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Chapter Text

Naruto, Hinata and Hanabi were currently on their way to the Hyuga compound. Hinata was also carrying her and Naruto's infant child Boruto. About a year ago, Hababi had confessed that she two had fallen in love with her sister's husband. To her surprise she had been invited into the relationship and the three had been secretly together since. When the relationship started Hanabi had moved out of her childhood home and in with Naruto and Hinata. She had done this under the guise of wanting to be more independent and that was only living with them until she could find a place of their own. Truth was, she had no intention of leaving.

The three of them had decided to keep the relationship secret, because not only was Naruto married to Hinata, they knew issues could arise if their polyamorous relationship became public. They felt this was especially important, as they feared the controversy could destroy's Naruto's dream of becoming Hokage. Unfortunately, secrecy was no longer an option, as a few days ago, they had discovered Hanabi was pregnant. This was something they initially hoped to avoid, but they always knew this was a possibility. Because of this they decided the best thing to do was tell the truth before Hanabi started to show.

They all decided to Hinata's and Hanabi's father first. They feared there could be dangerous repercussions from this, especially considering the Hyuga Clan would no longer have any legitimate heirs.

Upon arriving at the Hyuga Compond, they were quickly granted an audience with Hiashi Hyuga, Hinata and Hanabi's father and head of the Hyuga Clan.

"Thankyou for seeing us on such short notice Father, I hope we didn't interrupt anything important," stated Hinata bowing to your father.

"No, my schedule was fairly open today," responded Hiashi. "I must say though, I was rather surprised by your visit."

"We have something to tell you. Something important," stated Naruto.

"What is it?" asked Hiashi curiously.

Naruto was about to speak before Hanabi grabbed his arm.

"I think it'll be better if he hears it from me," stated Hanabi.

Naruto nodded.

"Father, there's something I must confess. I didn't move out to seek more independence," confessed Hanabi.

"What do you mean?" asked Hiashi.

Hanabi took a deep breath.

"This won't be easy to hear but, Hinata wasn't the only one who fell in love with Naruto. I to am in love with him," confessed Hanabi. "The three of us have been in a secret relationship for nearly a year and I moved in with them to be closer to them."

"What?" asked Hiashi who had become enraged.

"But that's not all," added Hanabi. "Father, I'm pregnant."

Hiashi was silent for a few minutes before whispering. "Get out."

"Father?" asked Hanabi.

"I SAID GET OUT. ALL OF YOU" yelled Hiashi. "Not only have you disgraced the clan by partaking in a disgusting relationship, but now you are having a child out of wedlock. You're a disgrace to the clan and I want you out of my house right now."

Naruto, Hinata and Hanabi stood up and prepared to leave, but Hiashi wasn't done yet.

"Naruto you will pay for the disgrace you have got brought upon the Hyuga Clan and for what you have done to my daughters."

They left before another word could be spoken.

"Well, that could've gone better," sighed Naruto.

"I think we should just be glad he didn't kill us right then and there," added Hinata who was also trying to calm down a crying Boruto.

Hanabi meanwhile was quiet and silently rubbing her belly.

"Hanabi is something wrong?" asked Hinata.

"I'm scarred Hinata. What if he tries to take my child from me for what I've done?" asked Hinata.

"I don't think we need to worry about that right now. We should just focus on getting you through this for now," stated Hinata.

"And I promise you Hanabi, I'll do everything I can to make sure he doesn't take our child from us," stated Naruto.

"And if I'm honest I'm more worried about you," said Hinata putting her hand on Hanabi's forehead. "What if he tries to brand you with the Caged Bird Seal for this?"

"I guess that is a possibility, but I don't think we have to worry about that right now. He didn't force you to get the Caged Bird Seal and not only did you marry outside the clan, you also changed your last name, meaning you gave up any claim you had to the Hyuga Clan," stated Hanabi.

"That is true. In fact, there may be a way we can use that to our advantage," said Hinata thinking out load.

"What do you mean?" asked Naruto.

"Don't worry about it for now. It's a question I'll ask Father after he's hopefully calmed down," stated Hinata.

"Let's hope he calms down. I can't imagine what I'd do if he tries to hurt one of the people I love," said Naruto placing his hand on Hanabi's stomach.

"Naruto I have faith you'll do everything you can to protect me and our child. That's why I love you as much as my sister does," said Hanabi embracing Naruto.

"Anyway, there's one more person I think we should tell," stated Naruto.

"Are you sure you want to tell Kakashi-Sensei on your own. We'd be happy to go in with you," said Hinata.

"No, this is something I think I should do myself," stated Naruto.

"Naruto, if you can't become Hokage because of me, I just want you to know, I'm truly sorry," said Hanabi.

"Don't worry about it," said Naruto smiling. "Being Hokage might be my biggest dream, but I have other dreams I can focus on now. I have Hinata, Boruto, you and soon I'll also have our child."

The three of them headed to the Hokage Office, so they could tell Kakashi Hatake, the Sixth Hokage and Naruto's teacher who was currently mentoring Naruto on becoming the next Hokage.

Naruto went in alone and immediately confessed to Kakashi about his secret relationship with the Hyuga sisters and how he was currently expecting a child with Hanabi. Unsurprisingly, Kakashi was disappointed to hear about this news, but he was approaching it much more calmly then Hiashi was.

"Naruto, I hope you understands that this will complicate things for you. Especially with regards to your ambitions of being the next Hokage. The Leaf Village might not want someone in a polyamorous relationship leading the village, especially when he has an illegitimate child with one of his partners," stated Kakashi.

"Sensei, I knew the consequences of this relationship when it started. As we both know being Hokage has been a lifelong dream of mine and I am also one to never go back on my word, so I was prepared to do everything I could to become Hokage. That being said, I love them both and I can't imagine my life without them. If being in this relationship prevents me from becoming Hokage, that is a consequence I am willing to face, because making Hinata and Hanabi happy is just as if not more important to me," declared Naruto.

Kakashi sighed and got up from his desk.

"Thankfully for you, your deeds in the recent war still make you the best candidate for the position, so the village might be willing to let you become Hokage, in spite of the outdated relationship you've decided to pursue. And the fact that you're willing to give up your dream for the women you love might work in your favour, as it shows your willing to go above and beyond to protect the people you care about. I'll have a talk with the other village leaders and hopefully I can convince them that training you to be the next Hokage is still in the best interest of the village."

"Thankyou Sensei I appreciate that," said Naruto.

"I can't promise anything though, so I recommend you prepare for the worst," suggested Kakashi.

"I already have," stated Naruto before leaving.

Having told the truth to both Kakashi and Hiashi, the three of them headed home. They continued with their current routine. Naruto went out to train, Hinata stayed behind to look after Boruto and Hanabi also stayed behind to help look after the house. Normally Hanabi would also use this time to get some training in, but she had been told to take it easy until the baby came.

When night fell and it was time for bed, they surprised Hanabi with a change to the relationship rules.

As Hinata was legally married to Naruto throughout the relationship, only she shared a bed with Naruto every night, while Hanabi had to sleep in her own room every night they didn't share quality time together. This was also done to help keep their relationship a secret. Because, the relationship would soon become public knowledge, they decided the rules had to change.

Hanabi had gone to wish them goodnight like she'd always done, when she heard Naruto say, "Hanabi wait, come in a moment."

Hanabi entered to see Naruto and Hinata lying in bed but something was different. Naruto was positioned more in the middle then he usually was.

"We've been talking and we feel we haven't been treating you as an equal in this relationship," stated Naruto.

"While I'm the one whose relationship with Naruto is public and I'm the one he is legally married to, you are just as much a part of this relationship as I am," stated Hinata.

"And so, if you'd like, we'd like you to share our bed with us every night from now on," said Naruto patting the empty space. "But only if you want to."

Hanabi smiled and without saying a word, she climbed into bed with them. Hanabi lay her head on one of Naruto's shoulders, while Hinata lay her head on the other. With that the three of them fell asleep.

The next morning, they had some errands to run and they had all decided to do them together. While they normally all went out together, no one really paid them much attention, but now that their relationship was about to become public, they had a feeling they would get a lot of judgemental stares from now on. They didn't mind however, because as long as they had each other they knew they would be alright.

Little did they know, that some people would find out sooner then others.

"NARUTO," someone loudly screamed.

"Well, I guess we knew this was coming," sighed Naruto, as Hinata and Hanabi laughed.

A pink haired, green-eyed woman ran up to Naruto and grabbed him by the collar.

"Hey Sakura, how you doing?" asked Naruto

"HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO HINATA?" screamed Sakura.

"So, I guess Kakashi Sensei told you the news?" asked Naruto nervously.

"You bet he did and I can't believe you Naruto. Not only did you betray Hinata by seeing her sister behind her back, but now you're gonna have a kid with her," berated Sakura. "How could you cheat on the woman you claim to love?"

"I didn't cheat on her. Didn't Kakashi tell you about the nature of the relationship?" asked Naruto.

"He did, but I don't believe it for a second. Considering how much Hinata loves you, I doubt she would agree to share you with anyone, especially with her own sister," stated Sakura.

"Then it might surprise you to find out that it wasn't actually me that invited Hanabi into the relationship," groaned Naruto. "In fact, I'm not sure if I had much say in the matter at first."

"Wait what?" asked Sakura loosening her grip.

"It's true Sakura. Hanabi came to speak to me because she felt guilty about the feelings she had for Naruto," interjected Hinata. "I'd always had a feeling she liked Naruto to, but upon hearing it from her I felt the only fair thing to do was invite her to join our relationship."

"But why? How can you possibly be ok with that?" asked Sakura.

"Well, my sister's happiness is important to me and I knew being with Naruto would make her happy, so it seemed like the most logical thing to do," stated Hinata.

"And you were ok with this?" asked Sakura turning back to Naruto. "Oh who am I kidding a pervert like you probably loves the fact that he gets to have two women in his life."

"Like I said I didn't really have much say in the matter at first, but I figured why look a gift horse in the mouth?" stated Naruto honestly.

"Do you even love Hanabi or do you just like the fact that you get to have two special people in your life?" asked Sakura.

"I'll admit at first I didn't know her very well, but over the last year I've grown to love her in the same way I love Hinata," answered Naruto.

Sakura threw him to the ground.

"Unbelievable, at first you couldn't get a girl if your life depended on it and now you have two," she groaned. "I'm just glad my husband would never do something so disgusting."

As Sakura said that a man in a green jumpsuit, with a black bowl haircut and bushy eyebrows came running around the corner. He was also carrying a sleeping infant with slightly spiky, dark pink hair. It was Sakura's husband Rock Lee.

"Sakura, I know this news came as a bit of a shock but you didn't have to run off like that," he said. "Also, did you really have to scream? You made poor Metal cry."

"How could I not scream, after discovering Naruto's done something completely disgusting?" asked Sakura.

"Look, while I'll agree the concept of polygamy is a bit outdated, it's not really any of our business what Naruto does in his personal life," stated Lee.

"Don't you defend him," lectured Sakura. "Anyway I don't have time for this, I'm late for my shift at the hospital. Are you ok to take care of Metal for the day?"

"Don't worry Sakura, Metal's in good, youthful hands," said Lee smiling while giving a thumbs up.

"Alright I'll see you tonight," said Sakura, giving Lee a kiss on the cheek. Before leaving she turned to glare at Naruto again. "We will finish this conversation later."

Sakura left and Naruto breathed a sigh of relief over the fact she hadn't beaten him to a pulp.

"You know I knew people might not react positively when the relationship became public, but I didn't think anyone would get that mad," sighed Naruto scratching his head.

"Don't mind her, I think she just needs time for the news to sink in," laughed Lee. "Also I've always felt that you and Sakura have a sibling like relationship, so I can understand why she'd get angry at you when she feels you've done something bad. I'll talk to her when she gets home, hopefully I can calm her down."

"Thanks Lee, I appreciate that," stated Naruto. "Do you have anything you want to say about this."

"Like I said, this relationship might be an outdated concept, but its none of my business how you decide to live your personal life," stated Lee. "I gotta say though you've shown a lot of youthfulness for having two girls fall in love with you. For that I applaud you."

"Thanks I guess," said Naruto.

"Anyway, I'd better get home. Let's just home Metal doesn't wake up again because he's got so much energy it's hard to get him back to sleep," said Lee rocking his son.

Lee left and went about his day.

"I'm glad that's over," sighed Naruto. "Let's just hope this day can't get any more stressful."

Unfortunately, it could, because at that moment, a representative of the Hyuga clan appeared and knelt before the three.

"Lady Hinata, Lady Hanabi, Naruto, Lord Hiashi wishes to see all three of you right away."

Hinata, Naruto and Hanabi all looked at each other nervously. What could Hiashi want to talk to them about. Whatever it was, they had a feeling it wasn't good.

Naruto, Hinata and Hanabi nervously returned to the Hyuga compound. They feared what this conversation with Hiashi would bring, because they knew it would involve the fate both of Hanabi and her unborn child. Whatever happened Naruto was determined to protect one of the women he loved and the child she was carrying.

They went to Hiashi's chamber and found Hiashi waiting for them.

"Hinata, Hanabi, Naruto thank you for coming. Please have a seat," gestured Hiashi.

They all took a seat in front of him. His calm demeanour made them nervous, especially considering how angry he had been the day before.

"Before we begin, I just want to apologise for my outburst the day before," stated Hiashi.

"It's alright Father, we had a feeling the news would come as a shock," said Hinata.

"Indeed, but regardless my behaviour was inexcusable, and I apologise for that," Hiashi reiterated by bowing. "Now let's get to the point. I'm sure you know why I've called the three of you here?"

"Does it have to do with Hanabi and her baby?" asked Naruto.

"Yes," sighed Hiashi. "The three of you have caused a lot of trouble for me, as I arguably have no legitimate heir to take over as head of the Hyuga Clan. With Hinata marrying outside the clan and taking her husband's surname, she has forfeited any right she has to being clan leader, which also extends to her son Boruto. As for Hanabi, she has become pregnant out of wedlock from entering an… unusual relationship."

"What does that mean for me?" asked Hanabi.

Hiashi took a breath before answering. It was clear he didn't like what he had to tell them.

"Normally it would result in your banishment from the clan, along with the branding of the Caged Bird Seal," stated Hiashi.

"In other words, she can no longer be heir to the Hyuga Clan?" asked Naruto.

"Indeed, in situations like this, we would normally pass clan leadership to the next in line. Sadly, that is no longer possible," stated Hiashi.

They all bowed their heads in sadness as they remembered the passing of Neji, Hinata's cousin who had given his life to save Hinata and Naruto's in the recent war.

"I noticed you said this is what you would normally do. Is there an alternative in this case?" asked Hinata.

"There is, but you're not going to like it. I've talked to the clan elders and they've agreed to have Hanabi reinstated as heir, provided she agrees to the following conditions. She is to leave her relationship with Naruto, return home and her child is to be raised as a Hyuga. The child will never know its father and the child will eventually become a part of the branch family!" explained Hiashi.

"The Branch Family, but if I'm to be reinstated as heir shouldn't my child be the one next in line for leadership. Will my child even know I'm its mother?" asked Hanabi.

"Unfortunately, your child becoming clan heir isn't possible. Due to the illegitimacy of its conception, it would be dishonourable to name it clan heir. Furthermore, as your child will only be half Hyuga we can't guarantee it will inherit the Byakugan, further damaging its legitimacy as clan heir," stated Hiashi. "As for your other question, your child will be allowed to know you are their mother and you will be permitted to be a part of your child's life. But it will never be in the main family, only the branch family. To make up for what you've done, you will be allocated an acceptable partner within the clan, through whom you will produce legitimate heirs. This is the only option I can offer Hanabi I recommend you take it."

Hanabi looked like she could nearly cry.

"I can't do that father, I can't befall my child to the same fate as Neji, because I know it'll eventually grow to hate me. Also I don't want to leave Naruto, I love him. And how can you expect me to raise my child and not let them know who their father is?"

"Then I'm afraid you are to be banished from the clan and branded with the Cadged Bird Seal," stated Hiashi.

"Hold on," interjected Hinata. "Before you do anything to Hanabi I have a question. I've given up my rights to the clan and I wasn't branded with the Cadged Bird Seal. Did taking Naruto's surname prevent this from happening?"

"Yes, by marrying Naruto and taking his surname, we lost any right we had to use the Cadged Bird Seal on you," answered Hiashi.

"Does that mean Hanabi would be safe from the seal if she took my surname?" asked Naruto.

"Yes, if Hanabi were to take your surname, she would be protected from getting the seal. Unfortunately, you'd have to make sure she's protected until you are able to do so, because once the clan elders hear that she has denied returning, the clan will want her brought back and branded immediately," stated Hiashi.

"Then we'll just have to make sure she's protected until we can change her name," stated Naruto before turning to Hanabi. "Provided that's what you want, I wouldn't ask you to do anything you didn't want to do."

Hanabi embraced Naruto.

"If it means I get to stay with you and our child is protected, I'll do whatever I have to," she cried.

"Then its settled. Lord Hiashi, we're leaving, don't try and stop us because as strong as you are we both know I'm stronger and I'll do whatever I have to protect both Hinata and Hanabi," declared Naruto.

"I am not going to try and stop you. I have caused my children enough pain, I am not going to be the cause of anymore. If being with you is what Hanabi wants then I'll accept it," stated Hiashi. "Go, I'll tell them you needed time to think about your decision."

"Thank you, father," said Hanabi,

The three of them got up to leave, but Hiashi had one more thing to say. "Naruto take care of my daughters."

"I will I promise," declared Naruto and the trio left.

After they had gone Hiashi couldn't help but sigh at the whole situation.

"Naruto what is it about you that allowed you to capture the heart of not one, but both of my daughters?"

After leaving they immediately headed to the Hokage's office to tell Kakashi about the situation. Kakashi was once again annoyed by this, but nevertheless agreed to help Naruto in any way he could. Not only would he help them in getting Hanabi's name changed, but he also agreed to help protect her until they were able to do so. The issue was that Kakashi was having trouble finding Shinobi who were willing to stand guard around the Uzumaki home.

Before the end of the day, word had spread through the entire village that Naruto had taken a second wife. Kakashi felt that this wouldn't be too big a deal. While he knew the other village leaders would have some issues with Naruto taking a second wife. He believed the other villagers would simply accept it, given all the good Naruto had done for not just the village but the entire world. Little did they know trio's troubles were just beginning.

Chapter Text

The next day Naruto, Hinata and Hanabi were ready to start the day, but they couldn't leave the house. Kakashi had advised them to stay indoors until he could send a few Shinobi to guard Hanabi. Because of the situation, Naruto and Hinata had been given time off from missions so they could defend Hanabi until her name was changed. Unfortunately, they weren't able to stay with her around the clock. Naruto still needed to continue his training with Kakashi to be the future Hokage and Hinata had errands to run. Hanabi had been ordered to stay until they had resolved the issues with the Hyuga clan. Little did they know the Hyuga Clan was just one issue they would have to deal with.

"Weird, I thought they'd be here by now," commented Naruto. "If I don't leave soon, Kakashi-Sensei's going to wonder where I am."

"I don't think he'll mind, he understands we're in a difficult situation right now," stated Hinata before turning to Hanabi. "Are you sure you're fine to watch Boruto while I'm out?"

"This isn't the first time you left him with me," stated Hanabi who was rocking Boruto in her arms. "Besides, if I'm going to be a mother myself, I'm going to need all the practice I can get."

"True, but don't forget, Naruto and I will be here to help you with whatever you need," stated Hinata.

It was at this point they heard a knock on the door.

"I guess the security's arrived," joked Naruto. "I'll see you guys tonight, stay safe."

Naruto gave his wives a kiss each before leaving. When Naruto opened the door, he was surprised to see not security sent by Kakashi, but Kakashi himself.

"Sensei, why are you here?" asked Naruto confused.

"Because the situation is more complicated than we initially thought," answered Kakashi. "May I come in? We have a lot to discuss."

"Sure," said Naruto gesturing Kakashi inside and closing the door behind them.

Naruto and Kakashi headed to the living room.

"Lord Sixth, is something wrong?" asked Hinata who was surprised to see Kakashi had come in person.

"Unfortunately, yes. I recommend we all sit down this'll be hard to hear," stated Kakashi sitting down on one of the couches as Naruto did the same.

"So, what's going on?" asked Naruto.

"I'm afraid plans will have to change. All three of you are going to have to stay indoors until we can change Hanabi's name," answered Kakashi.

"What? Why? I thought you said you would send free Shinobi over for extra security," stated Naruto.

"That's just the problem, I tried to, but no one is willing to help," stated Kakashi.

"Are they unwilling to fight against the Hyuga Clan?" asked Hinata.

Considering the Hyuga Clan's reputation and strength it was understandable if no one wanted to fight against them.

"If only it were that simple," sighed Kakashi.

"What do you mean?" asked Naruto.

"Naruto, while the village has started expanding since the end of the war, would you agree that it is still small and gossip spreads quickly?" queried Kakashi.

"I guess," answered Naruto still not sure where this was going.

"Well, let's just say that not only has word spread about your conflict with the Hyuga clan, but the whole village also knows the reason behind it!" explained Kakashi.

"So wait, your saying that…" Naruto was at a loss for words.

"I'm afraid so, your decision to take on a second wife is the reason no one is willing to help," stated Kakashi.

"But why? Why is it so wrong that I have love in my heart for two people?" asked Naruto.

"It's more complicated than that," sighed Kakashi. "As you'll remember you spent much of your life isolated due to something you didn't choose or ask for. Your recent actions have led to some of those prejudices returning."

"What does the Nine Tailed Fox have to do with this? And how can people still resent me for that? Without the fox we would've never won the last war," stated Naruto.

"I know that Naruto and the villagers do as well. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean they can't be afraid of the power you possess," stated Kakashi.

"The power I possess?" queried Naruto.

"Would you agree, that despite now being a friend and ally to the nine-tailed fox, you still don't know everything about being a jinchuriki or the legends that surround them?" asked Kakashi.

"I guess not," answered Naruto.

"Then you should know there are way more legends about jinchuriki then you think, and unfortunately, a lot of them are bad," stated Kakashi.

"What does that have to do with me taking a second wife?" asked Naruto.

"It's actually quite simple," answered Kakashi. "For a long time, the legend has been that by using the power of a tailed beast, a jinchuriki can place a seal on someone they decide to take as a mate. This seal is infused with the jinchuriki's chakra and makes the infected completely submissive. Furthermore, this ability isn't limited to a single use. A jinchuriki can use this seal to take on as many mates as they want."

"So wait, the villagers think I…" Naruto couldn't finish his question because he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"I'm afraid so. The villagers believe you infected Hanabi with this seal to make her your second wife. They also believe you did this to Hinata to make her ok with this!" explained Kakashi.

"Sensei, I swear I didn't…"

"Calm down Naruto, I don't believe you infected them with the seal," Kakashi interrupted.

"You don't?" asked Naruto.

"No, because I know you well enough to know that's not something you would do. Furthermore, if those legends are true, both Hinata and Hanabi would be acting very differently. Like I said the seal makes them completely submissive," stated Kakashi.

"Then why do the rest of the village think this?" asked Naruto.

"Like I said, you grew up isolated, so it's a known fact that the thing you crave most of all is acceptance. People have come to the conclusion that you'll go to the most extreme lengths to get it. Even if it means turning women into submissive mates, to bear you all the children you want," answered Kakashi. "It also doesn't help that you had a reputation as a pervert in your youth."

"But why would I need more acceptance. I saved the entire world and stopped the war. I'm the hero of the village, I thought everyone loved and adored me," stated Naruto.

"They did, but your actions and the renewed fear they have regarding the power of the fox, have caused them to reevaluate their opinions. Not only that, but some also think you've let the glory of being a hero go to your head and you now consider yourself better than everyone else. Some fear that you're going to turn into a tyrannical dictator, who believes he has the right to take on as many wives as he wants."

Naruto's head fell and tears started to form in his eyes.

"Naruto?" asked a concerned Hinata.

"How can it be, that after how hard I've worked and after everything I've done, people are still so quick to judge and reject me, just because I make one decision they disagree with?" asked Naruto.

"Unfortunately Naruto, fear is a big motivator and hearing you've done something as old fashioned and tyrannical, as taking a second wife, makes people fear you'll force more women into becoming your mates," answered Kakashi.

Naruto started to clench his fists.

"Is this my destiny? To always spend my life struggling for acceptance? Because just when I thought the world would finally accept me for who I am, everything goes back to square one."

"Life's complicated Naruto, people are complicated," stated Kakashi.

"I'm guessing they also don't want me to become Hokage now?" asked Naruto.

"I'll admit they're not that keen on it now," answered Kakashi.

"Well, I did say I have a new dream now," said Naruto looking up and facing his wives.

Hanabi handed Boruto to Hinata, got up from the couch and hugged Naruto.

"I'm sorry Naruto, this is all my fault," cried Hanabi. "If I had just kept my stupid feelings to myself, none of this would've happened."

Naruto hugged her back.

"None of this is your fault," he comforted. "You have the right to love whoever you choose and remember I eventually felt the same way, so this is just as much my fault as it is yours."

Hinata walked forward and placed her hand on her sister's back.

"And I was the one who wanted you to join us in the first place, so I'm also to blame," she admitted.

"But if it wasn't for me, Naruto might've been able to live his dream of being Hokage," stated Hanabi.

"Like I said, I have a new dream now. To be with the women I love and to be a father to my children. All of them," stated Naruto placing his hand on Hanabi's stomach. "What about you, what's your dream?"

Hanabi looked at Naruto, then Hinata and Boruto and back to Naruto.

"My dream… is for us to be one big happy family," confessed Hanabi.

"Then that's my dream to," said Naruto hugging her closely.

"And mine," said Hinata, kneeling down and joining the hug.

"But still, what do we do now?" asked Hanabi. "With no one willing to help, how are we going to stay safe from the Hyuga Clan?"

Naruto chuckled.

"I think you forget, you're with the strongest ninja in the world and I promise you I won't allow anyone to hurt you. Not while you're carrying my child or after. I'll make sure your protected until you can walk the streets as a free woman."

"But you can't stay with me all the time. What about your Hokage training?" asked Hanabi.

"Considering my chances of becoming Hokage have taken a big hit, I don't think it'll matter if I push back the training for a few weeks. For now, my priority is you and our child," declared Naruto.

"And it's my priority to. As your older sister and the co-wife of Naruto, I'm going to do everything I can to help you," said Hinata confidently.

"I thought I was the more confident sister," laughed Hanabi.

"You are, but I'm still the older sister and the responsibility an older sister has to their younger sister never changes, no matter how old they get," stated Hinata.

"You guys are the best," cried Hanabi and the three of them hugged again.

"I hate to break up the touching moment, but we have more to discuss," interrupted Kakashi.

"Sorry Sensei," apologised Naruto releasing his wives.

"Its alright, this is a difficult time for you so I can understand the need to take comfort where you can find it," admitted Kakashi.

"What else do we need to discuss?" asked Naruto.

"Well first off, while I can appreciate the willingness to give up dreams for the people you care about, being Hokage isn't out of the question just yet," stated Kakashi.

"But you said…"

"I said you being Hokage wasn't a popular opinion right now, I didn't say it was impossible," interrupted Kakashi.

"So, you think it's still possible?" asked Naruto.

"I do, but it'll be even harder than we thought and will likely take longer," answered Kakashi.

"But how can I lead a village, if the people in it don't want me as their leader?" asked Naruto.

"You'll have to convince the majority of both the village leaders and the villagers that you're still the best suited for the position. In most circumstances, I'd advise you do as you did before. Continue to fight for the village and show nothing but utmost loyalty and devotion. That way you would gain their respect like you did before. Unfortunately, the circumstances here are a bit different, as the issue stems from decisions in your personal life, not your duties as a Shinobi. That being said, I think we may be able to use this to our advantage," stated Kakashi.

"We can? But I thought my decision to take a second wife was what caused this situation," stated Naruto.

"It was, but that doesn't mean we can't turn a negative into a positive," stated Kakashi. "Sorry to bring this up again, but as a child you were feared because the villagers were afraid of the power of the fox. You were able to change the villager's perception, by using the fox's power to help the village. You proved that the fox was the villages greatest asset, not something they should fear. It might take a while, but I'm sure we can find a way to convince the villages that this decision is beneficial to them."

"How?" asked Naruto,

"Most would argue that people can only have enough love in their heart for one person. You've shown you have enough love in your heart for two. Right now, most people think you've taken on two wives because you have a high opinion of yourself, and you'll use the power of the fox to be a tyrant and take on as many wives as you want. You need to prove to them that this wasn't due to the fox's power. There were two women who held genuine feelings for you, and you had enough love in your heart to love them both. And as odd as it might sound, both women were also ok with this arrangement. Based on what Hinata has said, she wanted this before you did," stated Kakashi.

"I wanted my sister to be happy, so it seemed like the best option. It also makes me happy that I can share the man I love with my sister," interjected Hinata.

"You don't need to convince me of that. It's the village you need to convince, but if you can, hopefully you'll be able to show them that since you have enough love in your heart for two women, you'll work twice as hard to not only protect those you love, but the entire village. That is how I think we can turn this into a positive," stated Kakashi.

"Ok, where should we start?" asked Naruto eager to change the villages opinion on him.

"First, I think we need to focus on the situation with the Hyuga Clan," stated Kakashi. "Let's take it one problem at a time. We'll focus on fixing your reputation with the village, after we've resolved the issues with the Hyuga Clan."

"Good point, it'll probably be quicker to resolve," laughed Naruto scratching his head.

"Indeed," sighed Kakashi.

"So, what do we do?" asked Naruto.

"Like I said before, since no one is currently willing to help with security, you and Hinata are going to have to stay here with Hanabi until we can change her name," answered Kakashi.

"That's fine, like I said, right now my priority is my children and my wives," stated Naruto.

"Very good. Furthermore, this should only take a few weeks, so you won't fall far behind on your Hokage training" stated Kakashi.

"That's ok, something tells me Hokage training will be pointless until we can convince people I'm not turning into a tyrant," stated Naruto.

"Good point," chucked Kakashi.

"But wait, who's going to run errands?" asked Hinata. "Who's going to go to the shops to get groceries?"

"I'll send Shadow Clones," stated Naruto. "Even if public opinion of me has taken a hit, people know of my abilities with Shadow Clones, and something tells me no one will dare attack me in public. Not after my feats in the war."

"Well, I guess it is our best option right now," admitted Hinata.

"Like I said, no one available is willing to help right now, but I'll keep asking. You have a lot of friends in this village Naruto, so hopefully they'll be willing to help you despite the decisions you made and if not, hopefully they'll be willing to help out Hinata and Hanabi," stated Kakashi.

"Here's hoping, after everything we've been through hopefully our friends will be willing to help us in our time of need," stated Naruto. "Hey, wait a minute, you said no one was willing to help us."

"I said no one available was willing to help," corrected Kakashi.

"So, wait your saying that?"

"I'm afraid so, all your closest friends are currently away on missions or preoccupied with other responsibilities," stated Kakashi.

"Huh, what are the odds of that?" asked Naruto.

"Who knows, but as soon as they're available I'll ask if their willing to lend a hand. Given your history, I'm sure they'll be able to look past any issues they have with the current situation," stated Kakashi.

"Here's hoping but considering how Sakura reacted, I wouldn't hold my breath," laughed Naruto.

"Agreed. Listen, I have to get back to the office, so I'll leave you with this. Stay safe and only leave the house if absolutely necessary," advised Kakashi. "I'll come by with updates every day and if I can find anyone willing to help with security, I'll let you know right away."

