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Chapter Text

In the career of a ninja, there was no such great honor as a mission well done. No injuries, comrades safe, and the mission completed in a timely manner. This was the hallmark of a squad who could not only achieve great things, but could carry the honor and pride of their village with their heads held high.

“This. Mission. Sucked,” Naruto complained.

Then there were the ninja who couldn’t hold their heads up high after a mission. Squads like Naruto’s accompanied by Lee and Ino who returned to their village looking worse for wear with their clothes stain and their hair different colors and styles.

“Who knew hairstylists could be so fierce?” Lee sighed heavily. They had completed the mission, but at a great personal cost. Ino and Naruto’s signature blonde hair had turned black and purple respectively. Lee’s own hair had turned white as snow. He reeked of bleach.

“At least you look good!” Ino roared. “Look at me! I look a second-rate wanna be goth girl! Purple is not my hair color! I’m a blonde, Lee! A BLONDE!”

“Don’t talk to me about hair color,” Naruto sneered. “I look like a wanna be Sasuke.”

“I think you both look nice,” Lee complimented while trying to smooth down his own spiky hair.

“Thanks Lee,” Ino tried to smile. “I think you look nice too.”

“I think you look like Kakashi Sensei,” Naruto said.

Lee had take on Kakashi’s appearance for about two weeks now while his hair was growing back. Thanks to Ino’s efforts, she was able to change the amateur hack job performed by his father into something more respectful. It would be a while before he had his signature bowl cut back.

“I guess I do.” It wasn’t that Lee didn’t mind looking like Kakashi, but he wanted to go back to his own style. “I wonder how long it will take for the dye to come out?”

“Six washes if we’re lucky,” Ino sighed.

“SIX WASHES!” Naruto shouted. “No way! That’ll take forever.”

“What did you expect? They were professionals! They’re not gonna use knock-offs and-“ Ino stopped dead in her tracks. “What’s going on at the village?”

Near the main gate of the Hidden Leaf Village, there was a procession some fifteen miles long. Performers, Musicians, and massive beasts that were rarely seen were parading through.

“Hey! It’s the circus!”

“I do not think that is the circus, Naruto,” Lee corrected, a strange sense of foreboding came over him. He did not like the new arrivals to the village.

“You think a Lord or something? Talk about a show-off!”

“Like you’re one to talk, Naruto!” Ino hissed. “Who uses a rasengan in a small enclosed space? You’re the reason I look like a splatter painting!”

“I said I was sorry! Geez! What do you think is going on anyways with the traveling show?”

“It’s probably a Lord or Lady wanting to speak to Lady Tsunade about a super important mission,” she explained. “Duh!”

At the mere mention of an important mission, Naruto’s eyes gleamed with excitement. “A super important mission, huh? Well I’m just the ninja for the job!”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Naruto took off like a shot.

“Hey!” Ino shouted. “Get back here! We still have to complete our missions report! NARUTO!” she took off after him. Lee joined in the chase, but he never took his eyes off the procession. Something big was coming to the Hidden Leaf and it would change him forever.  

Chapter Text

There were three types of wars that could be waged against nations. The first was an open warfare where many could die without the slightest provocation. The Leaf Village was familiar with this type. Orochimaru’s mark on the village, the damage he had caused, was still visible despite the numerous repairs that had been made. The second type was of sabotage, spying, and underhandedness. As a ninja, it was common place to spend one’s life in the shadows and to collect secrets that were never meant to see the light of day. The third type was warfare was one of the most complex nature.

It was a social war.

This type of conflict combined the first and the second type. In a war of social power, looks were everything and backing them up with grace, elegance, and the slightest bit of charm meant everything. It was this type of war that the Princess of the Land of Jade knew how to wage. She was the best strategist, fighter, and wager of social wars. Her beauty was unparalleled, her manners were impeccable, and her every moment was as supple as water. There was no one like her. The princess came highly prepared when she arrived to the Hidden Leaf Village.

Over a hundred servants, flunkies, and fans came with her as means of show and power. The princess was determined to have her way. Nothing would stop her. In the office of the Hokage, Lady Tsunade frowned. She didn’t care much for the woman who sat in front of her. The Princess of the Land of Jade was in her most elegant robes while over twenty bodyguards were on standby. Nothing good ever came from a woman who brought an armada for a mission request.

“So, you’ve come to request a mission,” Lady Tsunade kept an eye on the woman before her. The Princess of the Land of Jade’s face betrayed nothing. To her right, the Princess of the Land of Jade kept a small beautiful box. As though she was made of glass, the princess opened the box to reveal of stunning crown made of jade and gold and jewels.

“I have. May I assume that this will suffice for payment?”

The jewels in the crown had to have been worth at least two diamond mines. The idea of so much money coming into the village, the repairs that could be done was a tempting offer for Lady Tsunade. She kept her feelings to herself.

“Yes,” she nodded. “What mission would you like-“

“I require Kakashi,” the princess demanded. “I’ve heard tales of his tracking abilities.”

“You’ve lost something?”

“Someone,” she clarified, her voice as cold as ice. “I am looking for my son. I have been given information that he is located somewhere in this land. I want him back. Now. I need Kakashi.”

“Kakashi,” Lady Tsunade spoke. “Is unavailable. He is currently out on a mission, but I can recommend others who-“

“No. I want Kakashi and no others. I need the best. I will not spend another moment away from my son.”

“I understand, but –“

“NO! No, you do not understand! No one understands. Lady Tsunade, this crown is but a trifle. I have many treasures in my possession. The Land of Jade is wealthy beyond compare. I am more than willing to throw them all away for a minute with my child. I will not be satisfied until he is back in my arms.”

