cute disposition, Mabui bashfully answers, "I'm
currently not dating anyone, but—and this is a big but—if the right man
asked me and the other girl turned out to be someone I can truly care
for, yeah, I'd consider it."
With squinted eyes, Naruto's jaw drops. Surprised throughout, he asks,
"really? Wait, you don't have a boyfriend?! But you're so gorgeous!
How's that possible?"
"First, thank you. That's sweet of you to say," Mabui genuinely
responds. Pushing the mental image of the confusion Darui brings her,
she articulates, "but yes, I'm currently single, and to answer your
question, selecting someone on the basis of appearance is superficial
and doesn't last long when conversation happens. Beauty can easily
lead to sex but that's no guarantee of building a meaningful
relationship, and on many occasions, it doesn't."
Mabui couldn't help but wonder about Darui. The green-eyed beauty
recalls their conversations perfectly and very little of the dialog has to
do with anything meaningful such as interests, philosophy, politics, or
future goals. Darui's very confident and forthright about his assertions,
however, her intuition tells her he's treating her exactly like any other
girl. Mabui doesn't feel special, and what's worse about feeling
ordinary, is her opinion of Darui. If her fiance were alive right now,
Mabui knows she'd drop Darui in an instant. Her first love is the new
gauge by which all men are now stacked against, and though Darui is
the highest thus far, he doesn't measure up.
Realizing she's never spoken about this aloud, Mabui tentatively takes
a minuscule moment for herself to enjoy the sun in the shade among a
lively village before she unburdens just a small portion of the baggage
she's been carrying about the man she's been secretly seeing.
Sincerely, she voices, "more often than not, a physical match doesn't
equate to an emotional one." Looking out into the park with parents or
villagers on the streets, Mabui proclaims, "when you consider the
majority of people are average looking, just because an exceptional
shape and size of a human can make us weak in the knees doesn't
mean the other less symmetrical or less fit are any less ideal. It's why
it's valuable to look beyond the physical."
Though feels like a hypocrite, Naruto nods in agreement as he adds,
"my sensei says that being really pretty can also be a problem because
their looks can make it hard for the average guy to approach them."
"Your sensei's right," Mabui wholly agrees. "On many occasions, the
only men that approach me are the players. Unfortunately, what they
want is so base and superficial and obvious, it's a complete turn off for
me. In truth, I often find myself remaining single for long periods."
Chapter 279:
Naruto nods in understanding before adding the opposite end of the
same dilemma. "But you can't be too approachable because the guy
who can only date you like that might get jealous easily and my sensei
thinks that's the most unattractive quality."
"Your sensei seems very wise," Mabui comments, appreciating how
attentive and studious Naruto is. In addition to identifying with
sapiosexuality, Mabui has also been affected but the student and
sensei relationship. She's always felt a strong bond with them. As an
adolescent girl escaping the dregs of her poverty-stricken family and
village, she understood that the role of a sensei is to provide her with
all the tools she needs to ascend to a better state of living. When she
had nothing, her sensei taught her to save herself, especially her late
fiance. Forcing away those sad thoughts, Mabui adds, "being
somewhat unapproachable helps to avoid insecure, clingy, controlling,
and overly protective men that I may otherwise date. So, yes, there is a
balance and it can be hard to navigate. Too sociable and you're just the
girl of the night. Too reserved and you're alone a lot."
"That must be tough for you," Naruto sympathizes. "What's your type…
or, I guess what I mean to ask is, what kind of guy would you be with
that might make you say yes to polyamory?"
"Mnn," Mabui sounds, tilting her head a bit to think before answering.
"I… this is a little embarrassing to admit but I'm attracted to men like y-
uh, men with many of your qualities." Nodding her head to his quirking
brow, she lists off, "handsome, funny, and above everything else
intelligent. I absolutely idolize intelligence."
"I don't see why that's embarrassing," Naruto wonders aloud. "Aren't
there a lot of handsome, funny and intelligent men out there?"
"I suppose that's a bit broad," Mabui admits. "However, I can't really
prescribe what might make me say yes. A man can have those
qualities in abundance and I could still say no, or yes. I guess it
depends on their character. I may come around to the idea of being in
a polyamorous relationship but the only way I can see that happening
is if the man at the center is worth it. I know it's not a definite answer
but that lifestyle is not something that just anybody can do. I suppose
the key component is a confident personality."
Curiously, Naruto tries to understand the sort of confidence needed by
asking, "like how I know I'm going to be the best Hokage of all time?"
"Precisely," Mabui agrees, wondering how likely it is he'll become
Konoha's strongest leader. "Just like that."
He ponders in thought a moment before he surprises her by asking,
"can you think of a way I might be able to practice this? So I can feel
more positive about asking a girl I'm interested in? I'm more of a
hands-on type of learner."
Mabui marvels at how innocent he appears despite genuinely asking
how to practice polyamory, as if he wasn't perfectly setting her up for a
way to subtly earn his favor and complete the mission. After spending
some time with him, she's certain Fūinjutsu is the only area he truly
excels at. As she's never seen him fight and only has Samui's short
description of his victory of the Demon of Hidden Mist, she can only
say with some degree of certainty that he's likely a very good combat
specialist as well. Other than those two positives, he's kind, respectful,
and trusting—a little too trusting. It's this blind spot of his that tells her
he truly wants a way to practice polyamorous relations and not outright
inviting her.
Still, this is to her advantage and Mabui responds, "well, I don't see
why not. I'll have to brainstorm ideas that have the highest possibility of
success. But I have to ask, is this a lifestyle you want to pursue?"
"Well," Naruto hums, creasing his brows in deep thought. "I think I'd be
fine with one girl, but… well, to put it mildly, I've met plenty of girls, but
not one girlfriend, if that makes sense. I can be everything a boyfriend
can be, but for one reason or another, no one wants me like that. I
don't know if it's me, but, lately, I'm getting the impression that there is
no one."
"Seems like there's a story there," Mabui teases while wondering about
his experiences. Mabui makes a mental note to closely observe any
girl he interacts with as she assures Naruto, "it's fine, you don't have to
tell me, but, if you ever do, I'd be happy to listen."
"Thanks," he gratefully tells her.
She smiles as she assures him, "I want to help you, so, I'll let you know
what I come up with."
"Thanks, Mabui-chan. That'd be really helpful."
"You're welcome," Mabui returns. Mabui stands from the bench,
making a point to arc and pivot seductively before she turns to him and
brightly asks, "same time tomorrow?"
"Sure," Naruto replies with his bright smile before he leaves.
For the surveillance she isn't sure is watching her, Mabui walks the
third strategically planned route back to base. It takes her an additional
thirty minutes to reach their new hideout, however, she knows Samui is
observing her every step until she's finally in their second, extended-
stay, safe house.
After Ōyashiro had told them he can no longer facilitate an aboveboard
deal for them, the least he could provide was a small home near the
farming fields of Konoha. It's an old wooden cottage with one bedroom
for Mabui and Samui, a single bathroom, and a kitchen that doubles as
the living room for Atsui to sleep in. The shabby rooms had minimal
furnishings—an old stove, a small fridge, a creaky bed, a dining table,
and four chairs—and part of the deal was Atsui had to help the farmer
with labor on the fields. Luckily there was only a minimal amount of
mold growth that they were able to completely remove.
Weekly Power Status
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