"Thankyou Sensei," said Naruto.

Kakashi nodded and turned to leave. Before Kakashi could leave they heard a knock on the door.

"We're not expecting anyone," stated Hinata, holding her son closer.

"Stay here, I'll check it out," Kakashi decided.

"I'll come with you," stated Naruto.

"No, you said your priority was your family so stay with them," ordered Kakashi.

"Alright," Naruto conceded standing in front of Hinata and Hanabi.

Kakashi walked to the door. He heard continued knocking as he approached. Kakashi knew this could be trouble, as it was likely a group of Hyuga ready to storm the house and take Hanabi back to the compound. He was just hoping his position as the Sixth Hokage would make them hesitant to do anything.

Kakashi opened the door and was surprised to see not members of the Hyuga Clan, but a woman with messy black hair and red eyes, who was holding hands with a young girl standing next to her. This was Hinata's old Sensei Kurenai.

"Kurenai?" asked Kakashi.

"Kaka… I mean Lord Sixth, what are you doing here?" asked Kurenai curiously.

"I could ask you the same question," countered Kakashi.

"Sensei?" called Hinata who came into view after hearing Kurenai's voice.

"Hello Hinata, it's good to see you again," called Kurenai.

"You still haven't told me why you're hear," interjected Kakashi.

"Do I need a reason to visit my old student?" asked Kurenai.

"Depends on how much you know about the current situation," stated Kakashi.

"Fair enough," admitted Kurenai. "I'm sure it won't surprise you to hear I've heard about the rumours regarding Naruto and his partners. I've also heard about how no one is willing to help them with the Hyuga Clan."

"That still doesn't explain why you're here," stated Kakashi.

"What do you think I'm doing here?" asked Kurenai. "I've come to offer my services."

Kakashi looked down at the girl next to Kurenai.

"Are you sure that's wise? You have your own child to think about," stated Kakashi. "Come to think of it, why did you bring her here? It's dangerous."

"I'm aware of the dangers, but this is the best option I have. I was going to ask Shikamaru to watch Mirai, but he's away. I considered asking some other friends, but I thought it was best she stay by my side," stated Kurenai. "Also, this way you can take Naruto to continue his training, while I help watch the house."

Hinata walked forward and took Kurenai's hand.

"Thankyou Sensei, you have no idea how much this means to me," cried Hinata.

"It's no problem Hinata, I'm always happy to help," admitted Kurenai.

"Hang on," interjected Kakashi. "While I appreciate the offer, this might not be ideal. While the Hyuga Clan won't attack while Naruto's home, they might not be as hesitant with only you and Hinata around. As strong as you are, you're only two shinobi against an entire clan. Furthermore, by bringing Mirai that's another vulnerable person we need to protect."

"Then I recommend getting better security," called a voice.

They turned to see a woman with blonde hair and brown eyes, standing at the gate. She was Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage.

"Lady Tsunade," greeted Kakashi.

Most of them were happy she was here, because they knew they would be safe with her around. Naruto however was nervous, because if he didn't choose his words carefully, he could be in for a world of hurt.

Tsunade approached the group.

"First of all, why are you all still outside? You're completely exposed out here," stated Tsunade.

They took note of her warning and headed inside, closed the door behind them and headed to the living room.

"Lady Tsunade we really appreciate the…" Hinata was cut off as Tsunade held up a hand to silence her.

"While I am willing to offer my assistance, there are a few things I need to know first," she said turning to Hinata and Hanabi. "Let me see your backs."

"Why?" asked Hanabi.

"So I can disprove one of the rumours spreading throughout the village," stated Tsunade.

Hinata handed Boruto to Naruto, after which both she and Hanabi let Tsunade examine them in another room.

When they came back Tsunade looked satisfied.

"Just as I thought no seals. If the legends about the previous nine-tailed jinchuriki are true, Naruto would have had to place a seal on his chosen mates by biting them on the shoulder. This would've imprinted the seal on their backs!" explained Tsunade. "As expected not only are Hinata and Hanabi seal free, I also can't sense any evidence of corruption within their chakra."

"So, this has nothing to do with the Nine Tails?" asked Kurenai.

"No, as crazy as it sounds both these women have chosen to share Naruto out of their own free will," stated Tsunade.

"Considering how well I know Hinata, it's not as crazy as you'd think," joked Kurenai. "But something tells me that's not what you're here to talk about."

"No, its not," said Tsunade before glaring at Naruto.

Without having to be told, Hinata walked forward and took Boruto from Naruto. Neither of them wanted their son to be in the crossfire of what was about to happen.

Tsunade approached Naruto and continued to glare. She looked angrier than Naruto had ever seen her.

"So, was one woman not enough for you and you had to take another?" asked Tsunade rhetorically.

Naruto wanted to explain it wasn't like that, but before he could Tsunade spoke again.

"Do you think Jiraya would be proud of what you've done?"

Naruto had a feeling he should just answer the question honestly, because he knew he'd be in trouble regardless.

"I guess," he answered weakly.

Tsunade did not look impressed.

"No, I think he would definitely be proud. There's only one thing a pervert would love to have more than a beautiful wife, and that's two beautiful wives."

"Its not like that I swear," stated Naruto.

"Then what is it like?" asked Tsunade. "How did you manage to get not only two women to fall in love with you, but also have them be ok with this?"

"Umm, Lady Tsunade?" interjected Hinata.

Tsunade turned to her.

"Maybe it would be better if I explained this part."

Hinata explained how one day Hanabi had come to them to confess her feelings for Naruto, because she felt guilt over being in love with her sister's fiancé. She then explained how she happily welcomed Hanabi into the relationship, much to the surprise of both Naruto and Hanabi. Hinata finished by explaining that they had been in a secret relationship for the past year but had decided to reveal the truth now that Hanabi was pregnant.

To say Tsunade was shocked would be an understatement.

"So, you're telling me you were the one who wanted Hanabi to join the relationship?" enquired Tsunade. "And you're completely ok with sharing Naruto with her?"

"My little sister's happiness is important to me," admitted Hinata. "I could see being with Naruto would bring her happiness, so it felt like the only right thing to do."

Hinata then put an arm around Hanabi.

"And if I'm honest, I think this relationship has made us grow closer as sisters as well."

"What about you Hanabi, how do you feel about having to share the man you love with your sister?" asked Tsunade.

"I'll admit it was a bit difficult at first, but I think we've found an arrangement that works for everyone. And Big Sister's right, it's allowed us to grow closer as well," said Hanabi returning her sister's hug.

"And you're completely ok with being Naruto's number two?" asked Tsunade with crossed arms.

"Big Sister will always be his first love. There's nothing I can do to change that, but as long as Naruto loves me too, that's all I care about," admitted Hanabi.

"Is that so?" queried Tsunade before turning back to Naruto. "Well Naruto, do you love Hanabi as well?"

"If I'm honest I was a bit weirded out by the situation at first, because I'm still not sure if I had any say in the matter at first," admitted Naruto.

"We can vouch for that," interjected Hinata. "We did kind of expect him to just be ok with this."

"But did you really expect him to look a gift horse in the mouth," joked Hanabi.

"Anyway, I only really saw Hanabi as a new girlfriend at first, but over the last year, I can honestly say I've grown to love her just as much as I love Hinata," admitted Naruto.

Tsunade took a few seconds to think about everything she'd heard, but before long she let out a big sigh.

"How is it that after all this time you still manage to surprise me?" asked Tsunade.

"I am known for being unpredictable," answered Naruto.

"That we can agree on," stated Tsunade, before turning to Kakashi. "I'd like to offer my services as well. Now that I've stepped down as Fifth Hokage, I have all the time I need to assist with security."

"Are you sure?" asked Kakashi.

"Despite their strength, the Hyuga Clan won't attack while I'm around. I can understand their anger towards Naruto. In fact, I'm still a little angry at him myself, but we have a young pregnant woman who needs protection and I'm not going to let them hurt her," stated Tsunade. "Also, as it's going to take a few weeks to get Hanabi's name changed, she'll be unable to go to the hospital for checkups. As a medical ninja, I'll perform the checkups in the meantime."

"Granny Tsunade thank you," said Naruto happily.

"If you call me that again, I'm removing my offer," said Tsunade angrily.

"Sorry Lady Tsunade," said Naruto wanting to stay on her good side.

"That's better," stated Tsunade. "Now, don't you have Hokage training to do?"

"Right, we better get going Naruto," said Kakashi. "I won't keep him too late."

"Thank you, Lord Hokage," said Hinata happy things were looking up for them.

"Hang on," interjected Kurenai. "Am I no longer needed, as you said, with Lady Tsunade here the Hyuga Clan won't dare attack."

"Well actually Sensei, there are a few things you might be able to help me with," admitted Hinata. "I was going to run some errands today, but now that I know the situation is more dire than we thought, I'd prefer to say here with Hanabi. Would you mind doing them, I can watch Mirai in the meantime."

Kurenai smiled and said.

"Like I said, I'm happy to help you with whatever you need."

"And if I'm honest, I think we'd feel safer knowing you're here," stated Hinata.

"Very well, I'll stay to help guard the house as well," stated Kurenai.

"Well, now that everything's settled, I think its about time Naruto and I leave," stated Kakashi.

"Agreed, especially since he's going to have to work twice as hard to gain back the respect of the villagers," said Tsunade.

Naruto and Kakashi turned to leave.

"One more thing Naruto, when you get the chance, you might want to clean that graffiti off your fence," advised Tsunade.

"What graffiti?" asked Naruto.

"You'll see," answered Tsunade.

Naruto and Kakashi left the house and after they went through the front gate, Naruto turned to see many painted messages on the fence. Among them were, 'Creep', 'Monster', 'Tyrant' and 'Not the next Hokage' among others. This removed any doubts Naruto had that the villagers had turned against him.

"Like I said, things are worse than we thought," was all Kakashi could say to comfort Naruto.

"Well as Tsunade said, it just means I'll have to work even harder to get their trust back," stated Naruto. "Let's go, the day won't last forever.

As they walked to the Hokage office, Naruto couldn't help but notice how people were looking at him. Most of the villagers, mainly the women were looking at him with utter disgust. Naruto remembered how before he got together with Hinata, the women of the village were fawning over him, as they hoped they could be the one to capture the heart of the village hero. Now those women looked at him like he was a monster. He even saw a few women with either their partners or fathers, who stepped in front of them, with the intention to protect them. This saddened Naruto. It made him feel that all the work he had put in over the years had been for nothing. The village now appeared to hate him again, just because he made a decision they didn't agree with.

Chapter Text

Although it saddened him to be a way from his wives, Naruto was glad he spent most of the day indoors doing leadership training with Kakashi. It meant he didn't have to see the judgemental glares from the villagers, which reminded him of the ones he would always get when he was young. He also wondered what his friends thought. Lee seemed to be fine with this and he probably just needed to give Sakura time to calm down. But what would the other's think? Was he about to lose a lot of friends all because he had decided to love two women. Naruto tried to put this out of his mind and focus on training.

Things were calm at the Uzumaki household. As predicted, no Hyuga had dared approach them while Tsunade was there. Her presence also prevented additional vandalism. However, Tsunade couldn't help but feel something was off. While she had been able to spot a few Hyuga nearby, it wasn't nearly as many as she thought. Tsunade knew that if the whole clan was for having Hanabi branded, there would be many more trying to sneak in, but there were barely any. Tsunade wondered if this had anything to do with how close Naruto and Hinata had been to Hinata's cousin Neji, and how big an impact this had on the branch family. Tsunade felt she would have to investigate this further.

Meanwhile, Kurenai did as asked and ran errands for Hinata, leaving her daughter in Hinata's care. After completing the errands Kurenai returned and agreed to stay until Naruto got home.

When night fell, she was still there, despite her presence being unneeded. Her daughter Mirai lay asleep on the couch.

"Miss Kurenai you're still here?" enquired Hanabi coming into the room.

"Yes, Hinata asked me to stay until Naruto got home," answered Kurenai turning to face her.

"That's not necessary, with Lady Tsunade we're perfectly safe," stated Hanabi before looking at the sleeping Mirai. "You should get home and put your daughter to bed."

"She's fine for now and like I said, Hinata asked me to stay so that's what I intend to do," stated Kurenai. "I think my presence makes her feel safer, especially now that she has a child of her own."

"Why are you doing all of this?" asked Hanabi.

"That's a silly question. I care about Hinata. You know that," answered Kurenai.

"Yeah, I know. You gave her the support she needed when our father wouldn't," said Hanabi sadly.

"And I intend to do that again. I know deep down your father cared, but he should've realised what Hinata needed was encouragement and support, not enforced harsh training," stated Kurenai. "It saddened me that he didn't support her then and it's even sadder that he won't support both of you now."

"He wanted to support us, but he had no choice. He didn't want this, this is what the clan elders want," Hanabi clarified.

"That doesn't change the fact that he should've fought harder," stated Kurenai.

"That still doesn't explain why you're helping," stated Hanabi, who continued before Kurenai could speak. "Big Sister's the one you're close to, not me. I could understand you risking everything for her, but not for me and I'm the one you're protecting."

Kurenai sat down on one of the couches and gestured for Hanabi to sit next to her.

"You're right, Hinata is the one I'm close with and the one I would support without hesitation, but my support extends to those she cares about. You're arguably the most precious person to Hinata, even more so than Naruto. Because of that, keeping you safe is important to her, which means it's important to me!" explained Kurenai.

"But I thought you resented me," stated Hanabi.

"Resented you? Why would I resent you?" asked Kurenai.

"Because I was also responsible for Hinata's suffering," answered Hanabi. "Long ago we fought to determine who would become heir to the Hyuga Clan. I won despite being younger and less experienced. Father disinherited her, which caused her so much pain."

"I don't resent you for that," stated Kurenai.

"You don't?" asked Hababi.

"We both know she let you win, because there was one thing that would hurt her more than being disinherited and that was hurting you. You're her precious little sister and she would never hurt you," stated Kurenai. "So, I don't resent you for beating her and becoming clan heir, because that was a decision she made because she loved you. If anyone's to blame, it's your father and the clan, because they should've known forcing her to fight you, wouldn't give a clear indication of her strength."

"That makes sense. How do you feel about me becoming a part of her and Naruto's relationship?" asked Hanabi.

Kurenai chuckled at this.

"Knowing Hinata as well as I do, it wasn't hard for me to believe when I heard the rumours," answered Kurenai.

"How so?" asked Hanabi.

"Like I said, you're arguably the most precious person to Hinata, meaning she'll do whatever it takes to make you happy. Hinata also loves Naruto with all her heart and was hoping to have him all to herself. Or so I thought. Considering how much Hinata cares about you and wants you to be happy, I have a feeling you're the only person in the world she'd be willing to share him with. So, when I heard that he had taken you as his second wife, I knew it wasn't because of corruption by the Nine Tails, it was because Hinata wanted to make you happy."

"Only someone as awesome as Hinata would share the man she loves with her sister," laughed Hanabi.

"Agreed, so don't stress about me staying behind. Hinata wants you kept safe and that's what I intend to do," stated Kurenai.

"Thank you, Miss Kurenai," said Hanabi.

"No worries, it's my pleasure," stated Kurenai. "Still, I should get Mirai home. I hope Naruto gets home soon."

"I was actually wondering what's taking Naruto so long. I thought he'd be home by now," stated Hanabi.

"They probably just got distracted by Hokage training. Kakashi has a lot to teach him," said Kurenai.

"I know, but Lord Hokage said he wouldn't keep him too late, so I thought he'd let him leave early," stated Hanabi.

"Good point," said Kurenai.

"You don't think he's avoiding us, do you?" asked Hanabi.

"He better not be, especially with the commitment he's made to you both," answered Kurenai.

"I think it's more complicated than that," called a voice.

Hanabi and Kurenai turned to see Hinata coming into the room.

"What do you mean?" asked Kurenai.

"Something tells me this situation is hurting Naruto even more than it's hurting us," answered Hinata.

"How so? We're all in this together," argued Hanabi.

"I know, and Naruto knows that as well, but how the village has reacted to this has likely opened up wounds for him. For the longest time he was alone, shunned for something he didn't choose or know about, and he spent a long time working hard to get acceptance from the villagers. After the war he'd done that. Everyone loved and admired him for his efforts. But now it seems they've all turned on him again, because of the decision we made and he probably feels all his hard work has been for nothing!" explained Hinata.

This made Hanabi sad.

"Please understand though he doesn't blame you for this," stated Hinata.

"How can he not, this is my fault," said Hanabi.

"Remember what he said this morning. You had every right to love the person you choose. And we all agreed to this relationship. We knew the risks and accepted it," stated Hinata. "I think Naruto just felt people wouldn't react this negatively, after everything he did in the last war."

"If I'm honest, I think people are overreacting to this," interjected Kurenai. "Naruto saved the world, so what if he has two wives?"

"My point is, I think Naruto just needs a little time to process everything, so if he's running late, he might just be taking some time to think," said Hinata. "But remember, Naruto said his new dream is to be there for us and his children. And Naruto always keeps his word, so he'll be back, we just need to be patient."

"Alright," Hanabi admitted. "Still, where do you think he is?"

"I have a pretty good idea," smirked Hinata.

"So do I and I'm not even one of his wives," added Kurenai.

Both Hinata and Kurenai were correct in their assumption.

Kakashi had kept his word and let Naruto leave early, but as Hinata predicted he hadn't gone home right away. As soon as Naruto left the Hokage Office, he again saw people staring at him and avoiding him like he was some power-hungry tyrant. Because of this, Naruto found himself unable to go home, as he believed his wives would now be forced to face the same rejection as him. Naruto knew they wouldn't mind, but he still felt bad that the women he loved would face similar prejudice that he was forced to face growing up. Naruto knew deep down that none of them had done anything wrong, so it felt unreasonable that the village was judging them for this.

This led Naruto to going to the place he always went to when he felt sad. His favourite restaurant. Ichiraku Ramen. Naruto just hoped the owners would still let him eat there.

Naruto headed to Ichiraku's and as predicted, anyone who was there immediately got up and left, leaving their money and half eaten bowls behind.

"Good evening Naruto, can I get you the usual?" asked Teuchi, the owner and founder.

"You're still ok with me eating here?" asked Naruto.

"Why wouldn't I be, you're my favourite and best customer," answered Teuchi.

"Well, I figured you'd heard about the rumour's surrounding me?" asked Naruto.

"Yes, I have," answered Teuchi.

"And you're ok with them?" asked Naruto.

"I'll admit it's a bit strange, but not the weirdest thing I've seen. Besides you're not the first person to have two wives and I have a feeling you won't be the last either," answered Teuchi.

"What about the rumours of me using the fox to corrupt my wives. Aren't you worried I might use this power to corrupt your daughter?" asked Naruto.

"No, because I know that's not something you would do, because if you did, I'm sure you would've done something a long time ago to ensure you always got free ramen from me," laughed Teuchi. "Now to repeat what I said before, can I get you the usual?"

"Yeah, that'd be great," answered Naruto sitting down. "Sorry I made you lose some business."

"Don't worry about it, you'll more than make up for it and with another Uzumaki on the way, I'm sure I'll get plenty of business," laughed Teuchi. "However, you look like you've had a rough day, so this ones on the house."

"Thanks," said Naruto.

Before long Naruto had a bowl of Ramen in front of him.

"What're you doing here anyway? After all that's happened, I figured you'd want to stay home with your family," stated Teuchi.

"I don't know if I can face them right now," said Naruto who had started eating.

"Why not? You clearly care about them. And I can tell they love you dearly. It didn't occur to me before, but seeing how the three of you acted whenever you came here to eat, I should've known something was going on between the three of you," stated Teuchi. "I'm honestly amazed I didn't connect the dots until the truth came out."

"It's more complicated than that. I know you and Ayame always treated me well, but we both know that's not the case for the rest of the village," stated Naruto.

"I get what you mean, people have started treating you like before," sighed Teuchi. "But I don't think you need to worry about that. You gained their acceptance once and you can do it again. I'm sure they'll come to realise that Hinata and Hanabi chose to love you and you didn't force them to."

"Yeah, but now I'm exposing Hinata and Hanabi to the same life I had growing up," sighed Naruto. "The rejection, the glares and the constant hate, I felt from the village, I would never wish that on anyone, especially them."

"I can see what you mean. It's one thing to be hated, but for the people you love to be hated by association must feel even worse," stated Teuchi.

"Exactly and now, I don't know what to do," expressed Naruto.

"Like I said, you need to stop worrying about it," stated Teuchi.

Naruto looked at him curiously.

"I know you feel bad about exposing them to the same hate you get, but at least none of you will have to go through it alone. You all have each other, which will make the journey easier," stated Teuchi. "Besides their lives have been pretty difficult as well, so don't underestimate their strength."

"You're right, as long as we have each other, that's all that matters," smiled Naruto finishing his bowl.

"You want another?" asked Teuchi.

"Not this time, as you said I should be with my wives," said Naruto before pulling money out of his pocket. "I know you said it was on the house, but I feel bad about making you lose business."

Naruto handed the money to Teuchi who took it without objection.

"Thanks, and don't forget to stay positive, I'm sure things will get better," said Teuchi.

"I hope so," said Naruto before leaving.

Wanting to waste no more time, Naruto headed straight home. He still saw a few people look at him with disdain, but he didn't let it bother him, because he knew with Hinata and Hanabi by his side, everything would be alright.

Before long Naruto returned home.

"Hinata, Hanabi, I'm home," called Naruto.

Hinata and Hanabi came into view. Kurenai followed close behind them while carrying her sleeping daughter.

"Sorry I'm late," said Naruto while taking of his shoes.

"Did you go to Ichiraku's?" asked Hinata.

"Um…" Naruto had a feeling he was in trouble.

"It's ok Naruto we understand," said Hinata. "These last few days have been a lot so we can understand why you needed a moment alone."

"We're just glad your back," said Hanabi hugging Naruto.

"I'm glad to be back," said Naruto hugging her back after which Hinata joined.

"Still, maybe call first that you're going to be late," interjected Kurenai. "It's a hard time for all of you and you made them worry."

"I'll do better next time I promise," said Naruto.

"You better," said Tsunade coming through the front door. "They might be willing to forgive you, but I have half a mind to slap you over the head, especially considering you kept us longer than necessary."

"Sorry Lady Tsunade," said Naruto.

"It's alright, as Hinata said it's been a tough few days," sighed Tsunade.

"So did you have any trouble?" asked Naruto.

"No, as predicted my presence prevented anyone from getting too close," answered Tsunade. "Although there were way fewer Hyuga's lurking then I thought."

"What does that mean?" asked Naruto.

"I'm not sure, but I'm determined to find out," said Tsunde bid them goodnight and they left.

After Tsunade and Kurenai had parted ways, Tsunade went somewhere unexpected. Before long, she was standing outside the Hyuga compound. The events of the day had generated a few questions for her and she knew there was only one person who could provide the answers she wanted. She just hoped the head of the Hyuga clan would be willing to talk to her.

The next day after Naruto, Hinata and Hanabi found themselves once again waiting for Kakashi to show up so he could give them updates.

"After all this time he still runs late," groaned Naruto. "Oh well, means I get to spend more time with you guys."

"I agree a great silver lining," joked Hanabi.

They heard a knock on the door.

"That must be Sensei. Hinata, stay with Hanabi in case it's trouble," requested Naruto.

Hinata nodded and Naruto headed for the door. He opened and thankfully Kakashi was on the other side.

"Well Sensei, what's new?" asked Naruto, gesturing him inside.

"I have good news and bad news," answered Kakashi entering.

"What's the good news?" asked Naruto as he and Kakashi walked into the living room.

"The good news is I've got the papers Hanabi needs to change her name. All she needs to do is fill them out," said Kakashi handing the papers to Hanabi.

Hanabi looked through them quickly.

"Alright, I'll get this done today," she decided.

"Very good and once we submit them, we should be able to get your name changed in no more than two weeks, but I'll see if I can do anything to speed up the process," stated Kakashi.

"Thankyou Lord Hokage," said Hanabi.

"Now what's the bad news?" asked Naruto.

"Kurenai, can't come by today. Mirai feel sick this morning and she has to stay home with her," sighed Kakashi.

"That's ok, I'll just stay home today. Like I said no point in training to be Hokage if the village currently hates me," stated Naruto.

"Actually Naruto, I need you to come to the office with me. Theres something important I need to tell you," stated Kakashi.

"Can't you just tell me here?" asked Naruto.

"I wish I could, but its better we have this discussion at the office," answered Kakashi.

"Do we bring Hinata and Hanabi with us?" asked Naruto.

"No, even though you'd be able to fight off any Hyuga that attack, it's best if we don't have a fight in the middle of the village. It'll be safer for them to stay behind," stated Kakashi.

"How is that safer? Hinata may be pretty strong, but she can't fight the whole Hyuga Clan on her own and we can't let Hanabi fight in her condition," stated Naruto. "Wait a minute, why isn't Granny Tsunade here to help?"

"That's a question that'll be answered, when we get to the office," said Kakashi.

"I'm not leaving. Not while Hinata and Hanabi need my help," stated Naruto.

"Wait, I probably should've mentioned I have more good news," said Kakashi.

"What? Are the Hyuga backing down?" asked Naruto.

"No, I just found others who are willing to help," answered Kakashi. "Now that I think about it they should be here by now."

They suddenly heard shouting outside.

"I told you I got everything we need," complained a man.

"That's what you said last time, and you forgot half of what we needed," lectured a woman.

"Could you stop being a drag," complained the man.

"Oh, there they are," said Kakashi heading for the door.

"I think I have pretty good idea of who he sent," sighed Naruto following Kakashi.

They opened the door to see a man with black hair by the name of Shikamaru, arguing with a blonde woman named Temari. Temari was also carrying their son Shikadai.

"Lord Sixth sorry we're late," apologised Shikamaru. "Temari wouldn't let us leave."

"That's because you wouldn't double check we had everything we need," lectured Temari. "You might be smart, but your so lazy you have no common sense."

"What a drag," groaned Shikamaru.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" demanded Temari.

"Nothing," answered Shikamaru.

"That's what I thought," stated Temari. "Now, Naruto, do you mind if I set up stuff for Shikadai in the living room?"

"No, go ahead, also thanks for coming," stated Naruto. "I'm actually amazed your both here, I thought Shikamaru was away."

"I was, I only got back last night, and I was hoping to have the day off," groaned Shikamaru. "You owe me for this Naruto."

Temari then slapped Shikamaruo over the head.

"He doesn't owe you everything, you chose to be his advisor after he became Hokage, so you'll be helping a lot in the future, so you might as well start now," she lectured.

"Yes Honey," groaned Shikamaru.

"I'm more amazed you're so willing to help with this," commented Naruto. "I thought you'd be as angry as Sakura was."

"Look, I'll admit its not something I would do and I do find it a little gross, but quite frankly its none of my business what you do in your personal life. If you want to have two wives that's your choice. Especially if they're ok with it," stated Temari. "Also I've heard why you need security around the house and I'm more than happy to help.

"What about the rumours regarding the nine-tails?" asked Naruto.

"Oh please, my brother used to be a jinchuriki. If he had an ability like that, I'm sure he would've used it a long time ago. Even if that is an ability you possess, Gaara knows you wouldn't do something like that and that the rumours are complete nonsense," stated Temari,

"Well, thanks I guess," said Naruto who was still amazed Temari was ok with this.

"Personally I think your insane for taking a second wife," whispered Shikamaru to Naruto. "One is too much for me."

"Is that so?" enquired Temari who overheard what he said and started glaring at him. "Do you find me overbearing? Would you hate if there were two of me?"

"No," answered Shikamaru.

"That's what I thought," stated Temari. "Now, if you'll excuse me I'm going to set up."

She walked past Naruto and Kakashi and entered the house.

"You keep this up, you're going to be in the doghouse," commented Naruto.

"Don't you think I know that?" groaned Shikamaru who then sighed. "This is what I get for marrying a woman similar to my mother."

"Maybe Nara men like strong willed women," argued Naruto.

"They are the only ones who can keep them in line," joked Kakashi.

"You guys aren't helping," stated Shikamaru. "Anyway I better get inside before she yells at me again."

Shikamaru walked past them into the home.

"I'm glad they agreed to come," stated Naruto. "Shikamaru can use his shadow possession to stop any intruder and Temari can easily blow away anyone who approaches. I just hope they're enough."

"We have to assume they aren't, which is why I've managed to get a few more people to come over," stated Kakashi. "Conveniently a lot of people got back last night."

Two more people then entered through the gate. Both brown haired, but one was accompanied by a large white dog and had red fang marks on his face, while the other wore sunglasses and had a mysterious attitude. Naruto recognised them has Hinata's old teammates Kiba and Shino.

"Guys thanks for coming we really appreciate…"

Kiba held up a hand causing him to go silent.

"Just so you know Naruto, we aren't here to help you. The Hokage said Hinata needed our help and that's why we're here," stated Kiba.

"We're still a little sceptical with the rumours, but as long as you didn't hurt Hinata there'll be no trouble from us," added Shino.

"Oh, come on guys, do you really think I'd do anything to hurt Hinata?" asked Naruto.

"We'd like to think you wouldn't but we want to know for sure," answered Shino.

"We also know how much Hinata cares for her sister, so we could see her being willing to share you with her, but no one else," stated Kiba. "If you take a third wife, we'll know for certain your up to something sketchy."

"You don't have to worry about that," stated Naruto. "There are still days where I wonder how I ended up with two."

Kakashi decided to break up the conversation.

"Guys I'm sure you have a lot of questions, but I'm going to request you leave them till later. Naruto and I have a lot to do."

"Alright Lord Hokage," stated Shino. "Let's go Kiba we have a job to do."

"Fine, but I got my eye on you," said Kiba to Naruto.

They to walked past Naruto and headed into the house.

"Well, at least they're taking it better then I thought they would," sighed Naruto.

"Like I said Naruto, you've made a lot of friends over the years. You need to trust they'll stand by you when you need them the most," stated Kakashi.

"I guess," said Naruto. "Anyway, you said you had something important to tell me at the office?"

"Indeed, so we better get going," said Kakashi.

"Could you at least tell me why Granny Tsunade couldn't help today?" asked Naruto.

"Like I said you'll get the answers you're after when we get to the office," answered Kakashi.

Without another word they made their way to the Hokage's Office. They headed their as quickly as they could, because whatever Kakashi had to tell Naruto was extremely urgent. Upon arriving at the office door, Kakashi came to a holt.

"Before we go in, I feel you should know, that no one here is looking for a fight," stated Kakashi.

"Huh?" asked Naruto.

"You'll see," stated Kakashi.

They headed inside and saw Tsunade was there waiting for them, but she wasn't the only one. Hinata and Hanabi's father Hiashi was also present.

"What is he doing here?" demanded Naruto.

"Naruto, I said no one is here to look for a fight," advised Kakashi. "There's something Lord Hiashi wants to tell you, and I recommend you listen."

"I don't want to listen to anything he has to say. I bet he's here to say that this isn't what he wanted. If that was the case, he would've fought harder for Hinata and Hanabi," growled Naruto.

"He's done more than you think," interjected Tsunade.

"What do you mean?" asked Naruto.

"I think it's better that Lord Hiashi answer that question. Before that though I think I should explain why we're all here," answered Tsunade. "As you know I spent all day yesterday guarding your home from attackers and I only spotted a few Hyuga's lurking. I'd been led to believe that the entire Hyuga clan was opposed to the relationship between you and its two heirs. If that was the case, I feel there would've been way more Hyuga surrounding the house trying to find an opening. As this was not the case, I decided to do some investigating. I headed to the Hyuga Compound after leaving your home and requested an audience with the clan head. This led to a very long discussion between us"

Hiashi stepped forward.