Tsunade shivered. “Kakashi will not return for another week. There are others who could begin the mission to not lose time…”

“I will not settle for anyone other than Kakashi. I want the best.”

“We do have –“

Before Lady Tsunade could finish her sentence, a great commotion could be heard from outside of her office. There was a crash, a bang, and then suddenly, a ninja wearing orange clothes came crashing in through the roof followed by two others. The heavenly crown that Lady Tsunade eyed went flying through the air. The bodyguards acted swiftly, but the ninja dressed in green whose hair was as white as snow caught the crown seconds before it shattered to the ground. The screaming, cursing, and sheer panic was headache inducing.

“EVERYONE SHUT UP!” Lady Tsunade shouted. “Your highness, I am so sorry! These are, well they are mere children in our village. They’re still learning how to behave themselves and- I assure you that Kakashi will be here in a moment’s notice to come to perform your mission.” The crown, the money, the repairs, she would not risk the village losing it all.

To her shock, the Princess of the Land of Jade, whose face gave away nothing, suddenly had tears going down her cheeks. Very slowly, she approached Lee who nervously held the crown.

“Here!” he offered it to her, bowing as far as he could.

The Princess of the Land of Jade took the crown and threw it away. Lady Tsunade barely caught the priceless treasure. “Your highness?! Your crown?”

“I do not care!” she hugged Lee as tight as she could, her tears freely flowing. “Keep it! Keep it all! I have my son. Baby,” she looked at Lee for any sign of recognition. “It’s me! It’s momma! My baby boy!”

“Are you sure that Lee is yours?” Tsunade questioned.

“It’s motherly instinct!” The princess cried. “You know when someone is your son!” She went to Lee’s level and brush the wayward hairs out of his face. “Look at you! You’re okay!”

Lee stood as stiff as a tree as he was embraced by the princess, a mere stranger in his eyes. All he could think about was his father, Shang, and how badly he hated the man. The woman before him, his so-called mother, evoked the same feelings. How long would it be before she took his life apart piece by piece? He didn’t want to find out.

Chapter Text

The scene in Lady Hokage’s office was not one that happened very often. Princess Fujiko cried over the green clad ninja whom she claimed was her son. Lady Tsunade watched as Lee was paralyzed by fear, uncertainty, and a terrible memory of how his father had treated him only week before. As Hokage, it was her duty to protect her people and Lee needed protection. Lady Tsunade rose from her desk and separated Lee from the woman. She would never forget the sheer look of relief that came over Lee’s eyes or the look of pain that came over Fujiko’s.

“What are you doing?” she sobbed. “That’s my baby!”

“This,” Lady Tsunade shielded Lee. “Is a ninja. He’s one of mine. How could you possibly know that he’s your son?”

“Because a mother knows her child!” she insisted. “He is my son!”

“Lady Tsunade,” Lee whispered. “I…I believe she may be correct. My…sperm donor, he gave me a photo of my mother. She looks like her…a little bit.”

“I see…”

“Princess Fujiko, I –“

Between Lady Tsunade, Lee was not lost on people to come to his aid. Naruto, ever in the middle of everyone’s business, jumped in with a kunai knife out and shouted, “If you’re Bushy Brows’ mom, then you better watch out cause no one hurts my friends, right Ino?”

Where Naruto flanked Lee’s left, Ino took to the right. She didn’t need to raise her weapons. A glare from her was enough to put people in their place. “Right, Naruto.”

Ino did not know the extent to which Lee had suffered at his father’s hand, but seeing Naruto riled up and Lee uncharacteristically quiet was enough to convince her that whoever this woman was, she was a threat and needed to be taken care of.

Princess Fujiko stared Naruto and Ino down. Her eyes narrowed and she shouted, “You’re his friends?” Then she broke into a smile and swept Naruto and Ino into a hug as she cried, “My baby has such good friends!”

“Mam!” Lee started, “Please release my friends. They’re turning blue!”

At Lee’s request, she did drop them. “Sweetie, you don’t have to call me mam! Mom! I’m ‘Mom’. Call me ‘Mom’ or ‘Mother’, ‘Mama’ or anything, darling.” She reached for Lee again, but Lady Tsunade stopped her cold.

“Please step aside,” she begged. “I want to be with my son.”

“Princess Fujiko, I –“

“I’ll pay! Whatever you want, whatever your price, I will happily pay it.” She snapped her fingers and her host of servants brough forth treasure that was unlike anything ever seen in the Hidden Leaf Village. “This trifle can be a down payment.” She threw her tiara to Lady Tsunade. “Is this good enough.”

“Princess Fujiko,” Lady Tsunade tried to smile. It was difficult under the circumstances. “Naruto, Ino….everyone out of my office, please. I need to speak to Lee in private.”

Each person marched out with Fujiko lingering among the last of them. Lady Tsunade returned to her desk and with a heavy sigh said, “Lee, I want you to know that I’m not doing this for any other reason but for the village.”

“Lady Tsunade,” Lee begged. “Please, no. This is one mission I do not wish to take!”

“She’s paying, Lee. The amount of money that she plans on giving the village a great deal of repairs can be made. We can rebuild the outer walls, stabilize the escape tunnels, turn down the more dangerous missions that we’ve had coming in. A lot of lives can be saved and improved with what Fujiko is bringing in. I’m not saying this to guilt you, but to look at it from the viewpoint of a leader.”

“I know but…”

“I’ll make you a deal, Lee. The second things become too much, you come straight to me and I will cut the mission short.”

“What am I meant to do with her?” he questioned.

“Go for walks, tell her how much you’ve grown,” Tsunade offered. “She’s your mother. She wants to spend time with you. You don’t have to tell her anything you don’t want to.”

“And if she becomes like Shang?”

“Same procedure, but I run her out of the village.”