"Naruto, I wasn't completely honest with you and my daughters. I only told you what I did, because I felt the truth would be too hard for them to hear, so I only told you enough to push you away. I swore I wouldn't be the cause of any more pain to my daughters. Unfortunately, even as Clan head there is only so much, I could do to fight against the clan elders. No matter what I said, I couldn't change their minds."

"Why what's going on?" asked Naruto calmly.

"First, I want to apologise again for getting angry at you before. I'll admit I was a little angry by the situation, but it was for selfish reasons. I'd long accepted that what Hinata wanted more than anything was to be with you and if that made her happy, I wasn't going to fight it, regardless of what the Clan said. They didn't mind though, as we still had Hanabi to continue our traditions. I too was hoping Hanabi would continue our traditions because it would keep peace. So, when I heard she was in a secret relationship with you, and Hinata I lost it because I knew this was going to cause a lot of trouble. I wanted to blame you, but I knew I couldn't, as we all know my daughters loved you before you loved them. This was their choice, and I should've done more to support them!" explained Hiashi. "Also, something tells me I should've predicted this, Hanabi moved out of the compound to gain more independence, then she moved in with you and Hinata. And never left."

"Yeah, I'm honestly amazed no one found out until we told the truth," chuckled Naruto. "But you still haven't told me what's going on."

"Right. Let's just say the Hyuga Clan is actually less disgusted by Hanabi's child then I let on. The reason they wanted Hanabi to come back is because they have a lot of plans for her child," stated Hiashi.

"Plans? What Plans?" asked Naruto.

"All in good time Naruto, we'll tell you everything we discussed last night," interjected Tsunade.

Chapter Text

The night before Tsunade headed to the Hyuga Compound and requested an audience with clan head Hiashi. She had a feeling she would be turned away because of her connection with Naruto and because the whole Hyuga Clan was likely now aware she was helping protect Hanabi. Nevertheless, she'd been let in and was now in a room waiting for Hiashi. A nearby door opened, Hiashi entered and sat opposite Tsunade.

"Lord Hiashi, thank you for seeing me on such short notice," said Tsunade.

"Not at all, it's an honour to have the Fifth Hokage visit my home," stated Hiashi.

"Really? Because I think we both know why I'm here," stated Tsunade.

"Indeed," sighed Hiashi. "I'm aware you spent today helping defend my daughter from the clan. A smart move, you're one of the few ninja that even the strongest Hyuga wouldn't dare challenge."

"If you know that, then why did you allow this visit?" asked Tsunade.

"I was hoping you could give me an update on my daughters," answered Hiashi. "Are they ok?"

"If you want to know, you should visit them yourself," stated Tsunade angrily.

"I can't," was all Hiashi could say.

"I don't believe that, as Clan Head, you should've done more," argued Tsunade.

"We both know I couldn't," countered Hiashi. "I might be the head of the Hyuga Clan, but at the end of the day, all that means is that I'm a public representative for the clan. I must make the decisions that will keep peace within the clan, even if that means I don't agree with them. My position isn't that different from the Hokage, I may be the leader of a group, but I'm not a Tyrant, I must do what is decided upon by the majority of the clan."

"So, the majority of the clan feels its ok to take your daughter away from the man she loves, raise her unborn child as a servant who will never meet their father and brand her with the Cage Bird Seal if she refuses?" asked Tsunade.

"That is the clan way. We pride ourselves on tradition and to have an illegitimate child as heir would be disgraceful," answered Hiashi. "Speaking of which, as the Hokage you shouldn't be interfering with clan business."

"Former Hokage, I may always hold the title of the Fifth, but I am no longer Hokage. My current actions are for personal reasons," countered Tsunade.

"Then why is Lord Sixth interfering with Hyuga Clan business?" demanded Hiashi.

"Because there is a loophole in this. As Naruto is the child's father, it could be argued jurisdiction lies in his name and not the Hyuga," stated Tsunade.

"Yes, but Hanabi is still a Hyuga, meaning she has to face the consequences of the clan," countered Hiashi.

"Perhaps, but she has made the decision to change her name, so regardless of clan traditions as soon as her name is changed her future will no longer be dictated by the Hyuga Clan," argued Tsunade.

"But as of right now, she is still a Hyuga, meaning Lord Sixth has no right to interfere," countered Hiashi.

"Lord Sixth is only helping in the areas he's allowed to. He's not helping directly in the protection of Hanabi. Furthermore, he is not forcing any other Shinobi to act as security, only those willing to protect Hanabi are doing so. All Lord Sixth is doing is helping with the process of changing Hanabi's name, as far as the laws of the village is concerned, he isn't overstepping any boundaries," stated Tsunade.

Hiashi looked defeated in this argument.

"You're right, everything they are doing is within The Leaf Village code. But that doesn't change the fact that until Hanabi's name is changed, the Hyuga Clan is free to do everything they can to bring her home," stated Hiashi.

"Correct, but with both Naruto and I acting as security, they'd be fools to attack their home," countered Tsunade.

"That we can agree on," stated Hiashi.

While Tsunade knew he would never admit it, she could tell Hiashi was sad about all this.

"I know you currently wish for me to leave, but before I do, may I ask you a few questions?" asked Tsunade.

"I will answer any questions you have, because I know this is a pointless fight," stated Hiashi.

"Why are the Hyuga Clan so insistent that Hanabi and her child return? They didn't object to Hinata's marriage to Naruto. Even with Naruto being the hero of the village, wouldn't it normally be considered taboo for a potential heir to marry outside the clan?" asked Tsunade.

"That would be the case if she were the only heir," answered Hiashi. "As you know, Hinata was already once removed as clan heir. While in recent years she has proven herself more capable of being heir, the clan decided she was fine to marry Naruto, provided she relinquished her rights. We were all aware Hinata had made her choice. She knew the consequences and accepted them. The Hyuga Clan also accepted this, because if we had Hanabi as heir our traditions could continue."

"But now that's not possible?" asked Tsunade.

"No, now that Hanabi has decided to join this polygamous relationship, with Naruto and Hinata, we have lost another heir," stated Hiashi. "This could have been fixed if it had ended early on, but now that she is carrying Naruto's child, she can no longer be heir."

"If you needed her to be heir so badly, why did you let her move out and move in with Naruto and Hinata?" asked Tsunade.

"Because I did see benefit to her leaving home and finding more independence. I believed she was only living with Naruto and Hinata until she could find a place of her own. Considering she never left, I probably should've suspected that something was amiss," stated Hiashi.

"Perhaps, but from what I can tell this was a big shock to everyone," added Tsunade. "What will you do if Hanabi is successful in changing her name."

"I'm not sure yet. All I know is I'll be required to find a new heir," stated Hiashi. "And I probably won't be allowed to pick the heir, they'll likely be chosen by the clan elders."

This led Tsunade to her next question.

"Does the entire Hyuga Clan truly want Hanabi brought back and branded?"

Hiashi hesitated with this question.

"Would they be doing what they are if they didn't?"

"That's what makes me suspicious," stated Tsunade. "You claim this was a decision made by the entire clan and yet I saw very few of them lurking by Naruto's home. If the whole Hyuga Clan was for this, there would be a lot more involved. What's really going on?"

"That's private clan business," sighed Hiashi.

"Like I said, I'm no longer Hokage, the consequences of me interfering aren't as great as they use to be," countered Tsunade.

Hiashi decided it might just be easier to tell Tsunade everything.

"I wasn't entirely honest with Naruto and my daughters," confessed Hiashi. "And you were right, this isn't what the whole clan wants. While most of the elders are demanding for Hanabi's return, much of the Branch Family is refusing to help. While we have control over them with the Cage Bird Seal, most are resisting as much as they can. Only a few are actively trying to attack Naruto's home."

"Does this have anything to do with the friendship they had with Neji?" asked Tsunade.

"It's definitely a factor, but I think many of them are just happy Hanabi found a way to escape," sighed Hiashi. "Can't say I blame them."

"You said you weren't honest with Naruto and your daughters. What didn't you tell them?" asked Tsunade.

"Do you really want to know?" asked Hiashi.

Tsunade nodded.

"Very well. Truth is, I only told them what I did to push them away. I knew telling them that Hanabi's child would face the same fate as Neji would be all Hanabi needed to leave. I felt telling them the truth would hurt them too much," stated Hiashi. "I've caused my daughters enough pain, I won't cause anymore."

"Why? What could hurt them so much that you felt the need to lie?" asked Tsunade.

"I was being truthful when I said, the elders wish to brand Hanabi and put her in the branch family. What I didn't tell them were the plans the clan have for her child," answered Hiashi. "They want me to make the child the next heir. And they want Hanabi to have nothing to do with raising the child."

"But you said it's a disgrace to have an illegitimate child as heir," stated Tsunade. "Furthermore, the child will only be half Hyuga, wouldn't that mean making them heir would be more taboo?"

"In most cases yes, but considering the possibilities of the combined genetics, they've made an alternative decision," answered Hiashi.

"Combined genetics?" asked Tsunade.

"The Uzumaki Clan are well known for their stamina and high levels of chakra!" explained Hiashi.

"I'm aware of the abilities of the Uzumaki Clan, I'm also descended from them," stated Tsunade.

"Then imagine what could be achieved, if you combined their abilities, with the strength and techniques of the Hyuga Clan," stated Hiashi.

It was all becoming clear to Tsunade.

"So, what your saying is…"

"That's right, the Hyuga Clan wants Hanabi's child because of the possibilities of an Uzumaki/Hyuga Hybrid," Hiashi confirmed

"Is that all they see the child as? A tool for them to use to increase their strength?" asked Tsunade.

"That's right. And they want to make sure the child is raised in our ways and traditions," answered Hiashi.

"That's disgusting," spat Tsunade.

"I know, which is why I only told Hanabi enough to push her away. I don't even want to know how she'd react to this. I think she could live with being banished to the branch house, but to have her child taken away from her and be raised by others would destroy her," sighed Hiashi.

"Why haven't they tried something like this with Hinata's son? Boruto is also an Uzumaki/Hyuga hybrid," stated Tsunade.

"As Hinata has relinquished her rights as a Hyuga and become an Uzumaki, this extends to her son!" explained Hiashi. "Boruto is an Uzumaki, meaning the clan has no say in how he is raised. It also doesn't help that by inheriting his father's eyes, the chances of him having the Byakugan are low. Hanabi on the other hand is still a Hyuga, which could extend to her child."

"So as long as there's a possibility, that the child could be a Hyuga, the elder's feel they have the right to take it?" asked Tsunade.

"Yes," confirmed Hiashi.

"What about the fact that Hanabi's child could also inherit Naruto's eyes?" asked Tsunade.

"They've decided to worry about that later. And even if Hanabi's child is born with Naruto's eyes that doesn't mean they won't necessarily inherit the Byakugan." answered Hiashi. "This is the desire of the Clan, and I fear there's nothing I can do to change their minds."

"But you don't want this?" asked Tsunade.

"No, I don't. Which is why I'm taking no part in the attempts to bring Hanabi back," answered Hiashi.

"How do the elders feel about this?" asked Tsunade.

"They're not happy, but they know there's nothing they can do," answered Hiashi.

"Why did you make this decision? At one point you would've forced your children home without hesitation," argued Tsunade.

"I had my reasons," countered Hiashi getting angry.

"Which are?" asked Tsunade.

"I was a bad father," growled Hiashi before calming down. "I was a bad father."

"No argument here," laughed Tsunade. "That still doesn't explain why you decided to support them now."

"When you're born into the Hyuga Clan, your born without a choice in your path," stated Hiashi. "Your either born in the main house, or the branch family and your fate is decided from there. Or so I thought. Neji proved this wrong, by being the true prodigy of the Hyuga Clan. Hinata proved this as well, by making the choice to leave and be Naruto's wife. And now Hanabi has made the same choice. It wasn't one I was happy with, but I decided it was one I would support. So, when the elders told me I had no choice and that I had to bring Hanabi home, I told them we always have a choice. They could do as they please, but my choice was to support my children and not cause them anymore pain."

"Do you really think that's what you're doing?" asked Tsunade. "You lied to your children and you're sitting here wallowing during a time when they need you."

"As Clan Leader I must. I might not be one of the people trying to force Hanabi home, but I can't show open support for them," stated Hiashi.

"Why not? Showing them support will help others realise this might not be what the Hyuga Clan wants. You said we always have a choice. What do you choose?" asked Tsunade firmly.

Back in the Hokage Office, Hiashi had just finished telling his story to everyone.

"So, you're saying what they really want is Hanabi's child?" asked Naruto angrily.

"Yes, they feel that by having a child that is both an Uzumaki and a Hyuga and raising them in our ways, we'll be able to increase the inner strength of the clan," confirmed Hiashi.

"As much as I can respect the desire to get stronger that is NOT going to happen," snapped Naruto. "That is my child she's carrying and I'm not going to let anyone hurt her or our child."

"Naruto temper," advised Kakashi though he understood Naruto's anger.

"It's alright he has every right to be angry," interjected Kakashi. "I am as well, which is why I'm here. I'd like to help protect Hanabi until she can change her name."

"Not a chance. Why should I trust you?" demanded Naruto.

"I'm her father and I want to protect her," answered Hiashi calmly.

"Really, because your not doing a very good job," spat Naruto.

"NARUTO," interjected Tsunade causing everyone to go quiet. "I understand your anger, but you need to think about this more logically. Yes, he doesn't have the best track record as a father, no one will argue that. Yes, he should've been more supportive when this. And yes, he hasn't given you much reason to trust him. But if he really didn't care, do you think he would be here today?"

"I guess not," admitted Naruto.

"The Clan Elders weren't happy with my decision to come here today," added Hiashi. "But I repeated what I said before, I'm not going to cause my daughters anymore pain and I'm going to support them."

"I'm not the one you need to convince," stated Naruto.

Hiashi looked confused.

"I'll let you help, but ONLY, if both Hinata and Hanabi say it's ok. We agreed we were all equals in this relationship, and I feel this is a decision we need to make together. I don't trust you, but if Hinata and Hanabi do, that's all I need," declared Naruto.

He turned to Kakashi.

"Sensei, I'm going to give training a miss today so Lord Hiashi and I can go home and sort everything out."

"That's ok I was just about to suggest the same thing."

"Besides I think this could be beneficial," stated Naruto. "Gran… I mean Lady Tsunade has already confirmed that only a few Hyuga are actively trying to attack my home, if their own leader is stepping into defend, something tells me that'll make them even less hesitant to attack."

"I agree," added Hiashi.

"Alright, we can put off Hokage Training until you feel ready to return," said Kakashi.

"Hold on," interjected Tsunade. "Lord Hiashi, I believe there's something else you should tell Naruto."

"Of course," nodded Hiashi. "It was the Hyuga Clan who started the rumour that you used the power of the fox to corrupt my daughters and turn them into your servants."

"What?" asked a surprised Naruto.

"I assure you this wasn't something I approved of," stated Hiashi. "They know getting Hanabi back won't be easy, not just because you're protecting her, but also because you'd have the support of the whole village. After everything you had done in the last war, the clan believed the village would do everything they could to help, even though you'd done something as old fashioned as taking a second wife. They felt the only way they had a chance of retrieving Hanabi was to ensure your support from the village was minimal. And so, they spread the rumour that Hyuga Clan had lost their heirs due to the power of the fox. Now many others fear you'll use this power on more woman"

"You know, everyday I'm happier that Hinata is no longer a member of the Hyuga Clan," stated Naruto. "I'm happy Hanabi will soon be free as well."

"As am I," sighed Hiashi. "Even I didn't think the elders would go to such extremes."

"That still doesn't explain why the village believed this crap so easily," said Naruto.

"Unfortunately, Naruto, fear is an easy motivator and despite everything you and the Nine Tails did during the war, people still hold a lot of fear over the tailed beasts," interjected Tsunade. "Furthermore, the Hyuga Clan is a well-known, respected and influential clan, so it doesn't surprise me they were able to spread this rumour so effectively."

"Isn't there anything you can do to convince people otherwise?" asked Naruto turning to Hiashi.

"I can try, but I fear the damage might already be done," sighed Hiashi.

"Even if it worked it wouldn't solve everything," added Kakashi. "From this rumour an additional rumour was created. Not everyone is convinced this is because of the fox, but it has led others to believe, this is the result of you letting your accomplishments go to your head. So, even if you can convince people this isn't because of the fox, many will still believe your doing this because you think its your right as the strongest shinobi in the world. And they even think you'll take on additional wives because of this."

"Let me guess, the only way to fix that is to earn back their trust through more heroic actions and hard work?" asked Naruto.

"I'm afraid so," confirmed Kakashi.

"People are impossible to please, aren't they?" asked Naruto.

"Pretty much, but you did it once and you can do it again," stated Kakashi.

"Here's hoping, but I don't mind putting off being Hokage for a few more years, it means more time with my family," stated Naruto.

"It's always good to see a silver lining," chucked Tsunade.

Naruto headed for the door.

"Let's go Lord Hiashi, the sooner you clear things up with Hinata and Hanabi the better."

Hiashi nodded and followed Naruto throughout the door.

"You think they'll be ok?" asked Tsunade.

"It won't take us much longer to solve the issues with the Hyuga Clan. I've already given Hanabi the papers she needs to change her name. After they're submitted it'll be over in a few weeks," stated Kakashi. "As for the rest of the village… Only time will tell."

"They'll be fine, people avoided Naruto when he was young because they feared the power of the fox. Now that he has full control over it, only a fool would attack him or the women he loves," stated Tsunade.

"I hope you're right," sighed Kakashi.

Naruto and Hiashi headed back to the Uzumaki home. While stares still came from the other villages, they weren't as hate filled as usual. Instead, they were curious, as they were amazed Naruto was traveling with the head of the Hyuga Clan, especially with everything that was going on.

Once they reached Naruto's home, they were met by those who were acting as security. They were just as surprised to see Hiashi as the other villagers were.

"What is he doing here?" demanded Kiba.

"Lord Hiashi told me more about what the Hyuga Clan are planning," answered Naruto. "Because of this we have a lot to discuss with Hinata and Hanabi."

"How can you trust anything he says? If I were you, I wouldn't let him within ten feet of Hinata and Hanabi," stated Kiba.

"Personally, I don't trust him, but I've decided allowing him to help shouldn't be up to me," said Naruto.

"Are you leaving that decision to Hinata and Hanabi?" asked Shino.

"Yes," answered Naruto.

"I think that's fair, he is their father," stated Shino.

"The fact that he's the father is the very reason they shouldn't let him in. Especially the way he treated them while they were growing up," stated Kiba.

"Kiba that is not for us to decide," argued Shino.

"Shikamaru, could you back me up here?" asked Kiba to Shikamaru.

"I don't think it's the wisest decision, but it could also make this situation less of a drag, so I say go for it," sighed Shikamaru.

"Temari, anything you'd like to add?" asked Naruto as Temari had said nothing.

"Again, none of my business what you do in your personal life, if you're willing to let him in that's your choice," answered Temari.

"Ok great," said Naruto. "Anyway guys, while I appreciate you all giving up time to help us, would you mind leaving for a bit so we can talk to Hinata and Hanabi in private?"

"But what about the Hyuga Clan?" asked Shino.

"I think we'll be fine with Lord Hiashi and I around," answered Naruto.

"I agree," added Shikamaru. "Frankly, I'm amazed they haven't tried anything with only us here."

"Just let me go get Shikadai and we'll be gone," interjected Temari. "Do you want us to take Boruto as well?"

"No, I think it would be safer if he stayed with us," answered Naruto.

Temari nodded and headed for the door to get Shikadai.

"Well, I'm not leaving," stated Kiba. "I don't care if they trust him or not, there's no way I'm leaving Hinata with this guy."

"They've asked us to leave, so we're leaving," threatened Temari pulling her giant fan off her back.

"I wouldn't push her," warned Shikamaru. "She's attacked people for less."

"Alright, I'll leave," conceded Kiba. "But I'm staying close by."

"If it makes you feel better," sighed Naruto.

After Temari fetched Shikadai, they left the Uzumaki residence, agreeing to come back in a few hours.

Hiashi followed Naruto into the Uzumaki home. They walked into the living room to see Hinata helping Hanabi fill out the paperwork to change her name.

"Father?" enquired Hinata, which also caused Hanabi to look up.

"I know it's a little shocking to see him, but to put it simply, we have a lot to discuss," answered Naruto.

Hiashi told his daughters everything. How he had lied to them about the intended fate of Hanabi's child, what would happen to Hanabi upon returning to the Hyuga Compound and the fate that would befall her child after they were born. Both Hinata and Hanabi became more disgusted, the longer Hiashi spoke.

"So, you're saying they want to brand me regardless of if I came home by choice?" asked Hanabi.

"Yes," said Hiashi full of shame.

"And they wanted to use Hanabi's child for the next heir, as they feel they'll help make the Hyuga Clan stronger?" asked Hinata.

"Yes, they believe that by combining the strength of the Hyuga, with the stamina and high chakra of an Uzumaki, they'll have a warrior of unbelievable strength," Hiashi confirmed. "That is also why they are trying to get Hanabi back before she changes her name. Because they want to make sure the child is raised in the ways of the Hyuha."

"But… I'll never be allowed to see my child?" this was the fact that hurt Hanabi the most.

To ashamed to answer Hiashi simply nodded.

"My child is not a tool for the Hyuga Clan to use for their own sick desires," cried Hanabi breaking down.

Naruto went over to comfort her.

"Father, why didn't you tell us this?" asked Hinata also comforting Hanabi.

"I wanted to, but I thought if I told Hanabi the truth, it would destroy her. Hinata, I've caused you so much pain throughout you, life and for that I'm truly sorry. I didn't want to make the same mistake with Hanabi, so I told her just enough to push her away and convince her to leave," Hiashi confessed.

"Then why are you telling us the truth now?" asked Hanabi calming down.

"Because someone reminded me that we always have a choice," stated Hiashi. "It might come back to haunt me, but right now I choose to support you. Both of you. I've thought long and hard about this and the last thing I want, is to lose my precious daughters."

Hiashi got on his hands and knees.

"I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, but if you'll let me, I want to help protect Hanabi until she can get her name changed. I'd also love nothing more than to be a part of my grandkids lives, but I'll understand if you want to keep them away from me."

The room was silent, as Hinata and Hanabi were genuinely surprised by their fathers' actions. One could argue they had every right to not trust him and no one would blame them if they threw him out of their lives for good. However, at the end of the day he was still their father and somehow, they knew his words were genuine.

Hiashi looked up when he felt a soft hand on his shoulder.

"I forgive you father," said Hinata genuinely.

"So, do I. We can tell this isn't want you want," added Hanabi.

"You may have given into the demands of the clan before, but I guess this was your breaking point," stated Hanabi.

"Sounds more like a wake up call to me," laughed Hanabi.

Hinata looked at her annoyed.

"I think I'm allowed to have a joke here," argued Hanabi.

"Perhaps, but he's trying to apologize," countered Hinata.

"It's ok, I deserve it," interjected Hiashi.

"More to the point Father, I would love if you could help me through this," Hanabi confirmed.

"We'd also love nothing more than for you to be a part of our children's lives," said Hinata taking Hanabi's hand.

Hiashi smiled. Despite all the mistakes he'd made as a father, his daughter's were still willing to forgive him and allow him to be a part of their lives.

"You know, you said you were a bad father and yet you still managed to raise the kindest and most forgiving women in the leaf village," joked Naruto.

"They don't get that from me," chucked Hiashi. "They get that from their mother."

Hiashi looked down at the floor sadly.

"I miss her every day."

"So do we Father, which is why I think its important we stay a family no matter what," stated Hinata. "I know you're not thrilled with some of the decisions Hanabi and I have made, but it's what we want."

"We're both very happy to be Naruto's wives and the mothers of his children," added Hanabi.

"I can see that and while its going to cause a lot of problems for the Hyuga Clan, I'm going to support you through this," promised Hiashi.

"Thankyou father," said Hanabi taking his hand.

The three of them hugged, but then Hinata spoke up.

"Still what are we going to do about the elders?"

"I'm not sure," answered Hiashi. "All I know is that as soon as Hanabi's name is changed, there will no longer be an heir for the Hyuga Main Branch. Because of this, the elders will demand I find a suitable heir as quickly as possible."

"How are you going to do that?" asked Hanabi.

"I'm not sure, but I'll figure something out," stated Hiashi.

"I might have a suggestion," interjected Naruto.

"I appreciate the offer Naruto, but it might be better if I handle this," said Hiashi.

"But I think I have a way get the elders to back off," stated Naruto.

Hiashi was about to object, but Hinata wanted to hear what her husband had in mind.

"What do you propose?"

"Before I tell you, I want to assure you that we'll only go through with this if both you and Hanabi agree and when the time comes, the decision won't be up to anyone but our children," answered Naruto.

"What do you mean?" asked Hiashi who was also curious to hear Naruto's plan.

Naruto then told them his idea to keep the Hyuga Elders at bay, at least for the next few years.

Chapter Text

The next few weeks were relatively calm for the Uzumaki family. Now that Naruto knew how far the Hyuga Elders we're willing to go, he decided to stay home until Hanabi could change her name. This worked well, as with him around no Hyuga dared attack. This had also done a lot to ward of further vandalization from other villagers. Hiashi also came over whenever he could. While his presence for security was unneeded, he wanted to make it clear to the entire village, that he was supporting his daughters and not the Hyuga Elders. This had also been beneficial, as even fewer Hyuga were lurking around Naruto's home. They knew that if the Clan Leader wasn't supporting the elders, this wasn't a task worth pursuing.

They had also managed to convince most of the village, that the rumours about Naruto using the power of the Nine Tail's to corrupt Hinata and Hanabi were false. Hiashi publicly announced to the village that the rumours were made up by the Hyuga Elders, to ensure Naruto got less support from the village. He also let the villages know, this wasn't a decision he supported and was actively helping defend his daughter. Tsunade also stepped in to confirm the corruption rumours were false, as she had examined both Hinata and Hanabi and saw no evidence that proved this. This had been enough to convince most of the village that Naruto hadn't forced the Hyuga Sisters to be his wives and that both were indeed in love with Naruto. There were however still a few that were sceptical. To make matters worse, much of the village were still repulsed by Naruto's actions. Regardless of all he'd done in the war, they were disgusted that he had decided to have two wives. Many still held the belief that Naruto let his accomplishments go to his head and he believed he was free to do whatever he wanted.

They felt this could cause a lot of damage to the village's reputation, especially considering Naruto was in line to be the next Hokage. How would others feel about their leader doing something as old fashioned as taking a second wife? Would it make them believe their leader was a tyrant and how would that reflect on the rest of the village? Because of this most of the village agreed they would never acknowledge Hanabi, as Naruto's wife and their child would not be legitimate either. It didn't take long for these facts to reach the Uzumaki Household. They knew they would face hardships going forward, but as long as they had each other, they knew they would be ok. They were just glad there were still some villagers who supported them.

Most of Naruto and Hinata's old academy friends, had come around to add extra security and were willing to help the family run errands, as neither Naruto or Hinata wanted to leave Hanabi. Although most of their friends were supporting them, that didn't mean they immediately accepted the situation. Sakura's best friend Ino had a similar opinion to Sakura, accusing Naruto of being a disgusting pervert who had betrayed Hinata. Thankfully, she calmed down once she heard Hinata's side of the story. Ino's husband Sai on the other hand was impressed by Naruto's ability to have two romantic partners, as this wasn't anything like the traditional relationships he had read about. Both of Hinata's old teammates had accepted the relationship was genuine when they heard Hinata's side of the story.

Shikamaru's teammate Choji didn't seem particularly bothered by the relationship and simply congratulated them. Finally, Tenten who was the former teammate of Neji and Lee had similar suspicions as Sakura and Ino, but didn't argue about it when she heard the full story. The only person who hadn't come around was Sakura. This surprised everyone, because as Naruto's former teammate and one of his closest friends, many felt she would be one of the first to support him, but she hadn't come to see them since she initially confronted Naruto.

Naruto just hoped she would come around, because he didn't want their friendship to end because of this. Thankfully, this day would come sooner than they thought.

At the Lee house, Rock Lee was getting ready to head to the Uzumaki home, as he had agreed to help with security that day. Sakura had a shift at the hospital and was coming out to say goodbye to Lee and Metal and was surprised to see Lee getting Metal ready to go out.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"Lord Hokage has asked me to help with security at Naruto's, since many others have had to go on missions," answered Lee.

"That's not compulsory you know, you don't have to go," stated Sakura.

"I know, but Naruto's my friend and I want to help," stated Lee.

"You can't be serious," stated Sakura. "How can you possibly support this?"

"As I said Sakura, its none of our business what Naruto does in his personal life. If he wants to have two wives, that's up to him," said Lee.

"But its disgusting and perverted," argued Sakura.

"Both Hinata and Hanabi are ok with this. I don't see the problem," countered Lee.

"The problem is Naruto cheated on his wife and he's having a child with another woman," spat Sakura.

"Again, they're all ok with this, meaning he didn't cheat," stated Lee.

"I don't believe that's true. Considering how obsessed with Naruto, Hinata was growing up I doubt she'd be willing to share Naruto with anyone. Especially, her own sister," argued Sakura.

"Please tell me you don't believe the rumours of him corrupting them?" asked Lee.

"Of course not. I don't think Naruto would go that far," answered Sakura.

"Then what do you believe exactly?" asked Lee.

"Isn't it obvious?" asked Sakura. "Naruto obviously manipulated Hinata into thinking this is what she wants. We both know she would do anything for him, so I'm sure it was easy to manipulate her into letting him take a second partner, or he would leave her."

"Do you really think Naruto's that cruel?" asked Lee.

"No, but I do think he's a big enough pervert," answered Sakura.

"Sounds to me like you're only basing this off what you know about Naruto and not what you know about Hinata," argued Lee.

"No, I'm not," countered Sakura. "As I said I don't believe Hinata would want to share Naruto with anyone. He manipulated her into doing so."

"I do agree with some of that," stated Lee. "After Naruto and Hinata had gotten together, I believe she would've fought any woman who even dared to flirt with him, but you also have to remember how much Hinata loves her little sister. You were on the mission they went on to rescue Hanabi after she'd been kidnapped. You told me that Hinata was willing to betray Naruto if it meant she could save Hanabi. To me that says there is only one person Hinata cares about more then Naruto and that's Hanabi. I think it's safe to assume Hinata would do anything to make her happy. Including sharing the man she loves."

Sakura couldn't argue that Lee had a point. But she had another argument.

"Ok fine, maybe Hinata does love her sister so much that she's willing to share Naruto with her, but that doesn't mean Naruto had to say yes. I honestly think he only agreed to this, because it meant he could have two women in his life."

"And what's wrong with that?" asked Lee.

"What's wrong, is that I seriously doubt Naruto loves Hanabi the same way he loves Hinata. He was just happy to have another partner. In fact, I now doubt if Naruto even loves Hinata," stated Sakura.

"You act like someone can only have love in their heart for one person," stated Lee. "Some people get married more then once, whether it be through death or divorce. So, people clearly can have love in their heart for more than one person."

"Its not the same. In those instances, couples have stopped loving each other or one of them dies. Sure, someone can love someone after they've loved someone else, but how can you accept someone can love two people at the same time," argued Sakura.

"So, you're saying, we should only love one person at a time? In Naruto's case he can't say he loves Hanabi, while he loves and is with Hinata? Which should be the same for everyone?" asked Lee.

"Exactly," answered Sakura thinking Lee had come around.

The next question was difficult for Lee to ask, but he knew it had to be said.