Lee squirmed where he stood. “Alright. I accept this mission.”

“Thank you. Wait outside with Naruto and Ino while I speak to your…mother.”

“Yes, Lady Tsunade.”

When Lee emerged from the Hokage’s office, he looked as though he had been sentenced to death. Fujiko was blind to his change in mood. “Hi baby!” she waved.

“Princess Fujiko, may I speak with you?”

“Of course!” she beamed. “Baby, stay right here. Don’t move a muscle, momma will be right back!”

Naruto didn’t think it was possible for Lee to be embarrassed. The telltale fire engine red coloring coming over his face told of a different story.

“What’s a matter Bushy Brows?” Naruto nudged him.

“She is very loud and flamboyant,” Lee muttered.

“Have…have you seen Gai Sensei?” Ino asked.

“Gai sensei is different,” he defended. “Everything he says and does is full of passion and one hundred percent true. I feel safe with my sensei. This woman…I do not know her.”

Inside the Hokage’s office, the very same thing was being repeated by Lady Tsunade. “You must realize that this will inevitably be a shock for Lee, right?”

“I know, but as his mother!” she shrugged. “I haven’t seen him since he was a baby. A little passion is good, no?”

“Passion isn’t what I’m worried about. You must understand that as a ninja, Lee ultimately reports to me and I am responsible for his wellbeing. Sending him on this mission after Shang flies directly in the face of that.”

“I am nothing like Shang,” Fujiko swore. “I am his mother. I have only the best interest in my son’s wellbeing. He is my son.”

Chapter Text

Out of all of the missions, Lee had ever been on, the idea of being paid to spend time with his mother was not one that he thought he would have to go through on. On one hand, she was rich. Fujiko was rich beyond compare. She had more spending money than entire nation’s GDP. Money was her power and she wielded it well. In one foul move, she had bought out Lady Tsunade and the entire village just to spend time with her son.

On the other hand, Fujiko was a stranger and worse than that, she was strange. She was loud. She was flamboyant. She threw her money around as her weapon and she wielded her weapon well. She giggled and laughed as she brought Lee into a back breaking hug.

“My baby! My little baby! I can’t believe you’re okay!”

Naruto and Ino watched and kept a careful eye on the woman who called herself Rock Lee’s mother. Naruto crossed his arms and grumbled quietly.

“You wanna stop that?” Ino said. “You already held a knife to the woman’s throat. What more you wanna do?”

“Kick her butt!” Naruto declared. “She’s so…so…”

“Showy?” Ino offered.

“Yeah! And who does she think she is by buying out Bushy Brows or the village like that?”

“I mean, she is a princess with cash so…” she shrugged. “Royals can do that sort of thing.”

“Well I don’t care! Nobles always get the excuse that they can do whatever they want because they’re noble! What about Bushy Brows? No one asked him what he wanted to do!”

“Hey, the village needs repairs. You saw the damage done by the Sound Village. It’s because of them that we’re short staffed and have to take on missions that under normal circumstances we could turn away.”

“Are you done defending her?” Naruto sneered.

Ino bopped him on the head. “I’m not defending her! I’m using logic! You think I’m happy about this? I haven’t seen Choji or Shikamaru in weeks! Neji and TenTen and Kiba have been out of the village for months now and all of our senseis are risking their lives doing S Rank missions. Asuma Sensei looked like he was a walking corpse. I don’t like Lee’s mom any more than you do, but with her money we can repair our village and we can stop taking on such dangerous missions.”

“Yeah, but –“

“When was the last time you saw Sakura? Or Shino? Or anyone else? Face it, Naruto. We’ve got our backs against the wall and Fujiko is offering us a way out.”

“Yeah, I know, but Bushy Brows….” Naruto cast a glance towards the young taijustu master whose blush had not subsided.

“I feel bad for Lee too. The best that we can do is support him by being there for him.”

It was this that Naruto was determined to succeed. Shang, Lee’s biological father, was a terror unto Lee. He saw fit to destroy everything that brought him happiness and cared nothing for his son’s wellbeing. As an orphan, Naruto couldn’t relate to having a father, but like Lee, he had a sensei who cared for him and loved him. Naruto couldn’t image Iruka being as cold or as cruel as Shang was. But Naruto was also without a mother figure in his life. He had heard stories from others and saw firsthand how their mothers treated them.

Ino’s mother scolded her for not wearing enough protective bandages on her arms. Sakura’s mother made her lunches that sometimes, when she was in a good mood, shared with him. Kiba’s mother was kinda scary, but in a protective way. Naruto was sure that because of Kiba’s mother, no one picked on him or called him names. Mothers were a complicated thing.

They were protective, they worried, and they were strong. Naruto didn’t see any of that in Fujiko. She was all flash and no substance. Everything about her was glittery and showy. She was beautiful, but in a rather superficial way. She really was superficial. All the gowns, the jewelry, the servants and flunkies, everything about her was a show and she was the star.

“Children!” she beckoned. “Lee tells me that you’ve just returned from a mission! How about I treat all of you to lunch?”

“Uh, sure thing!” Ino nodded. “You ready to do this, Naruto?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be.”

Fujiko did not stop smiling. She beamed when Naruto and Ino joined the massive parade. She grinned with joy as Lee led the way to the restaurant. Out of all the places to eat in the village, the BBQ was the only place large enough to host all of Fujiko’s servants who came with her wherever she went. Snug in a booth was Lee next to his mother and Naruto and Ino on the other side.

“What a cute little restaurant!” her smile was ever present. “Do you come here often?”

“Sometimes,” Ino murmured. “Asuma Sensei takes us here when we complete a mission.”

“How sweet! And what about you, Naruto was it?”

“Yeah, I don’t come here a lot. Iruka sensei takes me out for ramen.”

“Aww, what a good sensei!” Fujiko’s smile hadn’t shrunk a bit. “What about you, my baby?”

“Curry,” Lee stated, keeping his answers short as possible. “We get curry.”

“Curry! Then we should go get some!” she rose from her seat and her entire entourage rose with her.

“No! No! Please this is fine!”

“Okay, my baby!” she placed a kiss on his forehead. “Whatever you say!” she smiled. “What do you kids want to order? It’s my treat!”

The orders were a modest thing. Compared to all the times Ino had dined out with Choji or Shikamaru, what their table had ordered was an appetizer. Eating out with someone who wasn’t on her team…it wasn’t a necessarily a bad thing, but it wasn’t great either. She missed her friends. Ino looked at Fujiko and all the jewels she wore. The price of one ruby on her robes could have stopped everything and brough her team back together. The village needed money so badly. The missions were getting dangerous. It had been six weeks since she saw either Choji or Shikamaru. That was the equivalent of six lifetimes. When she did snag a chance meeting, Choji was as skinny as a stick and Shikamaru was sleeping on his feet.

The missions were running everyone ragged. If it didn’t stop, they would get sloppy. If they got sloppy, someone was going to die sooner or later. Tears pricked at Ino’s eyes, she didn’t want her friends to die. A gentle kick snapped her out of her thoughts. Ino looked up and saw Lee smiling apologetically to her. Did he know what she was thinking? It seemed like he did. It struck her that Lee missed Neji and TenTen as badly as she missed Choji and Shikamaru.

“Hey, come on, let us in,” a voice whined.

“Seriously, what’s the hold up?” another groused.

Ino gasped. She knew those voices anywhere. She pushed Naruto out of her way. Through the window, she saw her teammates being turned away due to the restaurant being full.

“Choji! Shikamaru!” Ino waved.

“Ino? INO!” Choji cheered.

“Hey!” Shikamaru laughed.

Her teammates were looking worse than usual. Once more Choji was thin and the bags under Shikamaru’s eyes had gotten to Gaara levels in recent days.

‘Hold on, guys’ she thought. ‘This will all stop soon.’

“Ino! We’re starving, can we sit at your table?” Choji asked.

She wanted to say yes, but it wasn’t her table. “Sorry, guys, I would but –“

From the window on her side, Fujiko stuck her head out. “Who are these people? Lee, do you know them?”

“Yes…mother…” Lee gritted. “This is Shikamaru Nara and Choji Ackamichi. They are excellent shinobi and I-“

“Are they friends of yours?” she asked with one eyebrow raised at the dirty and tired duo.

“Yes…?” Lee offered.

Her entire demeanor changed at once. “Then come on in!” she waved them in. “We can make room at the table! Come on, you two, take a seat!”

They did and with some minor rearranging, everyone sat as comfortably as they could in the booth. Fujiko lorded over everyone with polite conversation and questions. She sat in the middle of the booth prouder than a peacock over all the friends her son had gained over his life. They were a rather motely looking crew, but the sheer fact that he had gained so many was lovely.

“Hello, dear children!” she beamed. “I’m Princess Fujiko! It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

It was impossible to ignore how hard Lee rolled his eyes in exasperation. “So…I’m going to guess a bodyguard mission, huh?” Shikamaru asked.

“You wish,” Naruto muttered under his breath.

Choji and Shikamaru looked to Ino for an answer which she provided. “Uh, Princess Fujiko is visiting from the Land of Jade. She’s here to visit her son.”

“Who’s her son?” Choji asked. “Some bigwig in the village?”

“It is me,” Lee admitted, unable to meet the eyes of his fellow shinobi.

“Seriously!?” Shikamaru gasped.

“Wait, does this mean that you’re a prince now?”

“No, I…” he did not know.

“Actually, children,” Fujiko smiled. She was always smiling. “While my baby is a prince in every sense of the word, I did not hold my current rank when I had him.”

“So, what were you when you did?” Naruto almost scoffed. “A duchess or something?”

“I was something else,” she shook her head. “It was a long time ago. I am now a princess and Lee, my darling baby boy, is finally with me again.”

“I see…”

“That’s neat, I guess…”

“Real touching, princess,” Naruto’s mood had not improved with the introduction of food.

The meal came and went with very little conversation being provided by anyone else other than Naruto or Fujiko. Lee had remained silent the entire time and spoke only when spoken to. The usual chipper attitude he held was gone. It dampened the mood a bit. However, for Ino, she was just happy to see her Shikamaru and Choji for more than five minutes. Everything almost felt normal again before the Sound Village attack or being sent on dangerous missions and never knowing when she would see her childhood friends again. Another small kick made her jump slightly and she saw Lee staring at her.

‘Go with them’ he mouthed. ‘It’s okay’.

‘Thank you’ she mouthed back. “Hey, Choji, Shikamaru, you guys are in the village for the next day right?”

“Yeah, then it’s back out,” Shikamaru frowned. “Why?”

“I was thinking that it’s been a while since we all went cloud watching. If you’re not doing anything this afternoon…”

“I’ll bring the snacks!” Choji happily offered. “Thank you so much for the meal, Princess Fujiko!”

“Thank you!”

“Thank you, princess!”

“Wait a minute,” Naruto grumbled. “You’re leaving?”

“Sorry!” And to her credit, she was sorry. “I-“

“I hope you have a good time,” Lee interjected. “Have fun, Ino!”

“We will! Thanks, Lee.”

She left the restaurant with her friends, all the while fighting off the guilt that came with throwing Lee to the wolf that was his mother. Ino looked back just once. She hoped that Lee would be okay.  