"Then why did you marry me?"

This confused Sakura.

"What are you talking about, I married you because I love you."

"But I wasn't your first love. Some might argue I wasn't even your second," stated Lee.

"Ok yes, I loved Sasuke at one point, but when he was finally ready to give us a chance, I turned him down. And I did this because he had hurt me to much and I wanted to be with someone I could trust and rely on," stated Sakura. "That's why I fell in love with you, because I knew I could trust and rely on you to be a good husband."

"Naruto could've also been that," argued Lee.

"You know I never thought about Naruto that way," countered Sakura.

"Actually, I don't. You and he were always close, and you were the only girl he had eyes on for years," countered Lee.

Yes, he had a crush on me, but we were always just friends," countered Sakura.

"That doesn't change the fact that if you'd given him a chance he would've said yes, and he would've been just as an attentive husband as I am," argued Lee.

"Lee that is not fair, I chose you and married you because I knew you were the one I could love the most and who would love me the most," stated Sakura starting to cry.

"And I'm grateful for that truly, and I know Naruto and Sasuke weren't the only ones who admired you. You could've had any man of your choice, so I feel extremely lucky that I was the one you chose," said Lee calmly. "But that doesn't change the fact that I wasn't the first man you loved. As we know, I'm not one to hold a grudge, but I do sometimes wonder if marrying me and having Metal is just a consolation prize, because while I believe you when you say you and Naruto are just friends, I know a small part of you will always love Sasuke."

Sakura was speechless.

"Look I'm sorry I upset you, but I just felt I needed to put things in perspective. I don't want your friendship with Naruto and Hinata to be ruined because of this. You and I are proof that you can love more than one person in your lifetime. That's exactly what's happening with Naruto. Yes, Hinata was his first love and Hanabi's his second, but by some miracle he's able to love them both at the same time and they both love him. The three of them are happy with this arrangement, so who are we to judge?" asked Lee.

Sakura had no counterargument for this.

Lee knelt down and picked up Metal.

"Now I told Lord Hokage I'd help today and that's what I'm going to do. Metal can play with Boruto in the meantime," stated Lee. "And before you say something like, 'I don't want our son hanging around a family like that', he's going to eventually, because Boruto and Metal will be in the same class. I love you Sakura, but Naruto, Hinata and Hanabi have made their choice and they're happy with it. There's nothing we can do about it, so we might as well accept it."

Lee left the home leaving Sakura to think about what he said.

Most of the day was 'normal' for the Uzumaki family. Lee, Shikamaru and Sai had shown up to provide extra security and their children, along with Boruto were being supervised by the Uzumaki's. Although he knew he was being overprotective, Naruto refused to leave Hinata and Hanabi alone until the issue with the Hyuga Clan was resolved. Hinata and Hanabi didn't mind however, as it showed they truly did marry the best man in the Leaf Village. Anyone helping with security were also fine with this, because not only were their children being guarded by the strongest ninja in the village, but they also knew Hinata would provide quality childcare. They also couldn't deny it would give Hanabi plenty of practice for when her own child arrived.

Unknown to the Uzumaki, there would be an unexpected visitor that day. Thankfully, it wouldn't be a hostile one. They heard a knock on the door and Hinata stood up. Hinata had agreed to answer the door from now on, as it allowed Naruto to protect Hanabi.

She was surprised to open the door and see not just Lee but also Sakura. The latter of whom was looking very guilty.

"What's going on?" asked Hinata.

"Nothing bad I promise you," answered Lee. "Do you remember how Lady Fifth was going to give Hanabi her checkups until the mess with the Hyuga Clan was resolved?"

"Yes?" queried Hinata. "In fact, I think she was going to give Hanabi one today."

Sakura stepped forward.

"Lady Tsunade is unavailable today. She was going to reschedule, but I volunteered to give Hanabi a checkup. I know you probably don't want me in your home after the last incident, but if you'll let me, I'll happily check on how Hanabi's baby is doing."

To Sakura's surprise Hinata smiled.

"Of course Sakura, come on in," said Hinata gesturing inside. "But remember I'm not the one you need to convince."

Sakura was just happy Hinata was one of the most forgiving people in the village. She stepped inside and followed her into the living room.

"Sakura, what are you doing here?" asked Naruto who was surprised to see her.

"She's come to give Hanabi a check-up. And while we agreed to make all our decisions together, I think the choice to let her do this rests with Naruto and Hanabi," stated Hinata.

Sakura was fully prepared for both Naruto and Hanabi to kick her out.

"Naruto, about before I…"

"It's ok Sakura, I'm not mad at you," Naruto stated calmly.

"You're not?" asked Sakura.

"We knew people might not react positively to this, so we prepared for the worst!" explained Naruto. "In fact, I had a feeling you'd react the way you did, especially considering our history and my reputation as a pervert."

Sakura chucked at this.

"Well, let's just say someone helped me see things from a different perspective," said Sakura thinking of her husband.

"Glad to hear it, because I don't want our friendship to end because of this," stated Naruto.

"I don't think it should either," said Sakura.

"Either way, I'm fine with you giving Hanabi and our child a check-up. In fact, there's no one I'd trust more," stated Naruto. "But there's still one more person you need to convince."

Sakura looked at Hanabi who was looking sceptical.

"If Naruto and Big Sister trust you, then I will as well, but I'm warning you, if you do anything to harm my child there isn't a healer in the entire universe who will be able to fix what I do to you."

"If you say so," laughed Sakura.

"She's not kidding," warned Hinata. "I'd be careful if I were you."

"Noted," said Sakura a little more nervous.

Sakura then gave Hanabi her check-up and despite the lack of equipment, was able to use her skills as both a medical ninja and a doctor to see how Hanabi's baby was progressing.

"Well, both you and the baby are healthy, and the baby is progressing as normal," said Sakura.

"Good to hear," said Hanabi

"But if you want to know the gender, you'll have to wait till you can go to the hospital for a checkup," stated Sakura.

"We're fine with not knowing the gender, we want to keep it a surprise," confirmed Hanabi.

"That's fair," said Sakura.

"I just hope we haven't pulled you away from the hospital for too long," said Hinata.

"Actually, I asked for a personal day," stated Sakura. "My visit here was of my own choice. In fact, Hinata, I was actually hoping to talk to you."

"Sure, what about?" asked Hinata.

"Well, actually I was hoping to speak privately, would you mind if we went for a walk?" asked Sakura.

"I don't know Sakura, I don't want to leave Hanabi right now," stated Hinata.

"It's alright Hinata, Hanabi is more than safe with me," interjected Naruto. "And I think having a talk with Sakura might be good for all of us."

Lee had let Naruto know about the conversation he had had with Sakura that morning, especially with regards to how Lee thought Sakura wasn't considering Hinata's opinion on the matter. Because of this, Naruto was happy to let them talk privately.

"But what about the kids?" asked Hinata.

"I can't expect you to do all the childcare. I'm happy to watch them till you get back," answered Naruto.

"And it gives me plenty of practice," laughed Hanabi who had started playing with the children.

"Well, if your sure, but I'll still try to be back as quickly as possible," stated Hinata.

Sakura and Hinata left the house and began their walk around the Leaf Village. They walked in silence for a bit, as both felt awkward about starting the conversation they were about to have. Hinata then noticed a tea house and suggested they sit down to talk about everything. After they ordered some tea and dumplings, Sakura decided to cut to the chase.

"I think you know why I asked for a talk," stated Sakura.

"You want to ask about my relationship?" asked Hinata.

"Yes. It's come to my attention that I jumped to a negative conclusion based solely on my history with Naruto," stated Sakura. "And I haven't really taken your feelings into consideration."

"Like Naruto said, we all expected you to react that way," laughed Hinata.

"Do you all just have a negative view of me now?" asked Sakura.

"No, we just know what you're like," laughed Hinata.

"Still, I've realised that I didn't have the full story, and I acted poorly," said Sakura. "I know you already confirmed this the last time we spoke, but I think I just need to hear it again when we're alone. Is this really what you want?"

"It is, more than anything in the world," answered Hinata.

"But why? To say you were in love with Naruto growing up would be an understatement. You were obsessed with him, so it amazes me you'd want to share him with anyone," stated Sakura.

"In every other case that would be true, if I saw another woman even flirt with Naruto, I don't think I could be held responsible for my actions," laughed Hinata.

"They why did you make an exception for Hanabi?" asked Sakura.

"I think you already know the answer to that," answered Hinata.

"Lee did help me see logic to the situation. He reminded me of that mission we went on together to rescue Hanabi and the lengths you were willing to go to save her. Which included betraying Naruto. Lee also said that Hanabi might be the only person in the world you care about more than Naruto," stated Sakura.

"I wouldn't go that far," said Hinata. "Don't get me wrong, I love Naruto with all my heart, but there's a special bond between an older and younger sister that can be greater than anything, which includes the responsibility an older sister feels towards their younger sister."

"I guess that's something I can't understand as I'm an only child," sighed Sakura. "But I guess that means you'll do whatever it takes to make your sister happy."

"That's correct," confirmed Hinata. "Even before Naruto and I got together I suspected she liked him as well. Because I could see she looked at him the same way I did. In fact, after Naruto and I got engaged I could see a lot of sadness on her face, because she felt Naruto would never be hers. I think she hoped her feelings would fade, but they never did. In the end she was filled with guilt and felt the need to tell us the truth. So, one day she came to us and confessed she was in love with Naruto. To everyone's surprised I immediately invited her to join us."

"Without asking Naruto if he was ok with this?" asked Sakura.

"Yes, Naruto does express that he feels he had no say in the matter, but he wanted me to be happy, so he didn't fight it," stated Hinata. "He also admits there was no point in looking a gift horse in the mouth."

"That doesn't surprise me at all," sighed Sakura. "I'm also guessing Hanabi was overjoyed when you asked her to join you and Naruto."

"Overjoyed would be an understatement," laughed Hinata. "Especially considering she feared I would hate her, but she's my sister I could never hate her."

"And I'm guessing the rest is history?" asked Sakura.

"Pretty much. Hanabi moved in with us shortly after and not only did we both grow closer with Naruto, but we also grew closer as sisters," said Hinata.

"If you don't mind me asking, why did you and Naruto still go ahead with your marriage, because from what I can see you're trying your best to treat everyone as equals?" asked Sakura.

"For a variety of reasons," stated Hinata. "Our wedding date was close when Hanabi confessed, and we feared people would become suspicious if we suddenly called it off. Hanabi also didn't want to ruin our special day, and we all agreed this could help keep our polygamous relationship a secret."

"Not much of a secret now," joked Sakura.

"Well again we feared how the village would react upon finding out," stated Hinata. "As you can see our fears were warranted."

"Yeah, can't say I blame you for keeping it a secret," laughed Sakura.

"If I'm honest though, I'm kind of glad the secrets out," admitted Hinata.

"Really? But it's caused you guys so much trouble," stated Sakura.

"I know, but I sometimes feel keeping it a secret prevented Hanabi from being an equal part of the relationship," said Hinata. "She even told me once that she often felt like a third wheel to Naruto and my relationship, but she didn't mind as being with Naruto made her happy."

"Is that why she had her own room in your house, to help keep the relationship a secret?" asked Sakura.

"That's correct, we also had special rules when it came to quality time as I was Naruto's legal spouse," admitted Hinata.

Sakura was surprised Hinata had been so open about her and Naruto's private time, as there would've been a time where Hinata would've fainted by just thinking of the topic. Sakura had a feeling she'd regret this, but she was now curious about how their relationship worked.

"What kind of rules? Did he spend three days with you and three days with Hanabi and he got you on the final day of the week?" asked Sakura.

"No, if Hanabi wanted to spend quality time with Naruto, I had to be there," answered Hinata.

"Wait, you mean you guys…"

"Yes, we all spent time together," interjected Hinata not wanting Sakura to finish her question.

"Isn't that awkward?" asked Sakura.

"It was at first, but we got used to it and we keep our minds on Naruto," stated Hinata.

"I'm guessing as his wife you still got alone time with him?" asked Sakura. "I mean you got pregnant a year ago."

"Yes, but I tried to limit the alone time to when Hanabi was away on missions so she wouldn't feel left out," confirmed Hinata.

"In fact, while I was pregnant with Boruto, we decided to amend the rules of solo quality time, because we knew Hanabi deserved alone time with Naruto as much as I did. If I was away, they could do whatever they wanted," stated Hinata. "I think Hanabi was glad when I returned to mission work after Boruto was born."

"I'm guessing that's how Hanabi ended up pregnant?" asked Sakura.

"I'd say so, because I went away on a mission for a few days and a few weeks after I got back, we discovered she was pregnant. I wasn't happy, as we wanted to avoid this to keep our relationship a secret, but I guess it was going to happen eventually. I think Hanabi also liked the idea of having Naruto's child, can't say I blamer her," said Hinata thinking about her own child with Naruto.

"And that's what led to you guys deciding to make your relationship public?" asked Sakura.

"Yes, because we knew it would only be a matter of time before people found out," confirmed Hinata. "I'm glad though, because it means no one has to keep their love a secret and I feel this has made Hanabi an equal in our relationship."

"And because of that, I'm guessing you now split your time with Naruto evenly?" asked Sakura.

"What do you mean?" asked Hinata.

"He spends three days with you, three days with Hanabi and you alternate Sundays," stated Sakura.

"No, we all share a bed now and we'll be turning Hanabi's room into a nursery for her child," Hinata clarified.

"Wait, so you mean all three of you…"

"Yes," interjected Hinata. "As I said we're all equals."

"You know what, I don't want to know anymore. I still think its gross," stated Sakura.

"You're the one who asked," stated Hinata.

"I didn't think you'd tell me, I thought you'd faint when being asked a question about your intimate life," said Sakura. "I knew you'd gotten more confident over the years, but I didn't think you'd be this confident."

Hinata chucked.

"Being with Naruto has allowed me to find confidence in myself I never thought I'd have, but I think inviting Hanabi to join us has allowed me to find even more confidence," said Hinata.

"Clearly," groaned Sakura.

Realising they'd gotten of track, Sakura decided to steer the conversation back to her initial question.

"So, do you think Hanabi's the only person you'd be willing to share Naruto with?" asked Sakura.

"Yes, Hanabi's my precious little sister and I want her to be happy. Being with Naruto makes her happy, so I'm more than happy for us to be a marriage of three. But to every other woman our Naruto is off limits," answered Hinata.

"How does Hanabi feel about all this?" asked Sakura.

"Admittedly, I think we'd both prefer to have Naruto to ourselves, but I think she's just happy she's allowed to be with and be loved by Naruto, especially considering he loved me first. We also know that given the circumstances, this is the best outcome we could ask for and we're both happy with that," answered Hinata.

"No offence Hinata, but I can't decide if you're the weirdest older sister in the world or the most considerate," stated Sakura.

"I can understand that, Hanabi herself feels I'm the greatest older sister ever for allowing this to happen," laughed Hinata.

"Can't imagine why," said Sakura sarcastically.

Now convinced that the relationship between Naruto, Hinata and Hanabi was genuine, they spent the rest of their time at the teahouse discussing other topics. When they were done, they headed back to the Uzumaki home. Sakura apologised to Naruto for her actions and admitted that she now believed their relationship was real. Naruto however admitted there was nothing to forgive, as he had never been angry at Sakura and was just glad, they were still friends. Sakura was starting to see why the three of them worked together so well, as they were arguably the most forgiving trio in the village. Sakura then asked if she could stay for the rest of the day. It meant she could spend time with her son, it added extra security, and she could help anyone in case they got hurt. Naruto, Hinata and Hanabi had no objections and reminded Sakura that she was always welcome in their home.

The day continued without much drama. Not a single Hyuga dared attack their home and aside from the needs of the children the day was stress free.

Come evening everyone was preparing to leave, when they heard a knock on the door. As before Hinata was the one who answered.

"Lord Sixth?" asked Hinata seeing Kakashi on the other side.

"Good evening Hinata, may I come in?" asked Kakashi. "I have good news."

"Of course," said Hinata gesturing him inside.

They headed back to the living room, where everyone else was present.

"Sensei, what's up?" asked Naruto.

"I have news. You would've heard about it by tomorrow, but I thought it was best I come deliver the news in person," answered Kakashi. "You should have no more trouble from the Hyuga Clan."

"You mean?" asked a hopeful Hanabi.

"Yes. Welcome to the Leaf Village. Hanabi Uzumaki," stated Kakashi.

Hanabi was nearly brought to tears of joy. While they knew their issues with the rest of the village weren't over, she was just glad that tomorrow she'd be able to walk through the village a free woman. Naruto and Hinata also hugged her, because now, they felt no one could say she wasn't a member of their family. In their eyes their family had gained a member and they would soon gain another in eight months. And now that none of them had to worry about an attack from the Hyuga Clan, they decided the next thing they would do was help Hiashi with the issues he was facing from the Hyuga Elders.

Chapter Text

Now that her name was officially Hanabi Uzumaki, she was eager to step outside and continue life as normal. Well, as normal as life could be for someone in a polygamous marriage. Naruto, Hinata and Hanabi had let Hiashi know about the news and had agreed to come over to talk with the elders about what they could do regarding the next Hyuga Heir. They just hoped the elders were willing to listen.

After they were ready, Hanabi stepped outside and took what felt like the first breath of fresh air she'd had in years.

"How does it feel, Hanabi Uzumaki," asked Naruto following her outside.

"Like the greatest thing ever," she answered before hugging.

With Boruto in her arms, Hinata came outside and smiled at the site before her. She was so happy that her sister could now go outside and be publicly seen as a member of their relationship.

"We'd better get going," interjected Hinata. "We don't want to keep Father and the elders waiting."

"Of course, I just hope they agree to our suggestion," stated Hanabi.

"I think they will, because like with us, they'll know this is the best outcome they can get," said Naruto. "And if they don't, that's their loss."

"Agreed," said Hanabi rubbing her stomach.

Before they left both Hanabi and Hinata activated their Byakugan's to ensure that they were safe to leave. While they were confident word had spread about Hanabi's name change, they still wanted to make sure no one was watching them. After they confirmed there was no one around they left. They headed to the Hyuga compound, but not before dropping Boruto off at Kurenai's who had agreed to watch him for the day.

When they reached the Hyuga compound the guards let them in with out hesitation. One of them even congratulated Hanabi on her escape and her pregnancy.

They waisted no time heading to Hiashi's chambers who was waiting for them with a group of Hyuga elders.

"Good you're here, please have a seat," Hiashi requested.

They all sat down on the same side as Hiashi and faced the elders. The elders didn't look happy, especially the main one who was Hiashi's father.

"You all have some nerve coming back here, especially after the disgrace you've bought to the clan," stated the Main Elder.

"They are no longer members of this clan, and I only did what any good husband would do," stated Naruto. "And from what I understand, you wanted to use my child for your own selfish gains."

"Mind your tongue," said another elder.

"No, he has a right to speak just like any of us and not just because I was also against what you wanted to do with Hanabi's unborn child," interjected Hiashi.

"It was the only way to preserve the honour of the Hyuga Clan, after the disgraceful actions of your daughter," said the Main Elder. "It would've allowed us to strengthen the main house and uphold our traditions by raising the child as a Hyuga."

"Grandfather, please understand…" Hanabi was cut of.

"Don't call me that," interjected the Main Elder. "After everything you've done you are no longer my grandchild."

"Do not speak to her that way," growled Hiashi. "I've let you dictate the lives of my children for too long. As head of the clan, I'm putting my foot down. My children are no longer yours to order around. And while they may not be Hyuga anymore, they are still my daughters, meaning they will always be welcome in my home. I recommend you accept that, as they will continue to be a part of my life whether you like it or not."

The elders could tell that Hiashi's decision was final and even if they all voted against him, he would refuse. Despite his responsibilities as Clan Leader, it was clear he was now choosing to put his responsibilities as a father first.

"Very well, but you still have responsibilities to the clan," said the Main Elder. "With both your daughters now Uzumaki, they can no longer be heir to the Hyuga Clan. And sadly, the next in line to be Clan Leader passed away during the war. A tragedy that saddens all of us."

While the clan elders were generally cold and emotionless, even they couldn't deny they were saddened by Neji's passing as he was a true prodigy and would've made a great Clan Leader in Hinata and Hanabi's place.

"So, it is your responsibility to pick the next heir," clarified the Main Elder.

"That is why we are all here," stated Hiashi. "Naruto has come up with a solution that can satisfy us all."

"He is no Hyuga, why should we listen to anything he has to say?" asked the Main Elder.

"Because I to think this decision is most fair," answered Hiashi.

"Fine we'll hear him out, but if he's going to suggest one of his children be clan heir, that'll be impossible, unless he wishes to hand one over to be raised by us," stated the Main Elder.

"That'll never happen. They are my children, and they will be raised by me and my wives," clarified Naruto.

"Then what do you propose?" asked another elder who seemed far more reasonable than the others.

"First, I want to clarify a few things. You wanted Hanabi's child, because you felt an Uzumaki/Hyuga hybrid could strengthen the clan, but you wanted them to be raised under your ways?" asked Naruto.

"Correct," answered the Main Elder.

"You couldn't do this with my son Boruto, as Hinata had already given up her rights to the Hyuga by becoming an Uzumaki, meaning our son was born an Uzumaki?" asked Naruto.

"Also correct, but at the time Hanabi was still a Hyuga, meaning her child could be born a Hyuga," confirmed the Main Elder.

"However, in doing so you also wanted brand Hanabi and take her child away from her?" asked Naruto.

"It was the only way to ensure the child was raised right," stated the Main Elder.

"That's where our issue comes in. We feel that there is a better way in raising the next Hyuga Leader, then by taking them from the people who love them the most," said Naruto.

"Furthermore, I feel we need to change our approach to raising our leaders anyway. Our outdated and cruel practices were not what Hinata needed to grow strong. They may have worked for Hanabi, but had I been more caring and compassionate to Hinata she would've progressed much faster. We fear the same fate would've befallen Hanabi's child had we let you take them from their parents," interjected Hiashi.

"You call our practices outdated and cruel and yet your son-law is practicing something done by tyrannical dictators," stated the Main Elder.

"That might be true, but I'm doing it out of love not because I can," interjected Naruto.

"Regardless, you still haven't told us how we us supposed to find our next heir," stated the Main Elder wanting to get this conversation back on track.

"I don't think the heir should be chosen," suggested Naruto.

"What are you talking about?" asked the Main Elder.

"I'm guessing you'll always want the heir to be a descendent of the main house?" asked Naruto.

"Yes, but in this case, we'd be willing to accept the most appropriate member of the branch family, now that the main family line is dead" answered the Main Elder.

"Maybe it doesn't have to die," suggested Naruto.

"What do you mean?" asked the reasonable elder.

"The only reason the main line has died is because of the choices Hanabi and Hinata made. They decided there were things they wanted more then being their clan leader," said Naruto taking both their hands.

"Choices they shouldn't have been allowed to make as it was the responsibility of at least one of them to become Clan Leader," argued the Main Elder.

"Don't you think that maybe it was the lack of choice that made them decide to leave?" asked Naruto.

The Hyuga Elders were speechless by this response.

"For the longest time people told me I would amount to nothing, but I made the choice to prove them wrong and become the ninja I am today. You also thought Hinata was destined to be a failure, but she managed to prove you wrong. We're living proof that the only people who decide our destinies are us and we accomplished that through the choices we made," stated Naruto.

"If I may interject again, for the longest time the Hyuga hasn't allowed its members to chose their own path. We force them to have a predetermined destiny at birth, which has only created turmoil over time. Both Neji and Hinata broke that cycle, and now Hanabi has as well," stated Hiashi.

"My point is it shouldn't be solely up to you or Lord Hiashi who becomes the next heir to the Hyuga Clan. It should also be up to the individual if they want to be clan heir. Both you and Lord Hiashi can have your preferences as to who you want to be Clan Leader, but in the end, it should be up to the individual if they want to be clan heir," stated Naruto. "I don't want to force any of my kids to follow a path they don't want to follow."

Both Hinata and Hanabi nodded at this statement.

"But I can understand and respect your desire to want to have your next leader be a descendent of the main branch. So, this is what I propose. Please wait a few more years until my children are older. As you know, Hinata and my son Boruto has my eyes, which lowers the chance of him having the Byakugan. The same could be true for my child with Hanabi. However, Lord Hiashi has confirmed there is still a chance they could inherit the Byakugan regardless of how their eyes look. Should they awaken the Byakugan, we're happy for them to be considered as the next Hyuga Heir, but only when they are old enough to make the decision on their own and only if it is what they want," stated Naruto. "I know that might not sound ideal to you, but this way not only do you potentially get a stronger leader, but you'll also have a descendent of the main branch. And like I said it'll ensure this is a path your future leader wanted to take."

"As I said, I feel this is the best decision to satisfy everyone," interjected Lord Hiashi.

The elders looked at each other.

"May we have a moment to think about this?" asked the Main Elder.

"Of course, take as long as you need," said Hiashi.

They bowed their heads, and the elders left to discuss their options. Everyone else stayed in the room until the elders returned. Hiashi ordered some tea for them and everyone sat in silence as they waited for the elders to return. After half an hour, a door opened, the elders returned and retook their seats.

"Well?" asked Hiashi.

"We've thought about your proposal and we agree this is the best option we can have," stated the Main Elder, who then turned to Naruto. "But I hope you understand there will be rules your kids will have to follow should one of them agree.

"Like what?" asked Naruto.

"For starters they will be required to give up the Uzumaki name and take the Hyuga name," answered the elder.

"Couldn't they simply hyphen it?" interjected Hinata.

"Unfortunately no, in order to be the head of the Hyuga Clan, the only surname they can have is Hyuga," clarified the Main Elder.

"I understand, but I'm ok with that, whatever decision my kids make I'll support," stated Naruto before turning to his wives. "But only with the support of their mothers'."

Hinata and Hanabi looked at each other, they then turned back to the elders and nodded showing they agreed with this condition.

"Very well, but that's not the only condition they'll have to follow. They'll also have to leave home and come live here, so they can be trained in not only the techniques of the Hyuga Clan, but also in our traditions and ways," said the Main Elder.

"I had a feeling this would be a condition, that being said even if one of my children decides they want to be the leader of the Hyuga Clan, I don't want them to be named heir until they're eighteen, because no matter what I won't be missing out of their childhoods," stated Naruto.

The Main Elder looked at the others and they all nodded in agreement.

"Very well, but I want them to know they have this option as soon as both become genin," stated the Main Elder.

"Make it till they're chunin, I think they should be able to grow as ninja first before they have to make a decision," countered Naruto.

The Main Elder looked back at the other elders who again nodded.

"Very well, we won't ask them to make a decision until both your children are chunnin, and they won't officially become heir until they are eighteen," stated the Main Elder. "But our other conditions stay, they must take the name Hyuga and live at the compound after they are named heir."

Naruto turned to Hinata and Hanabi, both nodded showing they also agreed with the proposed conditions.

"Before I agree to this I have one more question to ask," stated Naruto turning back to the elders. "Will my wives and I still be allowed to see the child who decides to become heir?"

The Main Elder sighed.

"We initially felt you should cut all ties if one of your children decided to be heir, but then we remembered what Lord Hiashi said about his daughters. That no matter what name they have they will always be his children and a part of their lives. I'm guessing its safe to assume you'll feel the same way about your childred?"

Naruto nodded.

"Then yes, you'll still be allowed to see your children, even if they decide to become heir to the Hyuga Clan," stated the Main Elder.

"Then I to agree to your conditions," stated Naruto.

"It's settled then," said The Main Elder. "For now, we won't make any demands for an heir to be named. Should your children inherit the Byakugan, they will become potential candidates for Clan Heir. When they become Chunin, they will be informed they can take this path. Should one of them decide to become Clan Heir, on their eighteenth birthday they will be officially named heir. But should both your children decline the option of being Clan Heir, then it is Lord Hiashi's responsibility to name a new heir as soon as possible."

"This is a responsibility I accept," stated Lord Hiashi.

"Very good. Now, I think we can all agree this meeting is over," said the Main Elder as he and the other elders stood. "We look forward to seeing what your children decide in the future."

Without another word spoken, the Hyuga Elders left.

"Well, I'm glad that's over," sighed Naruto. "I hate having to be that formal."

"You did look very uncomfortable the whole time," laughed Hinata.

"I'm just glad we reached an agreement that everyone was satisfied with," sighed Hiashi.

"Now what do we do?" asked Hanabi.

"If you ask me, we should go celebrate," stated Naruto. "Anyone up for Ramen?"

"Sounds good I'm starting," said Hanabi.

"Are you sure you're not just having pregnancy cravings?" asked Naruto remembering what Hinata was like.

"I don't care, I'm hungry and I want to eat," said Hanabi getting impatient.

"Alright everyone calm down, I think a good meal is what we all need after this drama," laughed Hinata. "Would you like to join us father?"

"Maybe another time, I still have a lot to do, but I think you should all just enjoy yourselves," stated Hiashi. "It's been a rough few weeks, let's just be thankful it's over."

"Well, the Hyuga Clan might have backed down, but I don't think we can say the same for the rest of the village," stated Naruto, remembering the stares they got from other villagers after they had left home.

Hanabi took his hand.

"Don't forget Naruto, we agreed that as long as we have each other everything will be ok."

"I know, I just feel guilty that I'm putting you both through this," stated Naruto hugging her.

Hinata then came over and joined the hug.

"You don't have to Naruto, we want to be with you and nothing is going to change that," said Hinata.

Hiashi smiled, although he didn't fully agree with the situation, he was just happy Naruto made his daughters happy.

Life went on for the Uzumaki family. People still stated and whispered amongst themselves whenever they were seen in public. Hinata feared that some wanted to attack Hanabi, thankfully none of them did, as they knew the repercussions from Naruto would be much worst. Furthermore, now that they new the rumours of Naruto using the Fox to make them his slaves were false, people started to believe the rumours of Hanabi's pregnancy were false. However, as the months passed and Hanabi's stomach grew, it became clear those rumours were true. Some theorised Hanabi had just agreed to be a surrogate for Naruto and Hinata, especially considering both would regularly place a hand on Hanabi's growing stomach. This was quickly proven false as they were often overheard referring to the child as Hanabi's.

This destroyed any denial the villagers had about Naruto and his relationship with the sisters. This angered the majority of the village. While it was true that Naruto was the hero of the last war, how did that give him the right to take a second wife? It was not only extremely old fashioned, but many found it disgusting and forbidden, which they felt painted their village in a bad light. What made matters worse was that Naruto was expected to be the next Hokage. How would it make the Leaf Village look if their leader was in a disgusting polygamous relationship? This was a question that eventually made it's way to the village leaders and elders.

One morning, Naruto was sleeping peacefully with his wives on either side of him, when they heard a knock n the door. All three of them awoke confused. They had nothing planned for the day and were aiming to sleep in.

"Who do you think that is?" asked Hinata groggily.

"I'll go check," yawned Naruto.

Hinata got out of bed to make it easier for him to get out.

"Ok, I'll make us some breakfast," yawned Hinata.

"I'll give you a hand," said Hanabi struggling to sit up.

Hinata walked over and put a hand on her shoulder.

"You're not doing anything. We'll say it as many times as we have to, until the baby comes, we're going to pamper you."

"We'll if you insist," laughed Hanabi.

Naruto smiled at his wives before heading to the door.

Naruto opened the door and was surprised to see Kakashi standing there.

"Sensei? Is something wrong?" asked Naruto.

"Unfortunately, there is," sighed Kakashi.

"The other village leaders have called for an emergency meeting, and they are requesting for you to be there," stated Kakashi.