Chapter Text

Naruto Uzumaki did not like Fujiko. There were many things that he didn’t like about her. The first being that she threw her money around. If there was anything to be bought, she bought everything on sight. The same went for Lee, who unfortunately, expressed interest in a new form of kunai knives. Fujiko bought out the entire selection to the unhappiness of the rest of the ninja community. Then there was the fact that she was loud.

Naruto normally didn’t mind loud people. He was loud himself and usually, when he was with another loud person, the conversation and day would be fun. But Fujiko was louder than loud. She didn’t just talk loudly, her clothes were loud, her jewelry was loud, and her entire personality was loud. There wasn’t a moment of peace of quiet to be had.

It annoyed Naruto, but it was driving Lee mad and for that, Naruto felt nothing but pity for him.

Everything that Fujiko did ignited displeasure to Lee. It was a rare sight to see. Lee was a somewhat easy going ninja. He handled the profession with the dignity, grace, and hot-bloodedness that Gai sensei had taught all of his students. This mission, however, was unlike anything that Lee had embarked on. Being paid to spend time with one’s own mother was an unusual thing. As Lee was wary of her and wanted to spend some time with his mother outdoors, it was decided that after lunch, a walking tour of the village was to be conducted. Naruto was happy to speak on his home. He knew all the best spots to eat and relax while Lee provided the historical context for most of the sights.

It wasn’t all too bad. They were able to keep their distance from Fujiko as they went around the village, but she did, of course, bring her entire entourage with her. From her cooks, her servants, her flunkies, make-up artists, bodyguards, and more, the streets of the village were clogged by the unnecessary traffic. The walking tour was, in hindsight, a bad idea. Eventually, even Lee’s good spirits were whittled down to nothing. As the day lingered on, he found a convenient excuse in needing to go to bed early in order to be well-rested for another fun-filled day with his mother.

“Okay, baby,” Fujiko placed a big lipstick stained kiss on Lee’s forehead. It would be there for days, Naruto was sure of it. “Bye baby!” she waved. As soon as Lee had gone, her mind went straight to work on how to impress him. “He so quick! He needs something a tad impressive for missions though.” She spoke to her entourage who had followed her throughout the village like ducklings after their mama. “You know what I’m thinking? An elephant! A nice grey one that he had ride around in. What do you all think?”

“Brilliant!” her servants shouted.

“Inspired!” her flunkies cried.

“Stupid!” Naruto sneered.

“Excuse me?” she narrowed her eyes at the blonde-hair ninja who had dared to go against her idea. “What was that young man?”

“It’s a stupid idea!” Naruto repeated. “It’s stupid and Bushy-Brows is gonna hate it just like he hates this mission!” he folded his arms for emphasis.

“Wha-“ she was at a loss for words. “No! No, my baby loves me. He’s my baby!”

“Stop calling him that!” he roared. “He’s not some baby! His name is Rock Lee! He’s a ninja! And a super tough one too! He’s only doing this stupid mission cause you’ve got money! Not cause you’re his mom!”

Fujiko was riled at the accusation. “Excuse me for wanting to spend time with my only son! So, what if I have money? Every good parent wants to provide for their baby!”

“But you’re not doing that!” Naruto matched her anger. “Cause you don’t know anything about him! Lee doesn’t care about money! He cares about the village! Why do you think he agreed to this stupid mission in the first place? Our village was attacked, shinobi lost their lives, and now, our friends and family are out on missions every day! I haven’t seen any of my teammates in weeks! All cause we can’t afford to turn down missions anymore!” tears pricked his eyes. “You don’t know the first thing about Rock Lee cause if you did then you would know that he cares more about this village than anyone else! And I do too! Why do you think Bushy-Brows never spent a moment alone with you? It’s because he doesn’t like you! AND I DON’T BLAME HIM! You show up after years and you call him “baby” and stupid stuff and act like everything is fine but it’s not! You’re worse than Shang!

“Hold your tongue!” Fujiko commanded.

“You can’t make me! At least Shang was honest! He didn’t fake acting all nice and sweet. He had opinions and made sure everyone knew. Sure, he was a jerk, but he was an honest jerk! You-You’re fake!”

Fujiko took a deep breath. She wasn’t sure she would have dry eyes at the end. “You have NO idea what you’re talking about, young man! Who…who raised you to speak to a princess or ANYONE like that?”

“I don’t have parents,” he sneered. “But I have Iruka sensei and he’s been more of a parent to me than anyone else has.”

“…you don’t have parents…” she whimpered.

“A lot of us don’t,” he scoffed. “Bushy-Brows doesn’t have parents either.”

“That’s not true!” Fujiko pleaded. “I’m here! I’m his mother.”

“Tch, you’re not like any mother I’ve ever seen. You say it like it’s a title you’ve actually earned, but it’s not. It’s as fake as you are, princess!” And with that final biting remark, Naruto left.

Her scores of servants raced to their lady. Fujiko was shaken to her core. She tried her best not to cry. It was an effort in futility. The tears came rushing forward like a waterfall. In tears, she and Lee shared it in common. She bawled until her servants were certain that she would flood the streets. Tenderly, they gathered their mistress and brought her to their hotel.

“Your highness,” they begged and cooed. “Please, please stop your tears.”

“Yes, my lady, please! That ninja didn’t know what he was talking about!”

“You’re a wonderful mother!”

“A superb mother!”

“Any child would be happy to have you as their mother!”

It was a series of pleas and sweet lies that Fujiko could not stand to hear a moment longer. “Leave me!” she sobbed “I want to be alone!”

Her servants complied as she cried onto her bed. She sobbed and sobbed until her tears ran dry and her throat was raw. When she was done wit her tears, Fujiko dragged herself to the bathroom. Her reflection, much like her mood, was hideous. Eyes puffy, make-up running, Fujiko looked less like a princess and more like a nightmarish creature.

“Some princess you turned out to be,” she sniffled, wiping away her runaway tears. Fujiko could recall two moments in her life when she looked as badly as she did now. She had no interest in returning to those dark times. The past was awful, the present was better. She was a princess now. She had money. And better yet, she had her son. He was alive. He had friends and his friend Naruto spoke the truth.

She wasn’t a real princess. Her title had been gifted to her by way of having favor with a king. Other princesses had royal blood running through their veins, she just had good luck, beauty, and a sad story. Everyone in court knew the story of how Fujiko lost her son. It started out the same, a young mother expecting her first child, the glorious day of arrival, and then, in the middle of the night, he was gone. How the others at court wept when they heard of it. The king, a widower who knew the pain of losing a child, was so overcome by emotion that he made her a permanent fixture by his side.

She adored the king more than words could describe but when she received word that Lee was alive, how could she not leave? She left as quickly as she could. Out of everyone, she thought her son, her baby, would have been happy to see her. She was his mother as she often proclaimed.

But being a mother was more than a title, it was a verb and she hadn’t been anyone’s mother in years.

Fujiko was disgusted by her reflection. She wasn’t a mother, she wasn’t a princess, she was Fujiko; a former entertainer. The princess façade was another role in the thousands she had played in her life. The mother role was something she hadn’t learned. She thought that she had done everything right. Buying gifts to make up for birthdays, holidays, special occasions (honestly, what child wouldn’t want their own elephant to ride?), was what parents did when their child did something excellent.

Her baby, Lee, he was an excellent child as far as she could see.

He was polite, had good friends who cared about him and vice versa, and most importantly, he cared about his village at the expense of his own comfort. Fujiko wiped away the make-up, she took off her jewels, and she discarded the many layers of robes that she wore. She looked as she did before she was granted a royal title, a poor woman who had nothing to her name except her looks and what little skills she had developed.

The Fujiko in the mirror was not one that she liked to see very often. The pangs of poverty still struck deep. Her thin stature was due to malnutrition. The dainty-like appearance that won her the hearts of all suitors stemmed from starvation. Whatever career she might have had, her body hadn’t tolerated her harsh upbringing. Being broke was stressful. Not knowing where your next meal was coming from or how to keep the collectors away was not an easy task. Many a time she had conned the next meal out of a foolish man or sweet-talked the collectors into a good mood.

How she hated the past. If she had her way, she would have had it all set on fire. Nothing good came from the past, except for Lee. He was worth it. He was worth it all. Her son was right here in the village. He was alive. There was time for a second chance.

“Not if you keep blowing it, you idiot,” she spoke to her reflection.

Princess Fujiko was not making any headway in forging a relationship with her son. Mom Fujiko didn’t exist either. It was up to Fujiko, stripped of royalty, to bridge the gap. It was resolved. Tomorrow, Lee would know his mother as she was.

Chapter Text

As the morning sun broke over the Village Hidden in the Leaves, Rock Lee did not stir from his bed. Under the covers, wishing for a few minutes more of darkness, Lee was not looking forward to another day with his mother. The conversations were completely one-sided and frankly, painful. Fujiko was certainly a strange woman. She bothered everyone she ran into. Keeping that thought in mind, Lee knew that it was a cruel thing to subject his friends to. He admired Naruto and Ino for sticking with him as long as they did, but to be in Fujiko’s presence was something that no one should be put through. It was his burden to deal with his mother.

Lee rose with the sun. There was no sense in delaying the inevitable. He decided to go with the mindset that the sooner that he got started with his day with his mother, the sooner it would be over with. Fujiko would get bored with him after a while. She just had to. There was only so much time that a person could spend with one another before she got bored with him and would go back to wherever she came from. Lee prepared himself for another day with his mother. There was a knock at his door. Standing nervously on his doorstep was a young woman. She fidgeted where she stood, rocking back and forth on her heels.

“Uh, hello?”

“Lee!” she answered breathlessly. “Hi!”

“Hi,” he answered back. “Um…do I know you?”

She laughed nervously. “Uh, kiddo, sweetie? It’s me. Your mom?”

“You, uh, you don’t look like yourself,” Lee spoke. The heavy white makeup, the layers upon layers of robes and jewelry were gone. A woman who was as lovely as a wildflower stood before him. She wore a simple blue jumpsuit and a white headscarf. It took Lee a moment, but she looked like the painting that Shang had given him.

“Yeah, I know,” Fujiko nodded. “I thought it might be nice for a change.”

“Where’s your entourage?” he peeked his head out of his apartment. He half expected them to appear out of thin air.

“Oh, out and about,” she waved. “They’ve never traveled to the Land of Fire before so they’re taking the in the sights.”

“Without you?” he raised one eyebrow in suspicion.

“They do have a life outside of taking care of me,” Fujiko pointed out. “I was rather hoping that we could spend the day together, just one-on-one.”

“Doing what?” Lee asked.

“A little day trip,” she explained and then with a smile, she added, “It’ll be fun. Just the two of us.”

“Okay…” he nodded.

“I recommend good walking shoes, sweetie. It’ll take us a few hours, but I think it will be worth it.”

“Okay,” Lee said and then disappeared into his apartment to get ready. He wasn’t sure what was Fujiko was up to and a part of him feared what it would bring. Nevertheless, it was his mission to spend time with her and he would spend time with his mother whether he liked it or not. Slipping into his shoes, Lee prepared himself for what he assumed would be a trying day with his mother.

To his surprise, as they left the village, Fujiko neither pampered him, cuddled him, or smothered him in affection. She, instead, walked alongside him and in silence. Sometimes, she would hum a song that he had never heard of but liked the sound of it. Her humming soon turned to gentle singing. Fujiko had a pleasant voice. She could carry a tune beautifully and it was lovely to hear it.