Naruto looked towards the kitchen where he could see Hinata preparing breakfast and Hanabi sat at the table.

"Is this about?"

"I'm afraid it is Naruto. We thought the worst of this was over, but the worst is yet to come," interjected Kakashi.

"Ok, well, I'll tell them we've been summoned and we'll get ready as quickly as possible.

Despite the mask hiding most of his face, Naruto saw Kakashi's expression go sad.

"As much as I'd like you all to be there, so you could support each other, the village leaders have stated that only you are to come," Kakashi clarified. "I'm sorry Naruto, but you're wives are going to have to stay home."

"But this concerns them as well," argued Naruto.

"I agree, unfortunately the concern of the village leaders is on the future of the Leaf Village, which they feel concerns you more then them," countered Kakashi.

"Alright," conceded Naruto. "Can I at least say goodbye to them?"

"Of course, just don't be long, we don't want to keep them waiting," stated Kakashi.

Naruto nodded before heading back inside. He told Hinata and Hanabi what was happening and how he had to go with Kakashi to meet with the village leaders. Unsurprisingly, they wanted to go with him, but agreed to stay after hearing that only Nartuo's presence was requested. Naruto got dressed gave each wife a hug and kiss goodbye before heading off with Kakashi.

As Naruto and Kakashi headed off into the distance, Hinata and Hanabi watched from the doorway worried about what was about to happen.

Hanabi was particularly worried.

"You don't think I've ruined Naruto's life and his dreams, do you?" asked Hanabi as she placed her hand on her stomach and started to cry.

"Don't worry about that Hanabi. As long as the three of us are together, we'll be fine," stated Hinata comfortingly as she hugged her younger sister.

"I just hope Naruto feels the same way," thought Hinata.

Chapter Text

As Naruto followed Kakashi to the Hokage office he had a strong feeling that he was about to receive the worst news of his life. He just hoped that no matter what he was about to hear, the comfort of his new family would get him through it.

As they entered the meeting room, Naruto was greeted by the other leaders of the Leaf Village, most of them looking very stern and angry. Both Naruto and Kakashi took a seat at the table.

"Naruto, I'm sure you're aware why we called you in here today?" asked one of the leaders.

"I'm guessing it relates to my relationship with my wives," said Nartuo.

"Correct, as you know much of the village doesn't approve of you being with not only your wife but her sister as well," said the same leader.

"With all due respect I view Hanabi as my wife as well and I wish for you to refer to her as such," requested Naruto.

"It doesn't matter what you view her as, you are only legally married to Hinata meaning none of us are obligated to refer to Hanabi as your wife," said another leader.

"I disagree," interjected Kakashi. "Naruto showed us respect by coming today without argument, because of this I believe we show him the same respect by referring to both his partners as wives while he is in our presence."

"As you wish Lord Sixth," said the first leader that spoke.

"Good, now I think we should stop stalling and start discussing the real reason why we're here," requested Kakashi.

The leaders nodded in agreement.

"Very well," said the first leader. "Naruto, we acknowledge that life hasn't been easy for you. You were treated unfairly due to being the jinchuriki of the nine tailed fox. Nevertheless, you worked hard for the Leaf Village and not only did you become a powerful ninja, but you became one that we are forever indebted to. Not just for your services to the village, but for your services to the entire world. Without you none of us would be standing here today. That being said, just because we are forever indebted to you doesn't mean you are free to do whatever you want. Everyone has to face consequences for their actions, even war heroes."

"Taking on a second wife may have been acceptable in the past, especially given your accomplishments and the fact that you are the son of the Forth Hokage," said a different leader. "However, it is now seen as an outdated practice, that is only performed by tyrants who rule through fear and power. Because of this, most of us have decided, that you taking on a second wife, paints our village in a bad light. Especially considering you are expected to become the next Hokage. We feel it will lead outsiders to view us as a dictatorship, if our leader, who is also the strongest ninja in the world has a harem."

"Because of this, we are giving you the following ultimatum. If you wish to continue your current path, you must end the relationship with one of your wives," said another leader. "It doesn't matter which wife you choose, but if you still wish to become Hokage, we request that you only have one wife.

Nartuo's anger was growing, but he remained calm.

"And if I refuse?" he asked.

"If you refuse you will never be the Hokage," said the first leader.

Naruto was shocked. They were forcing him to make an impossible choice. Either he give up on the dream he had worked his entire life for, or he end the relationship with one of the women he loved.

"We'll give you some time to think it over, but we expect your answer by the end of the week," said the same leader. "Meeting adjourned."

Naruto got up and left without saying anything else. He proceeded to wonder around the village considering his options. The choice seemed impossible, how could he choose between his lifelong dream and the women he loved. Before Naruto knew it, he had wondered home. Naruto decided to be honest with his wives about what was going on.

After entering Hinata and Hanabi came to greet him.

"Naruto, is everything ok?" asked Hinata.

"No, listen guys we need to talk," said Naruto.

They soon gathered in the living room where Naruto told them about the ultimatum he had been given by the village leaders. Unsurprisingly, the sisters were shocked, particularly Hanabi who's worst fears had been confirmed.

"So you mean?" asked Hanabi.

"Yes, I have to leave one of you or I'll never be allowed to become Hokage," Naruto confirmed.

"How can they do that? After everything you did in the war denying you your dream doesn't seem fair," stated Hinata.

"They feel me being both Hokage and in a polygamous marriage will give of the impression that we're an old fashioned and tyrannical village," answered Naruto.

"But you didn't force us into this. We're the ones who chose to love you," stated Hinata. "if anything we forced you into this after I invited Hanabi to join our relationship."

"Unfortunately, they don't see it that way," said Naruto. "Something tells me they want their next Hokage to be more modern and not someone who is in a polygamous relationship, which they view as a polygamous marriage."

"Still it feels wrong for them to punish you just because you have enough love in your heart to love two people," said Hinata.

"I agree, but I don't think there's anything I can do about it. I have a feeling they've made their decision and I can't force them to let me be Hokage, because then I will look like a tyrant," stated Naruto. "Also, if I did that I fear I'd no longer be the man you both fell in love with."

Hinata took Naruto's hand.

"Naruto, no matter what you do, we'll always love you. Right Hana…" she trailed of when they saw tears streaming from Hanabi's eyes.

"Hanabi what's wrong?" asked Naruto.

"This is all my fault," answered Hanabi.

"Hey no it's not," said Hinata.

"YES IT IS," yelled Hanabi.

They were silent after this. Hinata was just glad Hanabi hadn't woken Boruto who was currently napping.

After taking a few deep breaths to calm down Hanabi continued.

"I should've known this would happen. I should've known that if our relationship ever became public it would ruin Naruto's life. Now because of me Naruto will never become Hokage. I only confessed because I didn't want to hurt you or Hinata, but now I've ruined everything. I should've kept my feelings to myself."

Naruto got her to look at him. He wiped some of her tears before saying.

"What did I tell you before, this isn't your fault. Yes you feel in love with me first but after you joined our relationship I soon fell in love with you as well. You can't blame yourself for this, when in the end it was I who decided to love two women."

"And you were very brave for coming forward and telling me the truth. This would've ruined the relationship between most sisters, but you told me anyway because you wanted to be honest and I'm eternally grateful for that. I want my little sister to be happy, so I saw nothing wrong with sharing the man I love with her," stated Hinata. "You even expressed that you feared I would hate you for this but remember what I said the night you first joined us, 'I could never hate you'.

"That's why I consider you the Super Sister," laughed Hanabi wiping more tears from her eyes.

"Super Sister? That has a nice ring to it," laughed Hinata.

Their laughter was short lived as Hanabi still felt guilt over the whole situation.

"But Naruto how can you still love me now that I've destroyed your chances of becoming Hokage?" asked Hanabi.

Naruto pulled her into a hug.

"We all have dreams and they are all equally important. When the news first came that this was hurting my chances of becoming Hokage, I asked you what your dream was. Do you remember what you said?" asked Naruto.

"For us to be one big happy family," answered Hanabi.

"That's right and that dream is just as important as my own. And remember I also said that's my dream now as well. You, me, Hinata, Boruto and our unborn child will all be one big happy family," declared Naruto.

It was at this point that Naruto knew what he had to do. Better yet he knew what he wanted to do. He let go of Hanabi and stood up.

"Stay here, I'll be back," said Naruto heading for the door.

"Where are you going?" asked Hinata.

"They said I had a week to give them my decision, but I'm going to let them know I've already made my choice," answered Naruto.

"What are you going to tell them?" asked Hanabi.

"I think you already know," said Naruto looking back and grinning.

"You're really going to give up being Hokage for us?" asked Hinata.

"I never said I had given up. This isn't the first time I was told I'd never be Hokage. I proved them wrong once, who's to say I can't do it again," answered Naruto giving them a toothy grin and a thumbs up. "Besides, its just a position, there are people now that are more important to me."

Both Hinata and Hanabi were touched by how much Naruto loved them and they admired that he wasn't deterred by this. It could take many more years for him to become Hokage, so they admired that he was still determined to live his dream no matter what.

"Besides this will give me more time with you and the kids," laughed Naruto before taking of to the Hokage Office.

Naruto wasted no time heading to Kakashi's office and walking through the door without knocking. Kakashi looked up from his paperwork a little annoyed by Naruto's intrusion.

"Naruto, I know we go way back, but I'd prefer you at least knock before barging in," sighed Kakashi.

"I'm sorry, but this is important," said Naruto. "Gather the leaders, I've made my decision."

"Unfortunately, I can't do that Naruto. They have their own duties to fulfill and they won't be available until the end of the week," stated Kakashi. "Why do you think they gave you the deadline."

Naruto was annoyed but said, "You know what that's fine, I don't want to see them again anyway. Just let them know, I've made my choice and I'm staying with both my wives."

Kakashi looked at Naruto seriously.

"Are you sure about this Naruto? Remember, they said you will never be allowed to become Hokage if you decide to have two wives."

"We both know that's not the first time I've been told that," argued Naruto. "I've proved them wrong before.

Kakashi had a feeling he knew where this was going.

"And you want to prove them wrong again?"

Naruto nodded.

"You do realise, it could take years to change their minds," stated Kakashi.

"I don't care, I now have something more important to me than being Hokage," stated Naruto. "A family."

Despite a mask covering Kakashi's face, Naruto could tell that he was smiling.

"Very well, I'll let them know as soon as possible," stated Kakashi. "And between the two of us I think you made the right choice."

"Thanks," said Naruto. "But before I go I have another question. After the war you said you wished to promote me to Jonin, but said I had to undertake leadership training first. Is there any chance we could speed that up, because we could use the extra money from the promotion?"

Kakashi laughed.

"Lucky for you, I looked into this after I received the news that you'd hurt your chances of becoming Hokage. Normally, you'd have to be promoted to Chunin before being allowed to become a Jonin."

"You mean I'll have to take the Chunin Exams again," groaned Naruto.

"You didn't let me finish," stated Kakashi. "Normally, you'd have to be promoted to Chunin first, but everyone including the other village leaders agree that it would be pointless for you to take the exams again, because your skill would far exceed that of the other applicants. Therefore, we've decided we can promote you without you retaking the exams. I also think you've done more then enough leadership training to warrant further promoting you to Jonin."

"So, you mean?" asked Naruto.

"Yes, because you currently can't become Hokage, I'm going to speed up your promotion to Jonin," Kakashi confirmed.

"Thank you, Kakashi Sensei," said Naruto.

"Don't worry about it. I too think the other villagers are being unfair about this, so I have no issue promoting you to a position, no one can argue you don't deserve," statated Kakashi. "Now look, I'd love to continue chatting, but I have a lot of work to do."

"Of course, see you later Sensei," said Naruto who then left.

Naruto ran back to his home to tell his wives the good news.

"Well?" asked Hinata as Naruto came through the door.

"I told Kakashi Sensei that I wasn't leaving either of you. He's agreed to pass my decision onto the other leaders," answered Naruto.

"Was he upset about your decision?" asked Hanabi.

"He reminded me of the consequences, but he also feels I made the right choice. He even felt putting my family first was the right choice," stated Naruto. "But I've also got some good news."

They gave Naruto their full attention.

"He's agreed to speed up my promotion to Jonin. And let's face it, that's a position I definitely deserve"

Knowing this was big news they both jumped forward and hugged him.

"Naruto, that's wonderful," cried Hinata.

"Yeah, we should do something to celebrate," said Hanabi.

"I'm glad you think so, because I know exactly what we should do," said Naruto grabbing her intimately.

"Naruto, I don't think we should do that. We stopped having sex when Hinata was pregnant," argued Hanabi, although she couldn't deny she also liked the sound of Naruto's plan.

"Yes, but I was a bit further along when we made that decision," said Hinata.

"Besides after we went for your last checkup, I asked Sakura if it was safe for us to do so," said Naruto. "She slapped me, but also said that would be fine."

"Well, if the doctors say its ok," said Hanabi holding Naruto in the same way.

"Care to join us Hinata?" asked Naruto.

"Always, but I think I'll sit this one out. I think Hanabi needs to be reminded she hasn't ruined anything," said Hinata.

"Don't be silly Hinata, we're all in this relationship and we're all partly to blame for our situation," said Hanabi extending a hand to her. "So, I think all of us should be allowed to celebrate tonight."

"Well, when you put it that way," conceded Hinata taking Hanabi's hand.

The three of them headed to their bedroom and shut the door behind them.

While life was happy for the Uzumaki family, the prejudice of the village still remined. Even though both Naruto and Hinata saw Hanabi as Naruto's second wife, many still refused to acknowledge her as such. Whenever the three of them walked around the village together, many people stared at them with disgust and they overheard whispers of them calling Hanabi Naruto's mistress, or his 'personal slut'. They didn't mind however, because they loved each other and no matter what people said, they considered Hanabi Naruto's wife and there was nothing they could do about it.

The villagers knew this, but they didn't like it, as they still believed it painted their village in a bad light. The prejudice only got worse as the months passed and Hanabi's stomach grew. This created more whispers, with many calling her child a disgusting bastard. Hanabi was just glad she usually went out with either Hinata or Naruto, because she didn't know if she would've been able to control herself without them. On the rare occasion that Hanabi did go out on her own, she did her best to ignore the judgement of the villagers, because she had her baby to think about and she didn't want to do anything that would cause them harm.

The villagers also knew better then to harm Naruto's wives, because as the hero of the previous war and the strongest ninja in the Leaf Village, they knew doing something to provoke him would be unwise. Because of this, the villagers generally kept their distance and weren't open with their judgement, because they knew this was the best way to ensure their safety.

Nine months passed and eventually Hanabi found herself in the hospital holding a beautiful baby girl in her arms. She had her mother's brown hair and white eyes, but had many features of Naruto, most noticeably a few of his trademark whiskers.

Many people had come and gone to see the baby, but Naruto and Hinata hadn't left Hanabi's side since she gave birth. This baby was the newest member of their family, and they weren't going to leave Hanabi's side until she was ready to come home. And even though this baby was technically Hinata's stepdaughter/niece, Hinata had promised to love the girl as if she was her own. Hanabi had agreed to do the same for Hinata's son Boruto.

Eventually the trio were greeted by one final visitor, as Hiashi entered the room.

"Father?" asked Hanabi surprised.

"Hello, Hanabi are you doing well?" asked Hiashi.

"Still a little tired, but I'm powering through," answered Hanabi.

"I'm sorry I haven't been around much lately," stated Hiashi.

"It's ok, we understand that the elders have been putting more pressure on you to commit to your clan duties," said Hanabi.

Hiashi's eyes focused on the child in Hanabi's arms.

"Is that your child?" asked Hiashi.

"Yes. Father, meet your granddaughter. Natsuko," announced Hanabi.

"Natsuko Uzumaki?" questioned Hiashi.

"Yes father, I hope that's ok," stated Hanabi.

"It is your right to give her whatever name you please and honestly, I should not have expected anything else," admitted Hiashi.

"Would you like to hold her?" offered Hanabi.

"You trust me to hold her?" asked Hiashi.

"Of course I do. After everything you did to help us with the elders, I don't believe you'll try to run off with my child," stated Hanabi.

"That is correct. And despite the issues the three of you have caused for the Hyuga Clan, I still wish to be a part of your lives, and nothing would make me happier then to be a part of my grand children's lives," admitted Hiashi.

"And believe me father that would also make us happy," interjected Hinata.

"Now, would you like to hold her?" offered Hanabi again.

"I would love to," answered Hiashi.

Hanabi placed the girl in her father's arms and even the usually strict Hiashi couldn't help but smile upon holding his granddaughter for the first time. He'd had the same smile on his face when he first held Boruto. Despite the anger he had presented upon initially hearing the news of Hanabi's pregnancy, they had a feeling that Hiashi would be a loving grandfather to his grandchildren and would greatly soften as the years went on.

Chapter Text

Life was as good as it could be for the Uzumaki family. Hanabi was overjoyed now that she was a mother. She took Natsuko everywhere with her, not only because she was the most beautiful thing Hanabi had ever seen, but also because her laugh was the most adorable thing ever. For a newborn Natsuko laughed a lot. It wasn't all easy however, there were still issues with the baby staying up at night and keeping them awake, but usurpingly, three parents could handle this better then two. When Hanabi looked like she needed a break, Hinata would often get up to calm Natsuko down when she was fussing. Hanabi had done the same for Boruto when he was a newborn. With additional help from Naruto, it made the pressure of a newborn a lot easier for the three of them.

From here they came up with a system for childcare that worked for everyone, because if someone had to go away on a mission, the others were happy to look after the children. Hanabi was still on maternity leave, so responsibility would regularly fall on her to look after the children if Naruto and or Hinata were called away for missions. She didn't mind however, because Hanabi loved her daughter and nephew more than anything in the world. Naruto and Hinata would also return the favour by giving her a rest when they got back, and both had promised to look after Natsuko, once Hanabi returned to missions.

Although the sisters were happy to help each other with tasks like this, there would be tasks in the future they would need to carry out either or their own or with Naruto. While both children were Naruto's, it was agreed that future punishments for either child would be handled by their parents. Meaning Hinata would handle punishments for Boruto and Hanabi would handle punishments for Natsuko, but Naruto was to support both mothers and was allowed to punish either child. They knew this would be difficult however, because Hinata loved Natsuko as if she was her own and Hanabi felt the same about Boruto. Thankfully, they knew it would be a few years before they had to worry about that.

Even Boruto was happy to be a big brother. Or rather a half-brother/cousin. The parents were a little worried about how he would react to their being another child in the house, but he already seemed to love Natsuko like they did. Whenever the two were close together, Boruto would reach out a hand to Natsuko, which she would take, and both would smile and laugh. This made the parents even happier as it was clear the children were already close friends.

There was no denying that despite the oddity of their relationship, they were a big happy family. There was even a family photo in their house to prove it. Naruto stood in the middle with a big grin on his face, as Hinata and Hanabi both kissed him on the cheek. Each child was being held by their respective mother, they had joined hands with each other and had smiles as big as their father.

They also hadn't let the stress of having children interrupt their bedroom life.

Unfortunately, while life was happy at home, the same couldn't be said for the outside world. Ever since Natsuko's birth the stares they received and the whispers they overheard only increased. It didn't sit well with the village that all three of them were together and they had no intention of splitting up. Some were even starting to view Naruto as a disgrace, because he'd thrown away his chance to be Hokage, all because he decided to love two women. This felt like a punch in the gut to Naruto at times. After everything he had done for both the village and the entire world, many of them hated him again, all because of one decision he made. The family did their best to ignore them however, because the three of them were happy together and that was all that mattered.

Hanabi was the one to face the worst backlash. As she wasn't legally married to Naruto like Hinata, most of the village refused to acknowledge her as a legitimate wife. This prejudice extended to her daughter.

Hanabi was out one day with Natsuko in a stroller, as Hinata had asked her to run a few errands. It was well known by this point that Hanabi was the third wheel in the relationship, so she was quickly recognised whenever she left the house. Thankfully, she was able to ignore the stares and whispers because spending time with her daughter took away all her cares. She quickly arrived at the shop and started finding the items Hinata had requested. During this time, she regularly saw people staring at her from the end of an aisle, but they would leave as soon as she turned to look at them. Hanabi wasn't worried however, because she knew as Naruto's wife, she was safe. No one dared harm her out of fear of retaliation from Naruto. Even if someone was foolish enough to attack Hanabi or Natsuko, Hanabi would personally make sure they lived to regret it.

Hanabi soon finished and made her way to the checkout. The cashier didn't say anything to Hanabi as the items were priced, she only spoke when telling Hanabi the total. Hanabi gave her the money which the cashier made change for.

"Thank you," said Hanabi politely extending her arm for the change.

The cashier however ignored Hanabi and put the change on the counter. Hanabi thought this was rude but went to take the change without saying anything.

"Now get out of here and take that filthy bastard with you," spat the cashier.

Hanabi tensed up at hearing this. She'd overheard some horrid things said about her daughter, but this was the first time someone had said it to her face. Hanabi took a few deep breaths to calm down. More than anything she wanted to put this cashier through a world of pain, but also didn't want to risk hurting her daughter. She said nothing, collected her change and headed for the door.

Before she left, she said, "You wouldn't like me saying that about your child, so I kindly ask you not say that about mine, because if you say that to me again you'll regret it."

Hanabi left before anything else could be said.

As she walked home Hanabi was shaking with anger. She was hoping that over time the village would accept the situation and leave them alone, but that didn't seem like it was going to happen anytime soon. Hanabi feared that no matter how much time passed they would continue to view her as a mistress and her daughter as a bastard.

Hanabi was pulled from her thoughts after Natsuko started crying. She parked the stroller and went to comfort her daughter. This helped comfort Hanabi as well because it reminded her of what she loved the most and what was most important.

On her way home she found herself passing by Yamanaka Flowers. She wondered if the site of some beautiful flowers could help lift her spirits.

"Maybe Hinata would like some flowers for the kitchen." thought Hanabi entering.

The moment she stepped inside the stares began again. Unfortunately, this was a much smaller shop, making it harder to ignore them.

She overheard things like.

"I don't know what's worse, that the slut's out in public or that she brought her bastard with her."

"Because of her Naruto will never be able to take his rightful place as Hokage."

"Naruto gave up his chances of being Hokage just to have a 2nd partner. What a disgrace."

Thankfully however, there were still moments where they were reminded, they had people who supported them.

"HEY, SHOW SOME DAMN RESPECT," shouted a woman.

Everyone turned to see Ino, who had inherited the shop from her parents. Upon noticing the commotion, she decided to say something.

"Naruto saved the entire world. Without him none of us would be here. So what if he has two wives, that was his choice. Furthermore, its none of our business what he does in his personal life," scolded Ino. "Now quit staring or get the hell out of my shop."

Everyone did as instructed and went back to browsing.

"You ok," asked Ino approaching Hanabi.

"Yeah, thanks Ino," sighed Hanabi sadly.

"Don't worry about it, people need to mind their own business," stated Ino. "And hopefully if they see others stand up for you, they'll learn to leave you alone."

Ino then knelt to look at Natsuko.

"Besides how could anyone hate this little angle," said Ino caressing her cheek. "She's such a beautiful little girl."

"You should hear her laugh, it's the cutest thing ever," said Hanabi happily.

"Well, maybe I'll get the chance to hear it on one of Inojin's playdates with Boruto," said Ino before standing up. "Anyway, is there anything I can help you with? Did you want to get something special for your house?"

"I did, but I think I'm just going to go home," said Hanabi.

"It's no problem, I'm happy to help," said Ino.

"Yeah, but I don't want to cause you to lose any business," said Hanabi and she left before Ino could say another word.

Before long she returned home. She put the groceries on the counter and then went to stare at the family photo of the five of them. They were so happy together, why couldn't the village just be happy for them.

"Oh, Hanabi when did you get back?" asked Hinata walking into the room.

"Just now," sighed Hanabi still staring at the picture.

"Did you get everything I asked for?" asked Hinata walking over to the counter.

"Yeah," answered Hanabi.

"Thank you," stated Hinata. "Also, I just put Boruto down for a nap, so it might be a good idea to put Natsuko down as well."

"Ok."

Hinata started unpacking the bags.

"Listen, Naruto should be coming home from his mission tonight and I was hoping to cook him something special. Would you like to help?"

"Sure," sighed Hanabi.

"Hanabi is something wrong?" asked Hinata noticing that her sister wasn't her usual cheerful self.

"Yeah, just the usual," answered Hanabi.

"What did they say this time?" asked Hinata.

"Just the usual things. Calling Natsuko a bastard and accusing me of ruining Naruto's life," answered Hanabi sadly.

Hinata went over and hugged her sister.

"I'm sorry Hanabi, I should've gone instead, or at least gone with you," said Hinata.

"Don't worry about it. I can't expect you and Naruto to do everything around here and they say bad things about you as well," stated Hanabi.

"Yes, but its only things like, 'why are you still married to Naruto' and 'how are you ok with this'," said Hinata. "The worst I've been called since this began is pathetic and a doormat, which let's face it is no worse than some of the things I was called as a child."

"I guess, but it makes me wonder if I deserve the backlash I get. I know this was something we all decided on and you keep telling me this isn't my fault, but I still feel guilty for causing you and Naruto problems," said Hanabi.

"Yes, but remember we also said that because this is something we all agreed to, we are all at fault for the public's reaction. So please don't feel guilty. We're all equals in this relationship so any backlash we face is the fault of all of us," said Hinata.

Hanabi stood up and picked up Natsuko.

"Unfortunately, the public won't see it this way for one simple reason. You're married to Naruto and I'm not," said Hanabi sadly before taking Natsuko to have a nap.

Hinata felt guilty. More than anything she and Naruto had wanted Hanabi to feel equal to them in this relationship, but she also knew Hanabi was right. How could Hanabi feel equal to them when she wasn't married to Naruto like Hinata was?

A few hours later Naruto came home.

"Hinata, Hanabi I'm home," he called entering.

"Good evening Naruto how was the mission?" asked Hinata.

"Pretty boring," said Naruto. "I'm mostly being asked to provide security for wealthy clients. Not as much work now, due to the conflict ending between nations. Still, they pay a lot of money to have me as security, which is why Sensei is always assigning them to me."

Hinata hugged Naruto.

"You're working hard to support our family and that's all that matters to me."

"Speaking of family, where's Hanabi?" asked Naruto.

Hinata's expression went sad.

"Naruto, we need to talk," said Hinata leading him to the living room.

They entered to see Hanabi sitting on the couch watching the children play. She looked so sad.

"Hanabi, I think you should tell Naruto what happened today," Hinata advised.

Hanabi told Naruto everything. The incidents at both the supermarket and flower shop and how she expressed why the village will never view her as an equal in their relationship.

Naruto held Hanabi close.

"I'm sorry Hanabi, I wish I could do more to help you," said Naruto.

"I know, but what can you do?" asked Hanabi. "You can't retaliate against them, that'll only make our situation worse."

"Still, I wish I could do something to ensure people didn't stare at us like freaks every time we went out in public," said Naruto remembering instances from his own childhood where he was called a freak in public.

"Unfortunately, we can't change the public's opinion," said Hinata sadly.

"Well, what if we moved away?" asked Naruto.

Hinata and Hanabi looked at Naruto confused.

"What do you mean?" asked Hinata.

"As you said, we can't change the public's opinion. What if we moved somewhere where we were accepted for who we are?" asked Naruto.

"I guess that could work," said Hanabi. "But where would we go?"

"Also, you'll never be able to become Hokage if you move away," said Hinata.

"I know, but… I've been thinking about it and although being Hokage will always be my dream, I've decided there are things more important to me now. Making sure both you and our children are happy and I'm not sure I can do that if we stay in the Leaf Village," said Naruto. "Also, I think the village has made their choice. They don't want someone in a polygamous marriage to be Hokage. Maybe I should just accept it isn't an option for me anymore. I can live with knowing that I was at least strong enough to be Hokage."

"But Naruto it was your dream," stated Hinata.

"Like I said, there are more important things to me then dreams," said Naruto.

Hinata smiled at this. She had initially fallen in love with Naruto due to his determination and desire to follow his dreams no matter what. One could argue this was Naruto giving up on his dream, but Hinata knew this wasn't the case. It wasn't that he had given up, he had just realised there was now something more important to him and that was to be there for the women he loved. She had a feeling he would apply the same dedication to them, as he had to being Hokage, meaning Naruto hadn't given up on his dream, his dream had simply changed.

"That means everything to me Naruto," said Hinata wiping away a tear.

"Me to," said Hanabi perking up. "Besides Lady Tsunade wasn't living in the Leaf Village when they decided to make her Hokage. I'm sure there will come a day when the village realises, they need you to lead them, and they'll be begging you to become Hokage."

"So, what do you think? Should we move?" asked Naruto.

"Again, we're would we go?" asked Hanabi.

"Honestly, I don't know," said Naruto. "After the war, I probably would've been welcome to join any of the hidden villages, but now I'm not so sure."

"I agree, why would another village would treat us kindly if the Leaf doesn't?" asked Hinata.

"I guess we could just move somewhere else," suggested Hanabi. "Maybe we could set up a small security business where we offer our services as ninja."

"I still think we'd face the same problem. I feel no matter where we go, we'll still be treated poorly because of our relationship," sighed Naruto. "I don't know why I brought this up, I already said the same thing to Gaara."

"What do you mean?" asked Hinata.

"I don't know if you remember, but shortly after Natsuko was born I went on a mission to the Sand Village. While I was there, I caught up with Gaara. He'd heard about how I was no longer allowed to become Hokage because of how the village felt about our relationship. He'd also heard about how we've been treated since our relationship became public," said Naruto. "Gaara then told me if living in the Lead Village became too hard, we'd always be welcome to come and live in the sand village. He even thinks the village might be more accepting of us considering the Sand Village has a fairly tyrannical history."

"Considering this is the first time you're bringing this up I'm guessing you didn't agree?" asked Hanabi.

"I could see where he was coming from, but I don't know if we can be certain they would be accepting," said Naruto. "Sure they've probably had rulers who have done stuff more controversial then being in a polygamous marriage, but I also think they're trying to move past that part of their history and I feel us living their would only remind them of the villages tyrannical past."

"I can see what you mean. Even if they were more accepting, they probably wouldn't like what we represent," said Hinata.

"So, I turned Gaara down because I didn't want to cause him any trouble," said Naruto. "Sorry I didn't bring this up sooner."

"It's ok we've all had a lot on our minds," sighed Hinata. "I guess there really isn't anywhere we could go that would accept us for who we are. I can't think of any other better options."

"Maybe staying in the Leaf Village is our best option," stated Hanabi.

Naruto and Hinata looked at her in shock. Considering Hanabi faced the worst backlash from their relationship, they thought she'd be the one most eager to move away.

"Think about it?" she said. "Sure, we could move to another village that would be more accepting of us, but I think they'd still stay clear of us, and we'd be living a life of isolation. I know we'd all be together and that's what's most important, but think about what we'd be leaving behind? Yes, most of the village now looks at us with disgust, but if today has taught me anything, it's that there are still people who love and support us. Ino stood up for me today and I know our other friends will stand up for us as well. Even Lord Sixth who has to remain impartial has done everything he can to support us. If we moved away we'd live a peaceful life, but it would be a lonely one. While we stay here, we still have friends who will support us no matter what and our children will hopefully become friends with their children. I don't know about the two of you, but I don't think we should leave that behind."

Both Hinata and Naruto thought on this for a bit until Hinata spoke.

"I agree, staying here ensures we have others who love and support us, and our children deserve the chance to have a normal childhood. Also, you've seen the way Father acts around the kids. If we moved away, it would break his heart," laughed Hinata.