“You have a great voice,” he complimented.

“Thank you,” she smiled. “I’ve been singing for years. Do you sing?”

At this, Lee blushed, “No, I don’t sing.”

If she was disappointed at this, Fujiko never showed it. “What do you do?”

“Well, I’m a ninja, so most of my time is spent on missions and training. I have to work very hard in order to keep up in top shape.”

Fujiko looked interested. She nudged him a little and asked, “Can I see?”

“Hmm?”

“Your ninja skills, sweetie. Can I see them?”

Lee could only think of his past attempts to show Shang what he was capable of. Throwing his weights, opening the gates, unleashing his strength was something that Lee had no intention of showing. Thankfully, a fallen tree in the path provided the opportunity for Lee to demonstrate his prodigious strength. Single-handedly, Lee removed the tree and pushed aside. Fujiko applauded as though he had slayed a dragon.

“Look at you! You’re so strong!”

“I train a lot,” he explained simply enough.

“Do you like being a ninja?” It was a simple enough question to ask. He couldn’t see the harm in answering it.

“I love it! I’ve wanted to be a ninja since forever! And now I am.” And then came the question that Lee wanted to ask, but was afraid to, “Do…do you like ninjas?”

Fujiko’s eyes lit up. “Who doesn’t love ninjas? The bar that I used to work at had ninjas visit by the score.”

“You worked in a bar?” he questioned.

“I’ve worked in a lot of places,” she responded. She leaned against a tree and fixed her shoes. Hidden underneath her socks were a set of weights.

“You…you wear ankle weights?” Lee asked, his eyes aglow.

“Force of habit. When I was your age, I worked in the circus.”

“Really?”

“Hmm-mm. I walked the tightrope, a lot of ariel stunts on very thin wire. The old ringmaster who ran the place, he told me that wearing ankle weights would help keep my balance.” She recalled the spring of her youth fondly. “When I walked the tightrope, I had to appear that I was walking on air. The weights helped me a lot. I had this act, you see. It was called the Thousand Rays of Rainbows. I would descend into the crowd with color ribbons tied to my feet and I would spin so fast that I became a blur of color. It was great. I miss those days.”

“What made you stop if you loved it so much?”

“Have you ever been to the circus?” she asked.

“Once, sort of. It was for a mission.”

“There’s a lot of large animals, a lot of dangerous stunts, a lot of travel expenses, feeding expenses, medical expenses. A circus can be a lot of fun, but its not something that you can get rich doing. It’s not stable. It doesn’t take much for it to go under. When I was sixteen, the circus that I was traveling with went belly up. I was left stranded in a foreign country with no money, no hard skills, no nothing.”

“What did you do?” Lee asked.

“Starved mostly,” Fujiko admitted with a heavy sigh. “I was an entertainer and when you’re in a no-nonsense mining country that doesn’t want entertainment that you’re offering, you starve and beg for help. I didn’t eat well for months. I starved, but if there’s one thing that I am, it’s lucky. While I wandered the country for some type of work, I passed out in the middle of the a dirt road. I was certain I was going to die, but then I had the great fortune to meet some of the best people I’ve ever known.”

They walked over a hill and it was then that Fujiko said, “I am pleased to introduce to you to the hottest curry shop that exists anywhere in this world and is home to the fabled Curry of Life! Ta-da!”

Lee knew the little curry shop well. “This is Grandma Sancho’s place.”

“What?” Fujiko looked heartbroken. The single gem of her life that she hoped to introduce to Lee was gone. “You’ve been here before?”

“I once ran a marathon here before and the curry of life saved my life!” Lee cheerfully explained. He held Grandma Sancho in the highest regard.

Fujiko was a cry-baby. She could cry at anything – a baby animal, a scolding from Naruto, seeing her son for the first time in years, but at being told that Grandma Sancho’s famous curry saved Lee’s life was enough to cause her to break out into wailing tears. She pulled him into a tight hug and sobbed as though she had been fatally wounded.

“I owe Sancho a debt I can never repay!” she wailed. With that final bawl, she grabbed Lee by the hand and ran towards the shop. She threw the door open with a bang. Tears rolling down her face, she pointed to the now startled owner and said, “YOU SAVED MY SON’S LIFE?”

It took Sancho a moment to collect herself. “Fujiko? Is that you?” Then, she spied Lee behind her. A small gasp escaped her. “Lee is yours?” Whatever joy she had towards this revelation was instantly gone. Armed with her trusty ladle, she went flying and smacked Fujiko on her head. “WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU?!”

All was to be revealed as soon as Fujiko received ice for her now growing bump on her head. Curry was served and as they settled down to dine on what was all agreed to be a heavenly dish.

“There better be a damn good reason why you weren’t in his life,” Sancho raged. “Lee is a wonderful young man.” She gave him an extra helping of rice.

Guilt was written across Fujiko’s face. “I know he is! Believe me, I know he is.”

“Then where were you?”

Lee was indebted to Grandma Sancho again. She wasn’t afraid to ask the questions that Lee wanted to ask but felt inappropriate to do so. Asking the wrong question could jeopardize the mission and a failed mission meant no money.

“I was in the Land of Jade. Singing in –“

“In that bar, yes, I remember seeing you work there, but why wasn’t Lee with you? Why did you never tell me he was your son or…or…” Another revelation was had and Grandma Sancho looked ready to stab Fujiko and, if he had been present, the man who dared to call himself Lee’s biological father. “YOU LEFT LEE WITH SOMEONE LIKE SHANG?”

Lee mentally cheered for Grandma Sancho who held Shang in the lowest regard. She loved Lee like a grandson and the parenting that had been done up to this point was all by Gai’s hand.