"Yeah, being a grandfather has brought out a side of him I never thought we'd see," laughed Hanabi.

"So, is that what you both want? To stay in the Leaf Village?" asked Naruto.

"Yes, because even though we'd probably find more peace living away from the village, I think its important we stay close to the people who support us," answered Hinata.

Hanabi nodded in agreement.

Naruto walked forward and hugged them both.

"Well, if both my wives want to stay, then I guess we're staying," laughed Naruto.

Hanabi held Naruto tighter upon hearing this. She loved it when Naruto called her his wife. Even though it wasn't legally true.

"Naruto could you call me that again?" asked Hanabi.

"What? My wife?" asked Naruto.

"Yes, I'm your wife," said Hanabi tearing up.

Naruto held her tighter upon hearing this and Hinata went to comfort her as well. They had a feeling Hanabi was thinking about how most of the villagers refused to acknowledge her as Naruto's wife. They all felt this was unfair, because while Hinata was the one legally married to Naruto, Hanabi was also his wife in all the ways that mattered. They just wish they could do something to change this.

Later that night, Naruto lay awake between his wives contemplating the situation. He kept wishing there was a way he could legally marry Hanabi the same way he married Hinata. He had a feeling that Hanabi would always feel unequal to him and Hinata if he didn't and he also felt the villagers would always use this as an excuse to say she wasn't his wife. Naruto looked over at Hanabi who was sleeping to his left. Despite being the mother of his daughter and sharing his surname, most of the village would never acknowledge her as a legitimate wife, which felt completely unfair. Truth was Naruto loved Hanabi as much as he loved Hinata and if he could marry her as well he would. Sadly, Kakashi had informed him it wasn't legally possible.

"What's wrong Naruto?" whispered Hinata sitting up on Naruto's right.

"Nothing, I'm just thinking," whispered Naruto.

"About what? You can tell me," whispered Hinata snuggling up to him.

"I just wish I could marry Hanabi as well so people would stop saying she isn't my wife?" asked Naruto.

"I wish you could to, it hurts me to see her saddened by this," admitted Hinata. "I don't think it would change the public's opinion, but at least no one could say she isn't your wife."

"Well, hopefully Hanabi can live with the fact that if I could marry her, I would," sighed Naruto.

"I know you would, which is why we love you," stated Hinata.

Naruto and Hinata then decided they needed to find a way to make Hanabi a true equal in their relationship, even if it affected them negatively.

Chapter Text

Naruto and Hinata were currently in the Konoha Library researching everything they could regarding The Land of Fire's laws regarding polygamous marriages. Kakashi had also sent a shadow clone to help them, as he wanted to help them in anyway he could. His position as Hokage also granted them access to restricted books. They were keeping this from Hanabi, as should they find a way to make her Naruto's wife, they wanted to surprise her. They used excuses like they were running errands or providing security for the village to explain their absence. Thankfully, Hanabi wasn't suspicious. Unfortunately, they'd been at it for over a week, and they still found nothing. They'd found a few laws that could've help, but unfortunately, they were now void.

"I told you Naruto, this isn't legally possible," sighed the Kakashi clone closing a book.

"You say that, but we've come close a few times. Remember that old law we found where it said that in addition to high-ranking officials being allowed to take a second wife, their legacies could as well. As the son of the Forth Hokage, there was a time I could've taken a second wife," stated Naruto.

"Yes, but that law was made void shortly before Tsunade became the Fifth Hokage. That being said though, as the son of the Third I think Asuma would've been allowed to take a second wife. Please don't tell Kurenai I said that," said the Kakashi clone.

"We promise we won't," said Hinata who then looked at the law herself. "Makes me wonder though if this law applies to my family, but I can't think of anywhere in our family history where the head of the Hyuga Clan had more than one spouse."

"That's probably because it would've caused greater tension within the main family. There'd be greater arguments over who deserves to be heir and something tells me some spouses wouldn't hesitate to kill each other or the children," said the Kakashi clone.

"Either way, I think it's a good start and maybe we'll find a modern law that applies to us," said Naruto.

They continued researching for a few more hours before Hinata discovered something in a book detailing the most up to date laws regarding marriage in The Land of Fire.

"Guys come over here," she called.

Naruto and Kakashi's clone headed over.

"According to this, while legacies are no longer allowed to take additional spouses, people who hold or have held significant positions of power are still allowed to take on an additional spouse," stated Hinata. "This includes the position of the Hokage. This law is still in effect."

"So, I could take on two wives if I wanted to? Interesting," thought the Kakashi clone.

"Oh, so you criticize me for taking on a second wife, but now you're considering it?" asked Naruto.

"I'm legally allowed to, and you said the reason you did this was because you didn't want to look a gift horse in the mouth. Also, as Sixth Hokage I'm sure I could easily find two women wanting to be my wife," said the Kakashi clone.

"You could've done that before you became Hokage," joked Naruto remembering how certain women had acted around Kakashi.

"Unfortunately, this still doesn't help us. It clearly states you have to hold or have held a significant position of power," Kakashi's clone clarified. "And since you are now forbidden from becoming Hokage, this isn't a law you'll be able to use."

"Hinata, is there anyway we can use this law to our advantage?" asked Naruto.

Hinata scanned the entire section. When she was finished, she looked at him and sadly shook her head.

"What about the Clan Restoration Act we found in another book?" asked Naruto.

During the early days of their research Naruto had found a law known as the 'Clan Restoration Act'. It detailed that if there was only one surviving male member of a strong bloodline, they were permitted to take more than one wife. The only other Uzumaki that Naruto was aware of was a female named Karin. From what they could tell, aside from his son Boruto, Naruto was the only male Uzumaki left. He was hoping he'd be able to use this law to marry Hanabi as well, but they hadn't been able to find a recent mention of it to see if the law was still in affect.

Hinata proceeded to scan both the contents and index of the book to see if there was any mention of the 'Clan Restoration Act'. She found something as she then turned to another section of the book. She soon looked sad before handing the book to Naruto and Kakashi's Clone.

They scanned the page to see the book say, that the 'Clan Restoration Act' had since been discontinued.

"So that's it then. There's no way for me to marry Hanabi as well," sighed Naruto.

Hinata shook her head in sadness.

Kakashi's clone had another look through the book to see if Hinata had missed anything. However, he too eventually put the book down and sighed.

"I'm sorry Naruto, truly I am."

"It's ok its not your fault. We chose to be honest about our relationship, but now I'm wondering if we should've kept quiet until I became Hokage. We probably could've passed of Hanabi's child as Hinata's in the meantime and only told the truth when the time was right," stated Naruto.

"I don't think that would've worked either," added Hinata. "We would've had to keep both Hanabi and I hidden until she had the baby so no one would figured out the truth. I feel people would've connected the dots eventually. The only way we might've gotten away with it is if we said Hanabi had agreed to be a surrogate, but even then, I think people would be suspicious."

"Still if we found a way to keep this secret until I became Hokage, I could've married Hanabi without issue and no one could say she isn't my wife," said Naruto. "Starting to wonder if the village leaders knew about this and forbade me from becoming Hokage to ensure I couldn't take a second wife."

"Hmmm," said Kakashi's clone growing suspicious.

"Something wrong Sensei?" asked Naruto.

"No, it just occurred to me you could be right. The village leaders are probably far more familiar with the Land of Fire's laws then most. I wouldn't be surprised if they knew about this law and decided to forbid you from becoming Hokage to ensure you couldn't use it," said Kakashi's clone. "They expressed that having our leader being in a polygamous marriage would make the village look bad, so I wouldn't be surprised if they were willing to take away the one thing that would allow you to marry Hanabi."

The clone stood up.

"I'm going to look into this. It won't change anything, but it will reveal the true reasons why you've been forbidden from becoming Hokage."

"Thank you Sensei," said Naruto.

The clone nodded before exploding in a puff of smoke and transferring its knowledge to the original Kakashi.

Nartuo slumped down in his chair and Hinata walked over to comfort him by wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I guess that's it then. There's nothing we can do that'll allow me to marry Hanabi as well," he sighed. "If only I was Hokage I could be happily married to both of you and now that will never happen."

"I know Naruto and I'm sorry. We should've planned for this better," sighed Hinata. "Still even if you could legally marry Hanabi, something tells me the village still wouldn't acknowledge it as you married me first."

"Still I just wish there was something I could do to make all of us equal," said Naruto.

Hinata held Naruto tighter upon hearing this.

"There is something we can do," she said.

"There is? What?" asked Naruto.

"You're not going to like it. The very thought of it makes me want to cry," said Hinata tearing up.

Another week passed and Naruto and Hinata continued on their quest to make Hanabi an equal in their relationship, all the while keeping Hanabi in the dark to keep it a surprise. They kept using the excuse of running errands or security duty to explain their absence throughout the day. Hanabi didn't mind however as she was still on maternity leave and loved spending time with the children, especially now that the one-year-old Boruto had started calling her 'Aunty'.

One day she had just finished putting the children down for an afternoon nap when she heard the door open.

"Hanabi we're home," called Naruto.

This surprised Hanabi as they weren't expected back till the end of the day. Nevertheless, she went over to greet them. After giving both of them a hug, Naruto and Hinata decided to get down to business.

"Hanabi, we've got something to tell you," said Naruto.

"It might be best if we sit down for this," insisted Hinata.

After they sat down Hinata pull out some papers.

"What are those?" asked Hanabi.

"Well, get to them in a second," answered Hinata.

"Hanabi, as you know we feel guilty that you aren't treated as an equal part of this relationship by the public," said Naruto.

"And I told you I don't mind, because I'm just happy I get to be with you," said Hanabi.

"You say that, but we can see it makes you sad when people call you Naruto's mistress or… his slut," said Hinata.

"And so, we've been looking into ways that you can be seen as an equal in our relationship," said Naruto.

"That's actually what we've been up to these past few weeks, we wanted to surprise you which is why we just told you we were out running errands," said Hinata.

"It took weeks, but we've found a solution," said Naruto.

"Its not the best solution, but it's the only one we have," said Hinata sadly.

It was at this point Hinata put the papers on the table in front of Hanabi.

"What are these?" asked Hanabi.

"Divorce Papers," said Hinata tearing up.

Hanabi's head shot up.

"What?"

"We spent ages trying to find a law that would allow you to also be my wife," said Naruto.

"Unfortunately, any law that would've applied to us has long since been made void," said Hinata.

"The only way I could possibly take a second wife now, would be for me to become Hokage, which as you know is no longer possible," said Naruto. "Sensei even confirmed that the other village leaders made this decision to ensure I could never legally marry you."

"Because of this we knew we only had one option," cried Hinata. "We decided if you can't be Naruto's wife then I won't be either. It breaks my heart to do this, but if it means you'll be considered an equal in this relationship, I'll divorce Naruto. That way neither of us we'll be his wife, but we'll both be his romantic partner."

This decision was very hard for Hinata, but she was willing to do it to make her sister happy.

Hanabi picked up the papers and scanned them.

"Just say the word and Hinata and I will both…" Naruto trailed off as Hanabi started tearing up the papers.

"What are you doing?" asked Hinata now more confused than upset.

"You guys are not divorcing because of me," stated Hanabi, still tearing up the papers.

"But don't you want to be an equal partner in this relationship?" asked Naruto.

"More then anything, but that doesn't mean I want you two to divorce," said Hanabi tearing the shredded paper into smaller shreds.

"But I thought it upset you that I was married to Naruto and you weren't," stated Hinata.

"It does a little, but I don't mind," said Hanabi who had finished shredding the papers. "I'll admit it does upset me a little that the village refuses to acknowledge me as Naruto's wife, but knowing that Naruto does makes me feel better and that's all that matters. That's why I ask him to repeat it every time he says it, because it means the most coming from him."

"So, you're ok with the fact that you can't legally become my wife?" asked Naruto.

"You've already said I could," said Hanabi.

"What are you talking about? We said there's no way I can legally marry you while I'm married to Hinata," stated Naruto.

"From what I recall you said you could marry me if you become Hokage," Hanabi clarified. "It may not be possible now, but as I said before, I believe a day will come where the village practically begs you to become Hokage so you can lead and protect them. When that day comes if you ask me to marry you, I will say yes without a moment's hesitation."

Hanabi got up and started taking the shredded paper to the bin.

"Besides Hinata deserves to be your wife. She was your first love, and she fell in love with you first. That's the drawback to being the younger sister, but it's one I accept. You say I deserve to be your wife just as much as Hinata, well I agree. She deserves to be your wife right now and nothing should prevent her from being your wife. I may have to wait a few more years to also become your wife, but it's a consequence I'm willing to accept. It also gives us another reason to stay in the village as you'll become Hokage quicker if you stick around," Hanabi ranted before looking angrily at the shredded paper. "This is NOT the solution."

She then angrily threw the paper in the bin and slammed the lid. Hinata and Naruto were just glad she didn't wake the children.

"I didn't think she'd get this mad over this," whispered Naruto to Hinata.

"Neither did I," whispered Hinata.

Hanabi then marched over to them angrily.

"Get up," she said pulling Naruto and Hinata to their feet.

"Where are we going?" asked Naruto.

"To do the same thing we always do when the children are asleep," said Hanabi pulling them towards their bedroom.

"You really want to do this now?" asked a surprised Hinata.

"Of course, I think we all need to release some tension," answered Hanabi still dragging them.

"I have heard doing it while angry can make it more enjoyable," joked Naruto trying to make light of the situation.

"Why do you think it's called make-up sex?" asked Hanabi.

After dragging them into the bedroom Hanabi shut the door behind them.

Life continued as normal for the Uzumaki family after that. The only difference was that they avoided the topic of making Hanabi an equal member of their relationship, as it clearly upset her. Hanabi had made it quite clear that as far as she was concerned, she was an equal member of the relationship and while the village and the Land of Fire didn't acknowledge her as Naruto's wife, she was just happy that the Uzumaki Family did. She also held firm in her belief that Naruto would still become Hokage someday and on that day, she would happily become his wife if he wanted her to. Until then she was happy being a family with her 'husband', her sister and their children.

She'd also become more vocal about people saying bad stuff about her in public. If she was with her daughter, she would keep her cool, but if she was on her own, she would put others in their place. From here, they were able to grow more happily as a family unit.

Despite this, even though Hanabi would have to wait to potentially become Naruto's legal wife, they still felt she deserved a proper wedding.

One night, Hanabi was surprised to learn that her father had requested their presence at a formal event and even requested that they wear their nicest kimonos. They had also been told this was a dinner for adults only, so they'd asked Kurenai if she could watch the children for the night. Thankfully she agreed. They did as asked and Hanabi was currently looking at herself in the mirror. Her hair was done, and she was dressed as nicely as possible.

"All ready to go?" asked Hinata coming out of the bathroom.

"Yes, do you know what this dinner is about?" asked Hanabi.

"Father didn't say, he just told me where he wanted us to go and when to be there," answered Hinata.

"Weird, Father isn't one to keep a secret like that," stated Hanabi.

"Maybe it's something he had to keep quiet about and didn't want to risk the word spreading," suggested Hinata.

"I guess, but I have a feeling this is related to the Hyuga Clan, so I'm amazed we'd even be allowed to attend something like this," stated Hanabi.

"Don't forget, Father said that regardless of what name we have, we will always be his daughters. He's probably still going to invite us to clan events to ensure people remember that," stated Hinata.

"Good point, still I wish he'd given us a little more warning about this," said Hanabi looking at herself in the mirror. "I'm not sure if I had enough time to get ready."

Hinata walked up to her and put her hands on Hanabi's shoulders.

"You have nothing to worry about. You look beautiful," stated Hinata.

"Thank you, Big-Sister," smiled Hanabi.

Hinata smiled back then thought to herself. "Don't worry Hanabi, it'll all be worth it, something tells me this is going to be the best night of your life."

After they had finished getting ready Hinata and Hanabi set out for the event their father requested they be at. Naruto had been invited as well, but he had been forced to decline, as he had been requested for a mission the morning the invitation had been sent out. Hanabi followed Hinata but then became confused when Hinata took an unexpected turn.

"Aren't we going to the Hyuga compound?" asked Hanabi who knew they had just missed the turnoff.

"No Father told me we were to meet him in a specific location," answered Hinata.

"Where?" asked Hanabi.

"You'll see," smiled Hinata not wanting to ruin the surprise.

Unknown to Hanabi, this was all a ruse. There was no event their father had requested their presence at, and Naruto wasn't away on a mission. This is just what they told Hanabi so she wouldn't figure out what they were up to. However, Hanabi started to get suspicious when she recognised their surroundings.

"Wait isn't this?" asked Hanabi who remembered a magical day that had occurred here before.

"Yes, this is where Naruto and I got married," answered Hinata.

"What are we doing here?" asked Hanabi.

Hinata smiled and said.

"I thought you would've figured it out by now."

Eventually, they arrived at the same wedding venue where Naruto and Hinata had tied the knot. It was done up in a similar fashion to how it was on Naruto and Hinata's wedding day and there were quite a few people their waiting for them. It was at this point Hanabi started to realise they weren't at a Hyuga social event, because there were many people there, she would never expect to see. On one side there were many members of the Hyuga Clan, including her own father and on the other side were all the people who had shown support for them, after the news of Hanabi's relationship with Naruto and Hinata had become public. Boruto and Natsuko were also there, being held by Sakura and Kurenai respectively. But what was most surprising of all was that Naruto was there, and he was dressed the same way he had been during his wedding to Hinata.

"Is this a wedding?" asked Hanabi.

She wished this could be her wedding, but that wasn't possible.

At this point Naruto approached the sisters.

"Hanabi, I know you said your happy to wait to become my legal wife as you still believe I'll become Hokage someday, but Hinata and I have discussed it and we feel that just because I can't legally marry you doesn't mean you can't have a wedding?" stated Naruto.

Hanabi couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"You said you didn't care if The Land of Fire doesn't acknowledge you as Naruto's wife, as long as the Uzumaki family does," stated Hinata.

"So, we decided to do what we had to too make it official in the eyes of both our family and the people who support us," said Naruto.

"So, you mean?" Hanabi feared to say the words in case they weren't true.

"Yes, but as we keep saying, you're an equal to us in this relationship, meaning we'll only do this if you want to," said Naruto. "And I want to give you the same moments I gave Hinata."

Naruto then got down on one knee.

"We won't be able to make it official until I become Hokage, but on this day with our friends and family as witnesses, Hanabi will you…" Naruto trailed off as Hanabi took his hand.

She had tears forming in her eyes, Naruto just hoped they were tears of happiness.

"Yes, yes I'll marry you," she said.

Naruto stood up and hugged her.

"Are you sure, even though it could be years before we make it official?" asked Naruto.

"I'm sure. As I said you will become Hokage one day and I'll happily wait for the day we can make it official," answered Hanabi. "I've long since accepted that Hinata was your first love before me, but I don't care. All I care about is that you love me too. And I love the idea of becoming your wife, even if it means I'm your second wife."

Naruto chucked.

"How did I manage to end up with the two best women in the Leaf Village?" asked Naruto.

"By being the best man in the Leaf Village," stated Hinata.

At first it seemed like the three of them were going to hug forever.

"Um guys," interjected Kakashi. "I hate to interrupt your moment, but we're all here for a reason."

"Oh right," laughed Naruto.

He took Hanabi's hand and led her to the front of the alter, as Hinata went to join the wedding guests. She also took over holding Boruto who was fussing in Sakura's arms.

"Sorry, there aren't as many guests as there were at my wedding to Hinata," stated Naruto.

"It's ok, something tells me these are the only people I want at our wedding, because they're the only people who accept the union between the three of us," said Hanabi smiling at her soon to be 'husband'.

After reaching the alter, the ceremony proceeded as normal. They had made sure not to make it an exact copy of Naruto and Hinata's wedding, because they wanted Hanabi to know that this was her special day. Because of this Naruto had written up a new set of vowels for Hanabi. In them, Naruto promised to love Hanabi for as long as he lived and that no matter what she was his wife just as much as Hinata was. Hanabi in return said her own vowels, although she hadn't been able to prepare anything, she spoke from the heart and said exactly what she wanted to say.

"I always feared, I would never get to be loved by you the same way you loved my sister, and yet things have turned out for the best. Not only do I have the best sister in the world for allowing me to share her husband with her, but I also know that I am now loved by the man I love with all my heart. And although one could argue our situation isn't ideal, they also can't argue that this isn't the best situation we could've hoped for between the three of us. I love you Naruto and I always will, so I don't care that I have to share you with my sister, because it means we both get to be loved by the man we love."

After they had been declared husband and wife, Naruto presented Hanabi with a ring, identical to the ones worn by him and Hinata. Hanabi held her hand out without hesitation and let him slip it on her finger. The two of them kissed and everyone in attendance applauded.

Years passed and the trio continued to live as a happy family. Other villagers continued to judge them, but it calmed down as they grew to accept there was nothing, they could do to change the situation. They also knew it would end badly for them if they did anything to harm Naruto's family, so they kept their distance and tried to keep their opinions to themselves.

Even after a decade of marriage to his wives, the Leaf Village still refused to change their minds on Naruto becoming Hokage. Especially since they knew that if they ever changed their minds Naruto would make Hanabi his wife as soon as possible. They just couldn't deal with the idea of their leader being a man with two wives.

Some opinions were changing, however. Kakashi was getting older, and they knew he couldn't lead and protect them forever. During this time, Kakashi continued to insist that Naruto was the best choice for the job and refused to retire until they relented. Some of the leaders were starting to have doubts about their decision. Over the years Naruto continued to be a hardworking defender of the village, and they still hadn't produced another Shinobi that surpassed him in strength. Despite the controversy surrounding his home life, it couldn't be argued that he was still most suitable for the job. The leaders were also starting to see there was nothing truly tyrannical about his relationship. He showed nothing but affection for his wives and he was a loving and devoted father to his children.

This led some of the village leaders to wonder if Naruto would show the same dedication to protecting and leading the village and if they should've given him a chance. Nevertheless, it had to be a majority vote and there were still a few leaders who stood firm in their belief that it looked bad to be led by a man with two wives. As the years passed however, the opinions went more in their favour.

While it still hurt Naruto to be denied his dream, he absolutely loved the life he currently lived. He continued working as a Jonin Level Shinobi, which allowed him to support his family. Hinata and Hanabi also continued their work as shinobi, but they had an arrangement with Kakashi that ensured that at least one of them would always be home with the children. Naruto was still required to leave home regularly to go on missions, but his time at home was his own. He spent every second he could with his family and before long, both he and his wives had started training their children in the ways of the Shinobi. Not just to teach them the value of hard work and to make them strong, but to also ensure they could defend themselves against those who wouldn't treat them kindly.

Boruto and Natsuko grew to be very close over the years, doing nearly everything together, viewing each other not only as siblings, but best friends. Things wouldn't always be easy for the siblings over the years however, as many believed Boruto would merely ride on the coat tails of his father's success. Things were worse for Natsuko however, as many still saw her as nothing more than Naruto's illegitimate child.

Chapter Text

Two children were running and jumping through the Leaf Village which had grown into a city. They seemed to be in a hurry, but little did the on looking villagers know, what they had to do wasn't very important, it was something only children would be concerned with.

"Hurry up Natsuko or they'll sell out," called Boruto who had grown into a twelve-year-old preteen boy.

"I'm running as fast as I can Brother," answered Natsuko, Boruto's eleven-year-old half-sister/cousin.

Boruto was blond haired, blue eyed and dressed in a white shirt covered by a black jacket along with matching pants. Natsuko on the other hand was brown haired, with her mothers' white eyes and wore a yellow, more traditional long sleeved top and short shorts.

Before long the two children found themselves on the roof of the train that ran through the village.

"I can't believe this was the last day they were selling this. The limited-edition Green Chili Hamburger," exclaimed Boruto gleefully.

The two had gone to Boruto's favourite restaurant, Thunder Burger and purchased two separate burgers that would be discontinued by the end of the day.

"Why were you so eager to get this?" asked Natsuko who was a little tired from chasing after her brother.

"Because it sounds awesome. Are you gonna eat yours?" asked Boruto who was prepared to swipe the burger from Natsuko's hands.

"I wouldn't have bought it if I wasn't," answered Natsuko taking the burger out of Boruto's reach.

The two of them took a bite on the burger and instantly twitched at its spiciness.

"What's in this stuff?" asked Natsuko as the two siblings slurped the soda that had come with the meal.

"No Idea, but it's delicious," laughed Boruto.

"I can see why you were so eager to get it before it sold out," stated Natsuko. "And you were rushing so much I'm amazed you decided to stop and invite Shikadai."

"Why wouldn't I? He's my pal and I didn't want him to miss out. His loss if he chose sleep over this," stated Boruto. "Still, I don't know why he had to look so agitated over such a simple question."

"That's just how he is. Your mother tells me that his father was just like that when he were younger," stated Natsuko.

"His dad doesn't seem much different from him now," laughed Boruto. "And yet I have a feeling that if you weren't around my mum would be asking Shikadai to keep an eye on me instead."

"Well Auntie knows he's got a good head on his shoulders," added Natsuko. "And his dad is the one who most regularly accompanies him on missions."

"I think that's because his team's a little split up now. Aunt Sakura mostly works at the hospital now and Uncle Sai has his own duties. They did mention some other former teammate, but I heard he's always away now. Guess Dad just teams up with who ever is available now," stated Boruto.

"Yeah well just think, it won't be long until we're going on missions with teammates," said Natsuko.

"It's starting earlier for you then it is for me," joked Boruto.

Both Boruto and Natsuko were due to start at the Ninja academy the next day. Despite being a year younger, Natsuko would be attending early at the request of their parents. Because of their close friendship with the Hokage, Kakashi had pulled some strings to push up Natsuko's start date. All she had had to do was prove that she could keep up with the other students. Her upbringing had allowed this to be a simple task for her.

"I don't know what's weirder, that old-man Kakashi is ok with this or that our parents are so insistent that we attend together," groaned Boruto. "If I didn't know any better, they enrolled you early to keep an eye on me."

"Well, no disrespect Brother, I may be younger but I'm arguably the more responsible one," joked Natsuko.

"Hey, you have moments of immaturity to," countered Boruto.

Natsuko turned away and blushed at this. While she was the quieter and more polite sibling, she was prone to the occasional outburst of anger, that would leave anyone present horrified. She didn't like it when this happened, but it only happened because of what others said about her and her mother.

"I don't even know why we need to join the academy," said Boruto. "From what my mum has told me, we're probably stronger than our parents were when they graduated."

Due the villages' negative reaction of their parents' relationship, Naruto, Hinata and Hanabi had made the decision to train their children in the ways of a shinobi from a young age. They had progressed exceptionally, and their parents already felt that both were close to the strength of a Chunin. This made attending the academy seem a little pointless to Boruto.

"Well, I guess its just a formality everyone must go through," said Natsuko. "Besides our parents are all ninja, its only natural their keen for us to become ninja."

"I know that, I'm just amazed their so keen for us to be ninja of this village," sighed Boruto looking to the horizon.

Natsuko knew what he meant. The prejudice the village held against their parents had continued to the children. While Natsuko had received worse treatment due to her mother not being legally married to their father, Boruto hadn't been spared from prejudice either. Many had called his mother a doormat and pathetic for not divorcing his father for his 'affair' and weren't afraid to say it to his face when his parents weren't around.

"You still annoyed that we still live in this village despite the way they treat our family?" asked Natsuko.

"A little but I understand our parents reasoning for staying," answered Boruto. "They didn't really have a better choice."

"And they've got friends who've always been kind to us," added Natsuko.

"Yeah, I guess it would be hard to leave them behind to start over someplace else that would likely be equally cruel to us," stated Boruto. "And let's face it, Grandpa would have a mental breakdown if we moved away."

"He would definitely be sad," laughed Natsuko.

"Still, I can't figure out why dad is so keen to defend a village that clearly hates us," stated Boruto.

"You still wondering why he's aiming to be Hokage?" asked Natsuko.

"A little, aside from the position allowing him to marry your mum I can't see how it would benefit us," said Boruto.

"Well, you've seen how strong Dad is, with him leading and defending the village it would be the safest place in the world," argued Natsuko.

This made Boruto a little cross.

"I'm not sure if this village deserves Dad's protection," he countered.

"Brother?"

"You've heard the stories our parents told us, I'm not sure how true they are, but they said that in addition to saving the village multiple times, he's also saved the entire world. If that's the case how can they resent dad for something as small as having two wives?" questioned Boruto.

"Maybe they just can't understand Dad's ability to love two women," stated Natsuko.

"That doesn't excuse the way they treat us. Especially you and your mum," said Boruto.

"I know, but my mum says us being a big happy family is all that matters and I think we're just that," argued Natsuko. "Our parents have shown us nothing but love and have done everything they can to prepare us for the difficulties of life."

"I guess you got a point," sighed Boruto. "Still even ignoring the fact that Dad saved the entire world, old-man Kakashi has shown us nothing but support, you'd think that would be enough to get everyone to back off. They just use the excuse of him having a soft spot for his former student."

"Dad said the Hokage is a leader, not a tyrant, which likely means that even if the Hokage supports something, doesn't mean everyone has to," stated Natsuko.

"Yeah, well I just wish everyone would back off and mind their own business," said Boruto.

"I do to, but Dad said the hate should calm down once we become successful ninjas. He said the same happened for him when he was younger," argued Natsuko.

"As I said before, I'm not sure the village deserves Dad's protection, meaning I don't think it deserves ours either," spat Boruto.

"You just can't comprehend why Dad wants to be Hokage can you?" asked Natsuko.

"No, I really can't," answered Boruto.

"Why don't you ask him?" asked Natsuko.

"I did and I still don't understand why," said Boruto.

A few years ago, a younger Boruto had found himself unable to sleep and was currently in the living room watching television quietly. Today hadn't been a good day. He had been out with his mother earlier and a couple of older kids had attempted to antagonize him by calling him one of the 'harem spawn' and saying his mother was a pathetic woman. Boruto hated when others insulted his family, and so he attempted to attack them out of anger. Boruto was already a skilled fighter, so even though they were all bigger than him, Boruto would've likely been the victor had he been allowed to fight.

As his mother was present, she overheard the commotion and stopped Boruto before he could do anything. This just caused more torment from the other kids as they saw this as another example of Hinata being unable to stand up for herself. Thankfully the other kids parents' were nearby and told them to get away from the 'harem spawn' and his doormat of a mother. This made Boruto want to attack them again, but Hinata held him in place.

While they were walking home, Boruto asked his mother why she didn't let him stand up for their family.

Hinata's response was.

"Because it will only make our situation worse."

She didn't punish Boruto however, because she understood the anger he felt. Truth was she was angry as well. Nevertheless, she pleaded with Boruto to not cause further trouble for them and to just ignore others when they said horrible things about their family.

Unfortunately, this put Boruto in a bad mood for the rest of the afternoon. Even when his father came home and was greeted happily by the rest of the family, Boruto's mood stayed the same. Naruto of course asked what was wrong, but Boruto refused to answer. Hinata later told Naruto in private, and Naruto completely understood his son's anger. Naruto also hated what the village said about his wives and their children. There were days where Naruto wished he could attack them and force them to treat his family with respect. He didn't however, as Kakashi had advised him that retaliation would only create more problems. So no matter how much he wanted to, Naruto never responded with violence. He had advised his wives to do the same, which is why Hinata had stopped Boruto from attacking the kids.

Naruto was hoping to talk to Boruto about this, unfortunately the kids had already gone to bed before Hinata could tell him what happened. Naruto didn't have a mission the next day so was aiming to speak to Boruto first thing in the morning. Thankfully, their time to talk would come sooner.