“I WANT TO KNOW WHY YOU LEFT THIS PRECIOUS YOUNG MAN WITH SOMEONE LIKE SHANG! GAI TOLD ME EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED AND I’LL HAVE YOU KNOW THAT I DO NOT TOLERATE THAT SORT OF FOOLISHNESS! WHAT MADE YOU THINK THAT SHANG WAS A GOOD CHOICE I WILL NEVER KNOW! THE MAN IS AN ASS! HE IS RUDE! HE IS CRUEL AND HE IS CERTAINLY NO FATHER TO ANYONE LET ALONE TO LEE!

Chapter Text

There were few people on this planet that Lee felt could strangle the world in her hand, but Grandma Sancho was in the top five. Fujiko shared the same thoughts. She walked an uneasy rope this time, but this time she there was no net to catch her. She was going to fall. The truth was an ugly thing.

“I suppose,” Fujiko moved her curry around the plate. “It would be best to start from the beginning.”

“Yes, it would,” Sancho glared.

“Very well,” she sighed. “I was born in a land far away from here. My parents, your grandparents, were miners with a skill in iron work. When I was five, the mine that our family had worked for generations in finally ran dry. It was a very difficult time for us all. The town that we lived in was turned into a ghost town seemingly overnight and…there was this intense pressure to earn money, get food, and have stability. I remember my mother breaking into tears because we had such little food. My father was angry all the time.” Fujiko sighed again. “They were good people, but they didn’t know how to live without being miners. We got lucky, I suppose. The circus that I joined came into town with the expectation of a good pay day, instead they found us and one thing lead to another and we joined the circus. My mother became a seamstress and my father became a roustabouts. I was roped into being an tightrope walker and then it sort of evolved from there. The ringmaster had a thing about everyone pulling their own weight and after seeing everything go downhill so quickly back in our own land, I wasn’t about to lose our meal ticket. I worked hard, I got good, and then I became a headliner.”

Lee hung onto his mother’s every word.

“I’ll skip you the sob story of how my parents died,” she tried to smile. “It’s…it’s whatever. Anyways, I kept up with the circus until it died. I wandered through the lands, starved, and I wound up here in the Curry Shop of Life. Thanks to Grandma Sancho, I survived and lived to see another day. But I didn’t know what to do with my life. I’m not a ninja, I don’t have any real hard skills. I’m an entertainer. You’re lucky, kiddo. As a ninja, no matter what you do, you’ve got a way to survive. I didn’t know what I was going to do,” she shrugged. “Once again, luck came through.”

“I remember that day,” Sancho nodded.

“What day?” Lee asked.

“The day I got my break! There was this manager who came into the restaurant and he heard me singing. After that, I was spirited away to the land of jade and…I had a job.”

“So, that’s when you became a singer?” he guessed.

“Yep,” Fujiko happily ate. “I finally had stability and then…”

“Then you met Shang,” Sancho glared.

“It wasn’t like that,” she defended, her face bright red. “I…I was young and…he was very charming. Anyways! One thing led to another and we had you.” She could remember the day perfectly. “You were born almost at midnight during a thunderstorm. You had this shock of black hair and you cried so loud! What a set of lungs! You were louder than the storm!” Fujiko laughed and kissed Lee on the temple. “My precious baby boy.”

“So, what happened?” Lee asked. “Why did you leave me with Shang? Didn’t you…didn’t you want me?”

Lee never used his words to wound his enemies, but after saying that Fujiko looked like she had been killed. “I wanted you more than anything. I never gave you to Shang! Like I would ever let him take you! Lee, sweetie, you were,” Fujiko closed to eyes. “You were four months and 16 days old when I woke up and you were gone from my arms.”

“Wha…”

“It was in the middle of the night,” she sniffled. “I was sleeping then a storm came and it woke me up. I went to go check on you and you were gone. You were just gone! I…I lost my damn mind.” Fujiko broke down crying. “I lost my damn mind. I remember screaming and then the rest is blank. I hired anyone I could afford to find you, but by the time the ninjas got on the trail, the storm had destroyed everything. I…I don’t…I don’t know how Shang got you, Lee. Shang was…not a person whom I would raise a family with. All I know is I spent years hiring ninja to find you and not getting any results. I never heard again from Shang until recently. He told me that you were alive! And in the Hidden Leaf Village! So, I left my palace, came to the Hidden Leaf, and I was intent on hiring Kakashi to find you.”

“Wait,” Lee held up his hand. “Shang told you that I lived in the Hidden Leaf?”

“Yes,” Fujiko nodded.

“But not where I lived?”

“N-no? Why?”

Lee did not look forward to telling his mother the next part. “He stayed with me in my apartment. Shang knew exactly where I was.”

She wasn’t mad, but not surprised either. “I sure know how to pick them, don’t I?” The grasp she had on the table was starting to splinter. She may not have been a ninja, but Lee felt that she could break the table in half. 

“I told you that Shang boy was no good,” Grandma Sancho said, shaking her head. “He never cared for anyone outside of himself.”

“I know, Grandma,” Fujiko admitted.

“He’s a complete bastard.”

“Yes, I know, Grandma,” her tone was harsh, but not towards Grandma Sancho. Lee could feel the murderous intent radiating off of her. “Lee, sweetie, I’m sorry. For everything. You didn’t deserve a father like Shang and you deserve a better mother than me. I’m so sorry.” The curry had turned to ash in her mouth.

“For what it is worth, I have never considered Shang to be my father. I do not care for him in the slightest,” Lee fully admitted. “Shang has no part in my life, but I would like to get to know you better, mom.”

Fujiko burst into tear at being called mom. She cried long and hard hugged Lee like he would be whisked away from her again. “My baby boy!”