Naruto had gotten up to use the bathroom when he noticed the TV on in the living room. He walked over to see Boruto watching a rerun of an interview Kakashi had done earlier that day. In that interview Kakashi was explaining various ways they were attempting to increase security within the village.

"Boruto what are you doing up?" asked Naruto. "You know your mum will freak out if she see's you up past your bedtime."

Boruto just sighed.

Naruto sat down next to him.

"Couldn't sleep?"

Boruto nodded.

"Because of what happened today?"

Boruto looked at his father surprised.

"Your mum told me earlier," said Naruto.

"Then you'll also know she shouldn't have stopped me," argued Boruto.

"No, she did the right thing by stopping you," said Naruto. "While I do think its good to stand up for what you believe in, retaliating in this case would've only caused them to hate us more, which would've caused us more problems. Do you truly want that for us?"

"I guess not," sighed Boruto before turning back to the TV. "Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"Why do you want to be Hokage?" asked Boruto.

Naruto looked at the TV and could understand why Boruto asked that question.

"Because it's the biggest honour a Leaf Shinobi can have. Being Hokage means you're not only responsible for defending the Leaf Village, but also leading it," answered Naruto.

"Why would you want to lead a village that hates you?" asked Boruto.

Naruto chuckled at that question.

"You know I'm amazed no one's asked me that question before."

Boruto looked at Naruto confused.

"Remember how I told you I'm the Jinchuriki of the Nine Tailed Fox?" asked Naruto.

Boruto nodded.

"Well, let's just say it led to me having a pretty rough childhood," laughed Naruto.

Naruto then went into detail about how by being the Jinchuriki of the Nine Tailed Fox he had been rejected and shunned by most of the village for much of his childhood. This also meant he had no friends because although the children of the village didn't know the truth, they had been advised by their parents to stay away from him.

"And to answer your previous question, it became my dream to become Hokage, because not only did I want to be the strongest shinobi ever, I also wanted respect and acceptance from the village and I knew the Hokage was someone everyone respected" answered Naruto. "There was actually a time when I was well on my way to becoming Hokage."

"After you saved the world?" asked Boruto.

"Yup, after everything I had done during the war, there wasn't a person alive who could say I wasn't suited for the job," said Naruto.

"And you threw it all away after you fell in love with two women?" asked Boruto bluntly.

Naruto laughed.

"Yeah, I guess I did."

"Why do you find that funny?" asked Boruto.

"Because honestly, I have no regrets," answered Naruto.

"Why not?" asked Boruto.

"Do you remember the story of how I fell in love with both your mum and aunty?" asked Naruto.

"I remember you saying you didn't get much say in the matter at first and that after Mum invited Aunty to join your relationship it just happened," stated Boruto.

"That pretty much sums it up, I'm still amazed your mum was more ok with it then I was. To say she was obsessed with me growing up is an understatement, so I'm amazed she'd want to share me with anyone, especially her own sister," laughed Naruto. "But making her sister happy has always been important to your mother so she didn't see anything wrong with it. Though I knew if anyone else suggested sharing me, your mother and aunty would both raise hell."

"What does this have to do with you having no regrets?" asked Boruto.

"We knew if the truth came out, people might not react well, so we actually kept it a secret at first. However, after your aunt became pregnant with Natsuko, we knew we had to tell the truth. As predicted most people reacted negatively. We faced many hardships after that and we still do, but we've powered through it because at the end of the day we love each other and that's all that matters," said Naruto. "It was shortly before Natsuko was born that I received the news that I could no longer become Hokage. I was devastated of course, but I accepted it for one simple reason."

"What was that?" asked Boruto.

"There are things more important to me now then being Hokage," answered Naruto putting a hand on Boruto's shoulder. "You, Natsuko, your mum, your aunt, you all mean more to me then becoming Hokage. While it will always be my dream, I can accept it not becoming a reality, as long as I have all of you."

"Then why are you still working so hard for it?" asked Boruto.

"Like I said, it's still my dream and despite what they think of us, most of the village is still filled with good people and I want to do everything I can to defend and lead them," answered Naruto. "Also becoming Hokage will allow me to legally marry your aunt."

"I don't know if they deserve defending," spat Boruto.

"I know it can seem that way at times, but everyone deserves the best protection possible, which is something I can give," stated Naruto. "Also, when the day comes that I become Hokage, it'll be the day where most of the village accepts us for who we are, which means things should hopefully become easier for us by then."

"How are you still so certain you're going to be allowed to become Hokage?" asked Boruto.

"Honestly, I think your aunt's more certain about it then me now," laughed Naruto. "Your mum and I nearly divorced to make her an equal part of our relationship, but she shut that down instantly, as she knows there'll be a day I can take a second wife."

"Guess its something all three of you want now," groaned Boruto.

"Yeah, I guess it is," laughed Naruto. "Why all the Hokage questions anyway. Thinking of becoming Hokage yourself one day?"

"No," said Boruto shaking his head. "No offence Dad, but like I said I don't think the village deserves protection from us, so why would I want to take the position as their leader. Also, I've seen Old Man Kakashi work and all he does is sit in an office and do paperwork all day. I don't think that's something I'd enjoy."

"I can understand that," laughed Naruto.

"Sorry to disappoint you," sighed Boruto.

"You haven't disappointed me," said Naruto comfortably. "Just because I aim to be Hokage doesn't mean you have to. You can be any type of ninja you want whether it be Hokage, ANBU, Jonin leader or an academy instructor. The choice is yours. The question isn't asking what I want you to do, it asking what you want to do. What type of Shinobi do you want to be?"

For the first time in this conversation Boruto was at a loss for words.

"I don't know," he answered.

"That's ok, you have all the time in the world to figure it out," stated Naruto. "Just promise me you'll try to stop this mentality of 'the village doesn't deserve defending'. Everyone deserves defending and we need to be bigger people by providing it even if they don't treat us well."

"Alright, I promise, but its not going to be easy for me to forgive them," stated Boruto.

"Nothing worthwhile is easy son. I learnt that lesson at a very young age and I hope one day you will to," said Naruto happily.

"Honestly, I still haven't forgiven them. How can I? Even after all this time, they still treat us terribly," said Boruto.

"Well, hopefully things will get better for us while we train at the academy," suggested Natsuko.

"Right, the academy, we're we'll learn how to become defenders for the people who hate us just because our parents practice polygamy," said Boruto standing up and looking at the Hokage Monument.

"I'll do as dad said and be the bigger person, but I'll be doing it for one key reason," stated Boruto.

"What's that?" asked Natsuko.

"TO PROVE THAT I'M BETTER THEN ALL OF YOU," declared Boruto.

"HEY, WHAT ARE YOU KIDS DOING? DON'T YOU KNOW THAT'S DANGEROUS," yelled a voice from down below.

"Sorry mister," called Boruto.

The two of them jumped off the train onto a nearby powerline.

Natsuko looked down at the street below.

"Brother."

"Hmm?" asked Boruto looking down in the same direction as her.

They could see a group of six boys picking on another boy with black hair and glasses. They pushed the boy into an ally between two buildings.

"Should we help him?" asked Natsuko.

"Would be uncool if we didn't," answered Boruto.

"You really are choosing to be the bigger person," smirked Natsuko.

"Not necessarily," stated Boruto. "We don't know this kid so who knows, he might be cool."

They both jumped down to the ally and each landed on a roof on either side of the ally. During this time, they saw the bully steal the kids wallet. Boruto then observed that the leader of the bullies was about to attack the boy and so Boruto spilled the remainder of his drink on the bully's head.

"Opps my hand slipped," he laughed.

"Are you crazy?" asked the leader. "Do you wanna get hurt."

"Give the kid back his wallet and there'll be no trouble," warned Boruto.

"Oh yeah why don't you come down and make us?" threatened one of the bullies.

Boruto and Natsuko grinned and jumped down to the street below. They took a stance and got ready to fight when one of the bullies spoke.

"Hey, I know you two. You're the Harem Kids."

While Boruto and Natsuko had yet to establish themselves as ninja's, their father's polygamous relationship was well known throughout the village, leading Boruto and Natsuko to be recognized regularly.

"If you know who we are it might not be wise to take us on in a fight," warned Boruto.

"Why should we be afraid of some brat and a bastard?" taunted one of the bullies.

Those words made Boruto flinch.

"Please tell me you didn't just say that?" he shuddered.

Natsuko's eyes were twitching, and she seemed to struggle with her words.

"What… did… you… call… me?" she asked full of anger.

"What? Everyone knows you're the bastard of the harem," taunted another bully.

Veins started to pop up on Natsuko's eyes as she started approaching the bullies.

Boruto ran up and grabbed the bullied boy by the arm.

"We have to get out of here now," urged Boruto.

"Why?" asked the boy.

"When Natsuko gets angry, you don't want to be anywhere near her," answered Boruto as he dragged the boy out of the ally, leaving the bullies to face Natsuko's wrath.

They ran for a while, until they felt they were far enough away.

"Hopefully she won't hurt them to badly and she'll catch up with us later," gasped Boruto before turning to the boy. "Hey, you ok?"

"No, I'm not, especially considering more of them will come after me tomorrow," replied the boy.

"Listen, you can't let guys like that push you around. You should teach them a lesson," advised Boruto.

"I'm not brave or strong like you or your sister," the boy replied. "My name's Denki. Your Boruto right, Naruto's son? And that was your sister Natsuko?"

"Yeah, I think the fact that our father's known for having two wives has made us more famous than normal," answered Boruto.

"Your sister's eyes, that was the Byakugan? I heard her mother was a Hyuga. In fact, aren't both your mother's Hyuga's?" asked Denki.

"Our mothers aren't just Hyuga's they're also sisters," answered Boruto.

"Wait doesn't that mean she's?" Denki was cut off before he could finish, as this was a question Boruto regularly got.

"Yes, in addition to being my half-sister, she's also my cousin," answered Boruto.

"Does it ever feel weird being the children of a polyamorous relationship?" asked Denki.

"You'd think it would, but growing up in that environment it just feels natural for us," answered Boruto.

"I guess it would be the norm for you guys," stated Denki. "You have different eyes, are you unable to use the Byakugan?"

"So far I can't, but we've been trying to find a way to unlock it," answered Boruto. "Since Natsuko inherited her mother's eyes our grandfather's been helping her master it ever since we started training. On the condition he wasn't as hard on her as he was on our mothers. I'm honestly amazed those words came out of anyone's mouth, because if you met my grandfather, you'd wonder how he could be hard on anyone. Anyway, she wasn't able to use it at first, but she managed to after becoming angry."

"What happened?" asked Denki.

"Exactly what happened today. Some jerk called her 'The Harem Bastard' and she just went mental. The guy ended up in the hospital for a week, which is why I'm a little worried about those jerks who were picking on you before. Since then both our mothers and my grandfather have been helping her master the technique. We've also been trying to see if I can use it, but so far we haven't had any luck!" explained Boruto.

"Does that mean you can't use the gentle fist?" asked Denki.

"I can, but not to its full potential. Despite this my grandfather says I'm mastering it well," answered Boruto.

"Must be nice to have a supportive family," groaned Denki.

"What do you mean?" asked Boruto.

Before Denki had a chance to answer they heard someone calling them.

"Brother."

They turned around and saw Natsuko approaching them.

"Please tell me you didn't put those jerks in the hospital?" asked Boruto who knew their mothers would be furious with them if she had.

"No, once one of them recognised the Byakugan they quickly took off," answered Natsuko. "I chased them for a while, but I was able to calm down before I hurt any of them. Then I used the Byakugan to track where you'd gone."

"Well, I'm just glad neither of us are going to get in trouble tonight," sighed Boruto. "Anyway, Denki what were you saying before?"

Boruto and Natsuko spent the rest of the afternoon speaking with Denki. They discovered that he too was starting at the academy tomorrow, despite not being particularly interested in becoming a ninja. Denki explained that he was being forced to attend the academy by his father, a former shinobi who was now the head of the Kaminarimon Company, which was the biggest enterprise in the land. Denki explained that his father believed that if Denki was to inherit the company he would have to learn both academics and ninjutsu.

Upon learning that Denki didn't want to become a ninja Boruto only had this to say.

"Don't become a ninja just because your dad wants you to."

"But I've never disobeyed my dad before," stated Denki.

"It's not his business what you do in life," countered Boruto. "Our parents don't expect us to follow a specific path."

"Brother, I don't think we should get involved in another family's business" advised Natsuko.

"Why not. He should be allowed to choose his own path in life, not the path his father chooses for him," stated Boruto.

"Well, when you put it that way," Natsuko responded.

Boruto turned to Denki and said. "Who cares about your dad. You should teach him a lesson. Just like how I plan to teach a lesson to the entire village."

"Actually, we're both aiming to teach the village a lesson," added Natsuko.

"What do you want to prove?" asked Denki.

"Basically, that they shouldn't have unfairly judged our family for their decision," answered Boruto.

"I do feel most of the village has been a little harsh over that. Especially considering its really none of their business," said Denki.

"We appreciate you saying that," said Natsuko.

"What can I say, you seem like pretty normal kids to me," stated Denki. "So what if both your mothers are married to your father."

"Well, as you said its none of their business what our parents have decided to do and the same applies to your father. What you choose to do in life is none of his business and you need to tell him that."

"I'll try," sighed Denki. "Speaking of my dad, its getting late I should start heading home."

Then seeing it was late afternoon, Boruto suddenly looked panicked.

"Do you know what time it is?" asked Boruto.

"Um, about seven," answered Denki.

"Oh no we better get home," exclaimed Natsuko.

"Yeah or our mum's will kill us," stated Boruto.

"What are you guys worried about?" queried Denki. "I've heard rumours that your mother's are among the kindest women in the Leaf Village."

"Whoever told you that is feeding you false information," shuddered Boruto. "My mum's very scary when she gets mad."

"And my mother's even scarier," added Natsuko. "Granted she claims she was always the more outspoken sister."

"Anyway, don't let anyone pick on you, just teach them a lesson," advised Boruto.

Boruto jumped over the railing of a bridge and bolted home.

"Thanks again for being kind to us," stated Natsuko turning back. "It means a lot to us."

She then jumped over the railing and followed her brother.

Before long they arrived home.

"Mum we're home," they said simultaneously.

"Where have you two been you promised you would be home earlier?" asked Hinata coming into view.

"Sorry Mum we got a little sidetracked," answered Boruto.

"Is that so. Natsuko, I thought I told you to keep an eye on him?" asked Hanabi also coming into view.

"Sorry Mum, but you know what Brother's like. Once he starts something it's hard to get him to stop," answered Natsuko.

"Well, we're just glad the two of you stayed out of trouble," stated Hinata.

"Anyway, dinners nearly ready, so how about the two of you wash up and meet us in the kitchen," Hanabi requested.

"Ok Mum," they said simultaneously.

Hinata and Hanabi smiled. They still found it so cute when their kids spoke in unison.

Just as the four of them were about to sit down for dinner they heard the door open.

"I'm home," called a male voice.

Natsuko jumped from her seat and ran to the door.

"Dad," she squealed jumping into his arms.

"Hey, Natsuko, how's my little girl," asked Naruto squeezing his daughter.

"I'm great Dad, I'm even better now your home," said Natsuko happily.

"Welcome home Honey," said Hinata and Hanabi simultaneously.

Naruto gave each of his wives a hug and a kiss.

"Hey Dad," said Boruto walking up and fist bumping his dad. "Still defending the village even though they don't deserve it?"

"You know it because remember, its important to be the bigger person," said Naruto patting his son on the head. "I hope you'll be the bigger person as well."

"Oh I will, don't worry," smirked Boruto.

"Good boy," said Naruto before smelling something nice. "Hey what smells so good?"

"Dinner's ready, we were just about to sit down and eat," answered Hinata.

"Sounds good, let me just go wash up and I'll join you," said Naruto.

"I'm just glad you could be home for this," said Hinata.

"Are you kidding?" asked Naruto. "I wasn't going to miss the dinner before my kids start at the academy. And I might have to leave early tomorrow, but I've also found a way to be at the entrance ceremony. I don't want to miss the moment my kids start at the academy."

Before long, all five of them were sat at the table.

"We're both so proud of the two of you for starting at the academy tomorrow. I'm just glad Lord Sixth was able to get Natsuko in early," stated Hinata.

"Well, someone has to keep your rowdy boy out of trouble," joked Hanabi.

"Oh, like your girl never gets in trouble," retorted Hinata.

"Hey, what do you expect they are both my kids after all," interjected Naruto laughing.

"That they are and you both remind us so much of your father. Which worries us a little," joked Hinata. "You know I got to meet your father at the academy."

"Mum, you've told us this story a million times," groaned Boruto.

Hinata ignored Boruto's statement and continued.

"He was always causing trouble to the point that people considered him a problem child," added Hinata.

"Hey, don't tell them that," whined Naruto. "I don't want them to think less of me."

"I'm not going to lie to them," laughed Hinata. "Besides you know I never agreed with them, I always thought you were really cool."

"You were the only one who did," smiled Naruto happily.

"You didn't meet Dad till much later right Mum?" interjected Natsuko.

"Well you gotta remember I'm a few years younger than your dad and aunty, so we didn't attend the academy together," answered Hanabi. "But after he started dating your aunty, I too got to see him for the cool person he was. Before I realised it, I had also fallen in love with him. And I'm grateful every day that your dad and auntie allowed me to be a part of their relationship."

"And we're so happy you became part of the relationship," said Naruto.

"Eww, Dad not at the table," groaned Boruto.

As Naruto was sitting in the middle of his wives, he put an arm around both. They blushed at this.

"What can I say, I love these two and I'll never let them forget it. Besides with how the village reacted to our relationship, I need to ensure I show them as much affection as possible."

"Yeah, the village," sighed Boruto.

"Brother?" asked Natsuko.

It saddened her to see her brother so angry at the village, but at the same time she was so happy he cared for both her and her mother and hated how they were treated.

"Boruto I thought we talked about this?" queried Naruto. "I know it may seem like they don't deserve our protection, but I thought you agreed to be the bigger person."

"Don't worry Dad, I'll be the bigger person and help protect the village, but only because I want to prove I'm better than them," declared Boruto.

"Ok, but just remember why we're doing this, to make life better for all of us," stated Naruto.

"Not gonna be a problem. Once those other kids see how strong I am, they'll realise they should've never said anything bad about our family," said Boruto angrily.

Worried by Boruto's tone Hanabi said the following.

"Please keep your brother out of trouble."

"I will Mum I promise," said Natsuko.

Boruto went to bed that night angry but determined. While he was still angry at the village for how they treated his family it also fuelled his desire to prove them wrong. Natsuko went to bed that night with concern. Not necessarily for her brother, she knew his heart was in the right place and he was only standing up for them during his anger outbursts. What worried her was how the other kids would treat her. Hopefully once she showed how strong she was, they would start treating her with more respect and realise that her home life was none of their concern. What made her most calm however was that her brother would be by her side, along with a few friends who's parents were friends with her own.

Meanwhile, Denki was currently having a heated discussion with his father. Denki expressed how he didn't particularly want to become a ninja, but his father insisted that he had to. Denki was told that if he wanted to study what he wanted to, he would first have to prove that he was strong and the only way he could do that was by training at the ninja academy. Denki left his father's office contemplated both the words of his father and the words Boruto had shared with him earlier about teaching his father a lesson. Before Denki could decide on what he wished to do he was attacked by an unseeable spiritual force.

Chapter Text

The next morning, Boruto was sleeping soundly before he felt something shake him awake.

"Brother get up," called a voice.

Boruto opened his eyes and saw his sister standing over him.

"Natsuko, what's going on?" asked Boruto.

"You didn't set your alarm and you overslept," answered Natsuko. "If we don't get going now, we'll miss the entrance ceremony."

"Crap," was all Boruto said before jumping out of bed.

Natsuko left the room while Boruto got ready. Their father had already left.

After getting dressed and bolting from his room, Boruto took a piece of toast handed to him by Hanabi and also retrieved his school bag from Hinata.

"Do you think you'll make it on time?" asked Hinata as Boruto took the bag.

Don't worry about it," Boruto responded.

Boruto bolted from the house with Natsuko following closely behind.

"Brother how could you forget to set your alarm?" asked Natsuko.

"What are you kidding that was my plan all along," grinned Boruto.

"What do you mean?" asked Natsuko.

Boruto started jumping through the air.

"The academy's gonna be a breeze, so I'm not going to worry too much about being on time," stated Boruto. "It was always my plan to sleep till the last minute then take the train to school. I can't think of a better way to start my easy life at the academy."

"I thought you wanted to prove you were better than everyone," stated Natsuko.

"I do, but that's for after we become ninja," clarified Boruto. "With everything our parents have taught us, the academy's gonna be a breeze. The only real challenge is determining how much we should upstage the other students."

"And you wonder why our mother's want me to keep an eye on you," groaned Natsuko.

They both landed on a power pole and gazed at an oncoming train.

"Yup there it is," chucked Boruto, before looking down at the street. "Hey Natsuko look."

Natsuko looked down and spotted Denki walking down the street.

"It's that boy from yesterday," stated Natsuko.

There was something different about him however. Denki seemed to be covered in some strange purple chakra.

"What do you think that is?" asked Boruto.

"What?" asked Natsuko confused.

"That purple chakra surrounding him," stated Boruto.

"Brother he's not surrounded by anything," observed Natsuko unable to see what her brother was seeing.

Unknown to both, one of Boruto's eyes had changed in appearance. The background was black and his blue eye had become much lighter.

Boruto rubbed his eyes thinking he wasn't seeing properly, but when he opened his eyes Denki was gone.

"Where'd he go?" asked Boruto.

Natsuko looked back at the street.

"I don't know," she answered.

"Must be taking the train like us," chucked Boruto. "You know, I think he and I are gonna get along just fine."

"If you say so," stated Natsuko.

They were about to jump on the train that would take them to the academy when Natsuko noticed something odd.

"Brother," she said tugging on his sleeve and pointing.

"What is it?" asked Boruto.

Boruto looked to where she was pointing and saw three of the boys who had been bullying Denki the day before.

"What are they doing here?" Boruto queried.

Before an answer could be found, they noticed the boys hop on a train carriage that shut and took off the moment they stepped on.

"I think we should follow them," said Boruto.

"But we're gonna be late for the ceremony," stated Natsuko.

"I know, but something tells me something bad will happen if we don't," stated Boruto. "It might sound crazy, but I just feel we should follow them."

Natsuko didn't want to be late for the ceremony, but she also knew her mother might get angry at her if she let Boruto get into trouble.

"Alright, but as soon as it's resolved we go to the academy," said Natsuko.

"Yeah, yeah whatever," responded Boruto.

The two of them ran after the train and jumped on the roof before it got away.

Inside the bully's heard a voice speak.

"You guys are so simple."

"Denki…" the leader said recognising the voice.

They walked into the next carriage and found Denki.

"What are you thinking, stop this," demanded the leader. "What's going on?"

Denki went on to explain that they were on one of his father's prototype trains. It was one that included several defectives, so it wasn't in use with the other trains. As Denki said this a piece of the carriage's roof flew off. Denki continued his explanation by telling them that there was another defective train car on the same rail track. No one was aboard this train, and it was set on a collision course with the current train.

"You're kidding right?" was all the leader bully could say in response.

"Stop this," said a voice from above.

Boruto and Natsuko jumped down from the roof below to confront Denki.

"Why are you two here?" asked Denki.

"When we saw the train take off, we had a feeling something bad would happen," answered Natsuko.

"Aren't you supposed to be going to the entrance ceremony?" asked Boruto.

"Who cares about that?" answered Denki. "I'm going to prove to my father that I am strong."

"Don't you think this is taking it a little far?" asked Natsuko who was worried by the situation.

"No… I have to… Gain his approval," answered Denki. "I have to prove that I'm strong."

As Denki said this Boruto briefly saw him covered with the same purple energy he'd seen before. He quickly shook it off as there were more important things to worry about.

"You need to stop this," demanded Boruto.

"Then make me," dared Denki. "The first rail switch is coming."

Hearing this Boruto ran to the window to look for the rail switch. Upon finding it, he opened the window and threw a kunai in an attempt to change the track. Sadly, the knife was a little off.

"Damn," groaned Boruto.

"Maybe I should've done it," added Natsuko.

Because she had the Byakugan, Natsuko was a better aim then her brother.

"Not the time Natsuko," groaned Boruto.

"Well, that's too bad," interjected Denki.

"What's happened to you?" demanded Boruto.

Denki seemed completely different to the boy they met. Previously he had been a quiet and shy boy, now he seemed cold and heartless.

"My father's word is absolute," was all Denki said in response. "I need his approval."

Boruto approached Denki and grabbed him by the collar.

"You don't need his approval," stated Boruto angrily. "Can't you do anything without worrying about how people will take it? You need to make your own decisions."

As Boruto said this, a bit of life seemed to return to Denki's eyes.

Denki then took a step back and winced as if he was in pain.

"What's wrong?" asked Boruto letting go of Denki.

"Hey!" called one of the bullies catching Boruto's attention. "The train's coming."

Boruto looked ahead and indeed the train was closing in.

"What do we do Brother?" asked Natsuko.

"I'm gonna use the shadow clone jutsu to try and change the track. If I fall, I'm counting on you to pull me back in," stated Boruto.

"You can count on me," said Natsuko confidently.

Boruto nodded and was about to head to the roof of the train when he felt Denki grab his arm.

"Why did I do this?" asked Denki who seemed confused by the current situation.

"Don't worry about it, just leave it to me," declared Boruto.

Boruto jumped on the roof of the train, crossed his fingers and shouted, "Shadow Clone Jutsu."

Three clones of Boruto appeared out of puffs of smoke. They made a human ladder, with each clone grabbing the feet of the clone above them, with the original Boruto on the bottom.

Boruto attempted to swing his clones towards the track but slipped and started to fall.

"Brother," called Natsuko.

Without thinking Natsuko crossed her fingers and yelled, "Shadow Clone Jutsu."

Natsuko also made three clones of her own, made a human ladder and caught her brother before he hit the ground. Seeing the bravery of the siblings, the purple energy left Denki's body, snapping him back to reality.

Using all his strength Boruto swung his clones at the rail switch. This ensured the train they were on changed tracks and allowed them to pass the oncoming train without colliding.

Boruto let go of his clones and they disappeared.

"Natsuko pull me in?" ordered Boruto.

"I'm trying," stated Natsuko.

Natsuko didn't have as much upper body strength as her brother and was finding it difficult to pull him in with the addition of her shadow clones.

Denki ran forward and grabbed Natsuko to help her pull her brother back in. Seeing their struggle, the bullies ran forward to help as well. With all of them working together, they managed to get Boruto back on the train. At which point Natsuko's clones disappeared.

"Well, that was fun," sighed Boruto.

"No, it wasn't," argued Denki.

"Brother please be more careful next time," pleaded Natsuko.

"Ok, ok, I was only kidding," groaned Boruto.

Everyone on the train laughed at this, but their laughter was short lived when they heard the back carriage detach from the train and crash.

"What do we do? This train won't hold together for much longer," stated one of the bullies.

"We have to get to the other one," stated Denki. "Let's go."

Without hesitation, the bullies ran over to the remaining carriage, as Denki detached it from the front of the train.

"Come on," offered one of the bullies holding out his hand.

"Sorry, but we've got somewhere to be," stated Denki.

"We're late for the entrance ceremony," laughed Natsuko.

"And we won't get there by staying on the tracks," stated Boruto.

Boruto pulled the trains lever causing it to go off track onto the dirt.

Meanwhile, at the entrance ceremony, the names for the attending students were being called.

"Boruto Uzumaki?" called Shino the instructor who would be teaching Boruto's class. "Boruto Uzumaki? Where is he?"

Getting no response, Shino continued with the roll.

"Natsuko Uzumaki," called Shino hoping Boruto's sister had arrived on time.

The kids starting speaking amongst themselves. Hearing the name Uzumaki, they wondered if Shino was referring to the Harem Children. They were also discussing where they could be.

"Geeze Boruto even I made it on time," yawned Shikadai Nara.

"Why am I not surprised," groaned a boy with spiky dark pink hair and bushy eyebrows, wearing a red jumpsuit.

"You would've thought Natsuko would've gotten him here on time," said a girl called ChoCho Akimichi, before turning to the boy. "Don't you think Metal?"

"Considering she's the one who has to babysit him, they're only late because he is," groaned Metal Lee.

Suddenly they heard something approach in the rocks above and before long they saw a train carriage fly off the rocks and into the Hokage Monument. Thankfully they missed any of the faces.

"Well, we made it," sighed Boruto brushing dirt off himself.

"I don't think Dad's gonna be happy about this," stated Natsuko.

"Once I explain everything, I'm sure he'll understand," said Boruto.

The siblings walked forward so they could be seen by all the onlookers.

"Boruto Uzumaki, is here ya know," introduced Boruto to the crowd.

"Sorry we're late," added Natsuko embarrassed by her brothers' antics.

All the teachers looked up in embarrassment, but no one was more embarrassed than Naruto, who had left a clone on guard duty so he could attend his children's entrance ceremony. He knew it would take a long time for him to live down the embarrassment his children had caused. He also wouldn't be surprised if this pushed his chances of becoming Hokage back a few more years.

"Naruto, I'd like to speak with you after this is over," said Sixth Hokage Kakashi Hatake, who was there to give a welcoming speech to the students.

"Yes Sensei," said an embarrassed Naruto.

Out of nowhere, another Shinobi appeared behind the siblings and Boruto instinctively attacked, but was quickly overpowered by the more experienced fighter.

"Brother, it's just Uncle Konohamaru," stated Natsuko shaking her head.

"Oh right, sorry big bro," apologized Boruto.

"You don't look sorry," groaned Konohamaru. "And from now on, call me Sensei."

"Yeah, I'm not doing that," stated Boruto bluntly.

"Boruto you're a real pain sometimes," groaned Konohamaru.

"Agreed, one you shouldn't have to deal with," said a voice.

They turned to see Naruto had also jumped upon the wreckage.

"You head back down and help the others deal with this. I'll handle my kids," sighed Naruto.

"Are you sure Boss?" asked Konohamaru. "I'm happy to give Boruto the punishment he deserves."

"I'm sure, because as their father this is as much my fault as it is theirs," said Naruto.

"Very well," said Konohamaru.

He put Boruto down and jumped to the ground below.

"Now, you two have a lot of explaining to do," lectured Naruto, causing his kids to gulp.

At that moment, Denki climbed out of the wreckage.

"Hey, Denki are you ok?" asked Boruto. "Look we made it in time for the entrance ceremony."

"Who is this?" demanded Naruto. "Did the two of you put another kid in danger?"

"So what? We're fine," stated Boruto.

"That's not the point," snapped Naruto. "Why did you do this? Boruto, I know you hate the village for how they treat us, but I thought you agreed to be the bigger person? And Natsuko, I could see Boruto doing this, but I expected better from you."

"This has nothing to do with how the village treats us," argued Boruto.

"Then what is it about? Because I know you wouldn't do something this extreme without a good reason," stated Naruto.

Boruto glanced at Natsuko and Denki before looking back to his father.

"I promise to tell you everything, but you have to promise me something first," said Boruto.

Naruto crossed his arms.

"I'm listening."

"Promise me that Natsuko and Denki won't be punished. This was mostly my fault, and I deserve to take the blame," stated Boruto.

"Brother," interjected Natsuko.

"You already deal with to much from the Leaf Village, you shouldn't have to deal with extra problems because of this," whispered Boruto. "As for Denki, something tells me he wasn't himself so he shouldn't have to face consequences."

"Are you sure?" whispered Natsuko.

"I'm sure," whispered Boruto.

"Ok," conceded Natsuko.

Boruto turned back to his father.

"Those are my terms Dad, accept them or I don't tell you anything."

Naruto was surprised by this. He was still embarrassed by his son's actions, but he couldn't help but also feel pride over him standing up for those he cared about.

"Alright, I promise that you'll be the only one who gets punished," said Naruto. "But before you tell me anything, let's get to solid ground, it's not safe up here."

They all jumped down to the ground below allowing others to come and remove the train from the monument.

Boruto told his father everything. How he had met Denki the day before and how today he had seemed like a completely different person. Like he was possessed. He also mentioned the purple chakra he saw but also stated that he was the only one who had seen it. Naruto asked if Boruto hadn't just been seeing things, but Boruto followed this up by saying he had seen it more than once. He couldn't explain how, but only he had been able to see it. Naruto knew Boruto wasn't one to lie, so despite the lack of facts he felt this was worth investigating.

Because of his actions Boruto ended up suspended for two weeks. In the meantime, he would be homeschooled by his mother so he wouldn't fall behind.

Natsuko tried to argue that she too should be suspended as Boruto's co-conspirator, but Naruto kept to his promise and ensured that Boruto was the only one to be punished. Instead, she was instructed to attend the academy as planned, as people felt it was best for her to be away from her brothers influence for a while.

Once the incident had been cleared up Naruto headed to the Hokage's Office.

"Sensei, may I come in?" asked Naruto peeking his head through the door of Kakashi's office.

"Yes, please come in," sighed Kakashi. "Your kids have caused a lot of problems for me today Naruto."

"You think you got problems? I've been spending the last twelve years trying to rebuild my reputation and something tells me this was a huge setback," groaned Naruto.

"It was. Not only do people now thing you're disgusting for having two wives, but they're also questioning your abilities as a parent," stated Kakashi.

"Geeze am I ever going to catch a break. Even after I saved the entire world, people still pick at everything I do," sighed Naruto.

"I understand your frustration. Unfortunately, all it takes is one scandal to ruin someone's reputation," said Kakashi.

"Yeah, but its not like a did anything illegal or immoral. I'm not saying I deserve two wives because I saved the world, but you'd think that fact would be enough for people to let it slide," stated Naruto.

"Normally I would agree, but as you may or may not remember, the reason the public took issue with this relationship had to do with your ambitions to become Hokage. As we're trying to move into a new era we're trying to stop practices considered outdated," said Kakashi.

"Yeah, yeah I know, having a Hokage with two wives would make me look tyrannical and make the village look like a dictatorship. I've heard it all before," stated Naruto.

"I only repeat it because you seem to keep forgetting," argued Kakashi.

"It's more that I'm annoyed people can't see the benefit of me having enough love in my heart for two women," said Naruto.

"Indeed, one could argue it shows you have more love to give then most," said Kakashi. "More to the point, I called you in here to discuss the incident with the train. And not just because I feel its pushed back my retirement."

"I also feel this has further decreased my chances of becoming Hokage, but more to the point, Boruto didn't do this because of his hatred for the village," said Naruto.

Kakashi looked at Naruto curiously as his former student told him everything Boruto said about the incident.

"You think this is worth investigating?" asked Boruto.

"Maybe not yet, we may have to wait for further proof to make sure this wasn't an isolated incident," said Kakashi. "I'm most curious about the purple chakra Boruto claims to have seen surrounding Denki. He said he was the only one who could see this correct?"

"That's right," said Naruto.

"Ask him to let you know if he ever sees it again," requested Kakashi. "It won't disprove he wasn't imagining it, but it will hopefully add proof to this not being an isolated incident."

"Yes Sensei," said Naruto.

After the two weeks were over, Boruto approached the academy for his official first day. Natsuko was walking to school with him.

"Man, I'm glad my suspension is finally over," sighed Boruto.

"I just hope you haven't fallen to far behind," added Natsuko.

"You don't have to worry about that. With the amount of study my mum was giving me, I wouldn't be surprised if I'm ahead of the academy," groaned Boruto. "So much for my easy life at the academy."

"If you came here for an easy life then you came to the wrong place," called a voice.

Boruto and Natsuko turned to see Metal Lee standing behind them. ChoCho Akimichi was with him.

"Hey Metal, it's been a while," greeted Boruto.

"Spare me the pleasantries, this academy is for hardworking students who would protect this village with their life," spat Meltal Lee. "It has no need for someone like you."

Metal and ChoCho walked past them and into the academy.

"I've never understood what his problem is with you," stated Natsuko.

"Probably because both him and his dad consider hard work the most important aspect of being a ninja," said Boruto. "It's not my fault I'm just naturally awesome."

"Still, you'd think with a father like Rock Lee he'd be a bit more pleasant," added Natsuko.

"Hey, you've met his mother. He might have his father's work ethic, but he gets the rest of his personality from his mother," groaned Boruto.

"But Miss Sakura has never been cold to you like he has," stated Natsuko.

"Probably because she's Dad's former teammate. Still, you'd think Metal would also respect me more because of that," stated Boruto. "Well, whatever, I'm here now and nothing he says is going to convince me to quit."

"That's the brother I know and love," exclaimed Natsuko happily.

They continued to the entrance of the academy when they spotted Denki waving at them.

"Hey you guys," he called.

"What are you doing here, I thought you weren't going to study at the academy?" queried Boruto.

"I wasn't," confirmed Denki. "But seeing you guys in action helped me see that ninjutsu is actually really cool and with me taking over my dad's company one day, I want to find a way to combine technology with ninjutsu."

"Well, if that's the path you want to take, I say go for it," said Boruto.

"And I'll help you with whatever you need," exclaimed Natsuko.

"Thanks, you guys," stated Denki.

As they entered the academy, Boruto stopped walking and looked up at the Hokage Monument.

"I'm going to prove to everyone here that they were wrong for the way they treated my family," thought Boruto proudly. "I'm going to prove, I'm better than all of them.

Chapter Text

As Boruto walked into the academy with his sister/cousin Natsuko he was determined to make his mark at the academy. He was hoping the students there would be welcoming, but before he had even entered the classroom he could see many of his classmates whispering among themselves.

Boruto could only guess what they were whispering about, but he had a feeling it had something to do with the stunt he had pulled with the train two weeks earlier. He had a feeling that everyone believed the only reason he was allowed to continue at the academy was because of his father's association with the Hokage. Truth be told he didn't care what they thought as he knew he was going to prove them wrong. He also knew their tones would be different if they knew the real reason he had been aboard the train.

In the end, Boruto just believed he had made a bad first impression which he was determined to fix during his time at the academy. Upon looking at Natsuko however his suspicions changed. She too was looking at the other students and she looked very sad.

Boruto initially thought that maybe Natsuko was sad that she didn't make a bigger effort to stand up for her brother, but he knew there were other possibilities. Were the other students mistreating her because of how she was born? Boruto had a feeling he would find out soon enough.

Before long they entered the classroom and Boruto decided to introduce himself. Although he still hated the majority of the Leaf Village, his parents had advised he be nice to his classmates and hopefully they would be nice back. Furthermore, now that he had met and befriended Denki, Boruto was hoping more students would be welcoming to him and his sister. He had a feeling it was more their parents who had hostility to his family.

Boruto decided to introduce himself with a positive attitude.

"Hi everyone, I'm Boruto Uzumaki. Nice to meet you."

"I'd keep your voice down if I were you," a voice grumbled. "After the stunt you pulled, I'd show some restraint and keep a low profile."

They turned and saw Shikadai sitting at one of the desks.

"Well Shikadai we can't change the past, so I don't think we should worry about it," chucked Boruto. "Where do I sit?"

"You can sit in whatever seat is free," answered Denki sitting down next to Shikadai.

"Sounds good to me," said Boruto sitting next to Denki.

The desks at the academy only allowed for three students each, so being unable to sit next to her brother, Natsuko decided to sit at the desk directly next to him. Unfortunately, as she went to sit down, any other student already sitting fled to other desks.

Natsuko sat down and sadly sighed.

"What's going on there?" asked Boruto.

"You didn't hear?" asked Denki.

"Hear what?" asked Boruto.

"On the first day of class, some idiot tried to provoke her. She warned him not to push her and he responded with 'Why does the little bastard need Daddy to protect her?'," stated Shikadai.

"He ended up in the hospital, didn't he?" asked Boruto.

"Yep, thankfully she didn't get suspended because everyone confirmed she wasn't the instigator," stated Shikadai.

"That would explain why she came home upset that day and why my aunt was yelling at her," stated Boruto.

"Long story short, everyone's afraid of her now," added Denki.

This angered Boruto. If people were just a little nicer to their family, they'd cause no trouble within the village. While Boruto suffered the occasional mean comment of being a 'harem' brat, the way they treated his sister made his blood boil. To treat Natsuko like less of a person just because her mother wasn't legally married to their father felt unfair. Especially when considering Naruto always referred to both Hinata and Hanabi as his wives.

Not wanting his sister to be alone, Boruto got up from the desk and sat next to Natsuko. She immediately smiled upon seeing him sit down and hugged him.

"Natsuko not in public," groaned Boruto.

"Sorry Brother," Natsuko laughed letting him go.

A few rows back the siblings were being observed by another trio of students.

"Those Uzumaki siblings sure seem close," said a purple haired girl called Sumire who was also the class representative.

"What do you expect one's a lazy brat and the other's seen as the result of an illegitimate love affair," spat Metal Lee looking through his notes.

"That's a bit harsh Metal, aren't you guys' childhood friends?" asked ChoCho who was sitting next to him.

"My mum was teammates with his dad, that's it. My Dad was also teammates with a relative of theirs that died during the war," answered Metal. "Frankly I don't like being associated with them. Natsuko's ok, but Boruto's just a lazy brat who doesn't deserve to be here."

"Maybe he just seems lazy when compared to his father?" wondered ChoCho out loud. "Regardless of what you think of his married life, only the hardest worker in the world could achieve what he has."

At that moment a boy with blues eyes and blond hair pulled into a ponytail, dressed in a purple shirt and white overalls walked past them. This was Inojin, son of Ino and Sai.

"Only here because the Hokage has a soft spot for his student huh?" the boy said outload.

"Inojin," queried Sumire worried that Boruto would hear him.

"Opps, did I just say that outload?" stated Inojin thinking he'd been silent.

He stood in between the desks, where Boruto and Denki sat

"Inojin that was rude, take that back," ordered Shikadai.

"Sorry, I wasn't meaning to be rude," apologised Inojin. "But that's just what everyone's been saying. Let's face it, if anyone else had caused that runaway train they would've been expelled for sure."

"It wasn't brother's…" Natsuko trailed off as Boruto put a hand on her shoulder and shook his head.

"Inojin, you know that's not what happened," interjected Shikadai.

"I guess" stated Inojin. "By the way Boruto, Natsuko it's been a while."

"You guys know each other?" asked Denki.

"Our parents are all friends," answered Shikadai.

"But that's not important. What is important is that we can be friends. Right Inojin?" queried Boruto holding out his hand to shake.

Inojin's parents had always supported the Uzumaki family, so Boruto was hoping he'd be more welcoming.

Without hesitation Inojin slapped his hand away.

"You're not worthy of my friendship," spat Inojin. "But my father always tells me it's important to keep a lady company. And my mother tells me it's important to be a good role model. So, I think I'll sit with the two of you to ensure your sister has a good influence to counteract the bad."

"Brother isn't a bad influence," stated Natsuko.

"You only say that because you love him," argued Inojin.

At that moment the door opened, and the instructor Shino walked in. The class stood in respect for their instructor. Before either could object Inojin stood next to Natsuko.

Classes went on like normal for the day. This eventually led to an obstacle course that would allow them to test every student's basic strengths and weaknesses. To the surprise of many Boruto was outstanding. He completed the course with not only great speed, but also with great ease. Natsuko did nearly as well.

"Boruto your amazing," called Denki running over with a computer. "Your time was the second best in the entire class. And Natsuko you're only two places behind him in forth."

"What? I'm not at the top?" asked Boruto completely ignoring Denki's compliment.

Boruto looked at the computer to read the name placed above his. It read Iwabe Yuino. He could also see Natsuko had placed just below Metal Lee.

"So where is this guy?" asked Boruto looking around.

"I don't think he's here today. Though that doesn't surprise me, he's constantly saying he shouldn't have to waste his time with amateurs like us," answered Denki.

Boruto turned to Natsuko.

"Do you know who this guy is?"

"I've seen him around, but he doesn't seem like a very nice boy. In fact, he looked at me with more disgust than I've ever seen before," answered Natsuko.

Natsuko was used to getting disgusted looks from the other villagers, but the way she talked about Iwabe made Boruto fear that he'd looked at her the worst.

Before long the lunch bell rang and Boruto, Shikadai, Denki and Natsuko headed back to the classroom to eat.

"Man, I'm hungry," said Boruto.

"That's one trait you definitely got from dad," laughed Natsuko.

"Yeah, yeah," groaned Boruto.

They saw another group that consisted of three other boys.

"Hey, are you guys having lunch? Mind if we join?" requested Boruto.

"Sorry! We're going to the rooftop," said the largest of the three boys.

"You should go quickly to," said another boy.

Without explaining why, the three boys bolted out of the classroom.

"What's their problem?" wondered Boruto. "Well, whatever, let's eat."

"Go somewhere else," called a voice. "You're bothering me."

The four of them looked around the classroom until they spotted an older boy who had sat up.

"I'm using this room right now," the boy added.

"Who's this guy?" asked Boruto.

"That's Iwabe, the boy we were telling you about before," answered Natsuko.

"The one who got the top score on the obstacle course?" asked Boruto.

"Yeah, but he's also referred to as Iwabe the repeater," added Denki.

"They call him that because rumour has it, he failed the graduation exam twice," interjected Shikadai.

"No wonder you're the best at the obstacle course," laughed Boruto. "Nice to meet you."

"Don't get friendly with me. You, filthy little harem brat," spat Iwabe.

"My parent's marriage is none of your business," retorted Boruto angrily.

Without warning Iwabe jumped down from the desks and grabbed Boruto by the collar.

"Well, I don't like the idea of having a guy like you hanging around," threatened Iwabe.

"Let go of my brother," demanded Natsuko.

Iwabe looked at her with utter disgust.

"I hate the idea of having you around here even more," Iwabe spat.

As this was being said, some of the other students began returning to the classroom.

"You're both eyesores," continued Iwabe before turning back to Boruto. "You're only here because the Hokage has a soft spot for his former student. I can accept that, but your sister shouldn't be here at all. Accepting the Harem Brat is one thing, but the Harem Bastard shouldn't be allowed within a hundred feet of the academy."

At this point Boruto wasn't concerned about Iwabe. He turned to Natsuko and could see she was trying harder than normal to keep her temper in check.

"I'd watch your mouth if I were you," warned Boruto.

With no care Iwabe threw Boruto at the teacher's desk.

"Like I care. You're not even worth my time. Your threats mean nothing to me," spat Iwabe.

"It's not me you should be worried about," retorted Boruto looking at his sister.

Everyone's attention went to Natsuko who seemed to be using all her will power to stay calm.

"What? Do you have a problem with being called a bastard?" taunted Iwabe at Natsuko. "You can't get angry at me for stating a fact. If you have a problem with me, come at me."

"I can't, my mum told me a ninja has to keep calm in all situations," stated Natsuko.

"Oh, you mean your mother who isn't even married to your father?" questioned Iwabe.

"It doesn't matter if they aren't married, my dad loves my mother and that's all that matters," argued Natsuko.

"Is it? Was she your father's first love?" asked Iwabe before pointing at Boruto. "Because last I checked your father's married to and loved his mother first."

"Mum says it doesn't matter. All that matters is that he loves her as well and that we're a big happy family," argued Natsuko.

"Didn't your mother cause problems for your family by falling in love with your father? I've heard the rumours. She was banished from the Hyuga Clan for her actions. I also heard she was supposed to be branded with the Cadged Bird Seal, but was saved upon taking your father's last name," stated Iwabe. "Have you even met your grandfather, the head of the Hyuga Clan?"

"Jokes on you we see our grandfather regularly," added Boruto before remembering how their grandfather acted while they were around. "A little to regularly if you ask me."

"That doesn't change the fact that your nothing but a disgusting bastard and you're nothing compared to me," spat Iwabe at Natsuko.

"I wouldn't if I were you," warned Boruto. "Natsuko may be younger than me, but her skills aren't far off mine. And when she's angry, she's a force to be reckoned with."

"Like I care. I don't care how strong she is, even the teachers are impressed with my Taijutsu skills, which means your nothing compared to me. You're all nothing compared to me," declared Iwabe to the whole class.

"Oh yeah, then why did you fail?" mocked Boruto.

"What's the point of studying useless theory like the rest of you. As long as your strong a ninja can get away with anything," declared Iwabe. "It's the only reason your father got away with starting a harem. By becoming the strongest ninja in the world, he felt he was entitled to do whatever he wanted. Even if it was seen as disgraceful in the eyes of the shinobi. He knew no one would harm him or his mates, out of fear of retaliation"

Remembering the courage Boruto and Natsuko showed, Denki spoke up.

"But Iwabe, Naruto Uzumaki became the strongest ninja in the world to protect people not to…" Iwabe didn't let Denki finish.

"Shut up. Just because someone is strong doesn't mean they should be allowed to do something as disgusting and old fashioned as starting a harem. And the spawns of a harem are just as disgusting as those who practice it," spat Iwabe. "The fact that the Hokage allowed either of these freaks to attend the academy is disgusting but allowing the bastard to attend is not only disgraceful to the academy, but the entire village."

Boruto was about to say something before Natsuko spoke up.

"I'm not the only child to be born out of wedlock. Why should the fact that my parents aren't married affect whether I belong here?" demanded Natsuko who was at the end of her rope.

"Normally it wouldn't. It's the fact that you were born from a harem. Just because your father is strong, he thinks it's ok to have more than one partner. What's worse, he was already married to someone else when you were born. It doesn't matter how you spin it, your mother is nothing more than his mistress and you're a disgusting bastard who should've never been born," spat Iwabe. "In fact, the only reason the village tolerates your existence is because of your father's strength. If it weren't for the fact that the other villagers valued their lives, you probably would've been killed before birth."

"Take… that… back," demanded Natsuko.

"No, because it doesn't matter how hard you try or how strong you get, you'll only ever be remembered as the Harem Bastard."

At that moment Natsuko remembered the moments where her insecurities had caused problems for her family.

The first happened a few years ago, where she had unlocked her Byakugan out of anger.

Flash Back

A younger Natsuko was sitting in the hospital waiting room, crying as her three parents were talking to the parents of a patient.

It had all happened so suddenly that Natsuko could barely remember what happened. Her mother and aunt had taken her and her brother to play in the playground. Sakura and Temari were also there having brought Metal and Shikadai. They had been playing tag with Natsuko being it. She had been struggling to catch her brother, and she knew Metal would be impossible to catch. She'd opted against going after Shikadai, as he just sat down most games and refused to move.

Natsuko was in the process of chasing her brother. She'd nearly caught him, but he took a quick turn causing her to tumble and run into an older boy.

"Sorry," said Natsuko regaining her footing and bowing.

The older boy initially appeared to shrug it off, but once he looked at Natsuko his expression changed. While he had never interacted with the Uzumaki family himself, they were well known throughout the village and most recognised them instantly. It was also well known that the 'bastard' of the family had the white Hyuga eyes that lacked pupils, spiky brown hair and whisker marks

While many people had come to accept Naruto's polygamous relationship over the years, there were a few who still looked at it with disgust. They were particularly disgusted by Natsuko, as she was seen as the illegitimate child of Naruto's 'mistress'.

"Aren't you the Harem Bastard," the boy spat.

Natsuko had heard the whispers about her from others and was aware what the term bastard meant, but at this moment it only upset her as opposed to making her angry.

"I would prefer it if you didn't call me that," she requested. "My name is Natsuko."

"And I should care because?" the boy spat. "My parents told me the only name your worthy of is 'Harem Bastard'. I'll call you Bastard for short."

Natsuko had a feeling there was no reasoning with this guy, so she turned to leave. The boy stopped her by grabbing her by the shoulder.

"Did I say you could leave Bastard?" he demanded.

"I asked you nicely not to call me that," squeaked Natsuko.

"Why shouldn't I? Your mum and dad aren't married so it's what you are," he retorted.

"Dad told me it doesn't matter that he and my mum aren't married, she's still his wife," stated Natsuko.

"No, she isn't. At best, she's his mistress. In fact, my father said something that perfectly described her. Naruto's Personal Slut."

Natsuko didn't know what slut meant, but she didn't like the sound of it.

"Don't you dare insult my mum," demanded Natsuko getting angry.

"Why, will she hurt me if I do?" teased the boy. "Does the Bastard need the slut to come protect her."

At that point Natsuko lost all self-control. She failed to recognise her sight changing as veins started to pop up around her eyes.

The next thing she knew, she was being held back by her brother and Metal Lee and the boy was lying in front of her out cold. Her Aunt and Sakura were checking to see if the boy was ok, while her mother was arguing with who Natsuko could only assume was the boy's mother.

Natsuko couldn't believe it. Had she just attacked someone in blind rage?

Seeing Natsuko had calmed down, the boy's mother started yelling at her for what she'd done and Hanabi stepped in between them to defend.

Natsuko however, wasn't paying any attention to what was being said, as she was still trying to figure out how she had done what she did.

Before she knew it, she was sitting in the hospital waiting area, her brother had been sent to spend the night with their grandfather, her father had arrived and all three of her parents were now arguing with the boy's parents.

While hospitals were supposed to be kept quiet, the boy's parents were so enraged, Natsuko could hear everything that was being said. The more she heard the harder she cried.

"This is unacceptable, because of your… daughter, my boy may be permanently injured," cried the mother. "While I can understand, wanting to teach your kids how to fight at a young age, that girl is completely out of control. I want her banned from ever becoming a ninja."

Normally Naruto would become enraged at someone threatening his children, but he knew that if he retaliated it would only make things worse for him and his family. Kakashi also advised that it would become harder to defend him, if he kept doing stuff to anger the public. Therefore, using all the energy he could Naruto stayed calm.

"I understand you're upset over your son being hurt, but did you ever stop to hear Natsuko's side of the story?" queried Naruto.

"Why should we? Our boy's an angel, he'd never instigate a fight, unlike your bratty daughter," she accused.

"What did you say?" demanded Hanabi before Naruto put his arm out to stop her.

Hanabi was very quick to defend her daughter.

"Hanabi, why don't you tell them what Natsuko told you?" requested Naruto.

Hanabi nodded her head and calmed down.

"Natsuko says she can't really remember what happened, but she claims your boy was insulting and threatening her," stated Hanabi. "Apparently, he was calling her 'The Harem Bastard'. Now tell me, where did he learn that behaviour?"

"You can't blame us for that," interjected the father. "Everyone whispers that around the village, he could've picked it up from anyone."

"What about calling me, Naruto's Personal Slut?" queried Hanabi.

The parents looked at each other, knowing they'd have difficulty talking their way out of this one.

"At least we're raising our boy right," spat the mother. "We're raising him to know it's wrong to sleep with your wife's sister and impregnate her."

Naruto groaned at this. Despite their relationship being public for many years now, many closed-minded villagers, simply believed that Naruto had had an affair with Hanabi around the time of Natsuko's conception and refused to believe she was his wife.

"That doesn't give you the right to teach your son to treat my daughter like trash," stated Hanabi. "How Natsuko was born is none of your concern."

"Strong words from a slut who slept with her sister's husband," spat the mother giving Hanabi a death glare.

"Hey," shouted Naruto. "Don't you dare talk to my wife like that."

"She isn't your wife and referring to her as such is teaching a bad lesson to the future generation. It's making them believe its ok to take on a second partner, just because they aren't satisfied with one. What you three practice is not only disgusting, but also offensive to all the women of the Leaf Village," stated the father. "It doesn't matter how hard you fought to bring peace to the world, how could you think it was ok to have an affair with your sister-in-law?"

Hinata was about to step in, but Naruto shook his head as he knew arguing with them was pointless.

"I've heard all I need to hear. I'll talk to my daughter when we get home about the importance of keeping her anger in check. Furthermore, now that we know my daughter has the Byakugan, I'll be sending her to her grandfather to help her get it under control," stated Naruto.

"Why would he help you?" asked the mother. "Didn't he disown both his daughters because of their relationship with you."

"I'll admit he wasn't happy at first, but the love a grandfather has for his grandchildren can overcome anything," answered Naruto. "In fact, my son is with him right now."

"Whatever, but I better not see that girl at the academy in the future or there will be hell to pay," stated the man.

"Excuse me, but that isn't your decision to make," objected Naruto. "That decision is for my daughter."

"If Natsuko wants to attend the academy, we'll enrol her immediately," interjected Hanabi.

"Not if we can help it," spat the father. "We're going to tell Lord Hokage what's happened here and even he won't be able to deny that your daughter is a menace to society."

"Hopefully, this will lead to all you disgusting freaks being kicked out of the village like you should've been years ago," the mother threatened.

At this moment, there was nothing Naruto wanted more than to tear these two to pieces. He was used to people bad mouthing him, but hearing others bad mouth the women he loved and their children brought out more anger then he thought was possible. He was grateful for Kakashi's leadership training. It had taught him to keep his anger in check during situations like this. He feared however, that this time his anger would get the better of him.

"Don't make threats you can't enforce," interjected a voice.

Everyone looked to see Kakashi approaching them, followed closely by Ino. While they weren't currently aware of why she was there, the Uzumaki parents had a pretty good idea of what her purpose was.

"Sensei?" asked Naruto.

"Evening Naruto," sighed Kakashi. "I was hoping to avoid situations like this, but unfortunately I also knew they were inevitable."

"Lord Sixth," interrupted the mother. "I want these freaks banished from the village for what they did to my son. Because of that filthy bastard my precious little angle might never recover."

Kakashi put a hand up to silence her.

"I've heard everything that happened, but there's no point in getting angry. What's done is done. Furthermore, I'd rather you don't make assumptions about what I'm going to do. That being said, you are right in saying that the Uzumaki's future in this village rests on my shoulders."

"Well, surely you can see that these freaks aren't fit to live in the village," accused the mother pointing at the Uzumaki's. "But if you think that's too harsh, you should at least ban the children from becoming ninja. Clearly, they are out of control and unnecessarily violent and will only damage the future of the village."

"I understand your pain, but I would prefer to gather all the facts before I make a decision," stated Kakashi.

"What's there to decide, that freak put my son in the hospital because she's a violent brat," spat the mother.

Hinata had to hold Hanabi in place as she was starting to shake with anger.

"Perhaps," stated Kakashi. "But I've also had many witnesses tell me that Natsuko wasn't the instigator. They said your boy was antagonising her, which is what lead to her attacking him."

"Well, whoever told you that was lying," declared the mother. "My son would never antagonise someone without good reason."

"Lord Sixth please see reason," interjected the father. "I know you have a soft spot for your former student and want to support him despite his… decisions, but you can't just excuse that girl's behaviour without any proof. You can't call yourself a leader if you're biased in your decisions."

"I never said I was," stated Kakashi. "I gather facts before making decisions. Thankfully, I sent for someone who should be able to shed some light on the situation."

He then turned to Ino.

"Allow me to introduce Ino of the Yamanaka clan. As you know her clan specialises in mind related techniques, and she's agreed to do a mind walk of Natsuko's memories to see who is telling the truth about todays events!" explained Kakashi.

"What will that prove?" spat the father crossing his arms.

"By reading Natsuko's mind we should be able to discover who's at fault!" interjected Naruto.

"That won't prove anything. That filthy bastard is clearly remembering things wrong, so we won't know the real story if it's shown from her perspective," claimed the mother.

While Naruto was annoyed by this, Kakashi had a solution.

"Very well, what if we performed the mind walk on your son?" queried Kakashi.

This infuriated the parents.

"Are you insane? Our son is lying there injured and unconscious and you want us to let this woman scan his mind just to see if he bullied that… girl?" asked the mother. "Not that it would do you any good. All it would prove is that my boy was injured for no good reason."

"If you've got nothing to hide, I don't see what the problem is?" questioned Kakashi.

"Fine, perform the mind walk. All it will prove is that that girl's a monster who should be kept away from others," spat the father.

"Would the mind walk even work on someone who's unconscious?" the mother smugly asked.

"Actually, it will be easier for me to do the technique on someone who's unconscious," added Ino who was also getting annoyed by their attitude.

"Then go ahead, all it will prove is our son's an angle and that girl is a brat," spat the mother.

Naruto, Ino and the boy's parents headed into the boy's room. Hinata and Hanabi were about to follow when the boy's mother stopped and glared at them.

"I don't want that slut anywhere near my son," the mother spat at Hanabi.

"Do not, talk to my wife like that," growled Naruto.

"Naruto," lectured Kakashi.

"Sorry Sensei, but I have to say this," stated Naruto before turning to the parents. "You might not view her as my wife, but I do, and you'll treat her with respect. That being said, Hinata, Hanabi, maybe it would be best if you wait outside."

"I agree," said Hinata.

Hanabi wanted to protest, but Hinata gave her a look that said it would be better to let Naruto handle this. In the end Hanabi nodded and agreed to wait outside. It was at times like this, Hanabi was glad to have Hinata and Naruto around. Had she been forced to confront these parents on her own, she likely would've done something she'd regret.

The rest of them entered the room to find the bully bandaged up and unconscious. Without another word uttered, Ino stepped in front of the boy, put her hands in front of his head and performed her Mind Walk Jutsu. Everyone was quiet for a few minutes as Ino read the boys memory. Eventually, she finished and turned to face the crowd.

"So, you can prove that little bastard is lying, and my angel did nothing wrong?" asked the mother smugly.

Ino took a breath before answering. While she hadn't approved of Naruto's relationship at first, she had come to accept it and held no ill will, against Naruto, Hinata, Hanabi or their children. Ino particularly hated it when people were disrespectful to Natsuko, because she knew that at heart Natsuko was a kind, sweet girl.

She remained professional and answered as calmly as possible.

"No, in fact all it's done has confirmed Natsuko's story. He was provoking her and eventually she snapped. She even tried to walk away, but he wouldn't let her."

"Oh, please, how do we know you're telling the truth?" spat the father. "You could just be making that up."

Ino turned back to the bully and placed her hands on his head again.

"Put your hands on my back," requested Ino.

"Why?" asked the mother.

"If you think I'm lying I can show you the truth," answered Ino.

The parents walked up and placed their hands on Ino's back. Ino activated her jutsu again and all three of them were transferred into the memories of the bully. From here they were able to see that Natsuko had in fact been telling the truth, the bully had been the instigator and Natsuko had even tried to walk away before the situation escalated. Ino stopped the memory just as Natsuko was about to attack the bully and they all came back to reality.

"There, now do you believe your son was the one at fault?" asked Ino.

"Of course we don't," spat the mother.

"I literally showed you his memory of what happened. What more do you want?" groaned Ino.

"I don't think that was his real memory," stated the mother. "You only showed us what you wanted us to see."

"What?" asked Ino confused.

"Don't play dumb with us," spat the father. "Did you really think we don't know who you are? We know you went to the academy with Naruto and you're friends with him, his wife and his mistress. You obviously altered my son's memory to keep the bastard out of trouble."

"Are you questioning my integrity?" demanded Ino hands on her hips.

"Ino that's enough," interjected Kakashi. "They might not believe you, but I do, and I've heard all I need to know who the real victim is. In light of this, I've come to the following decision. Not only are the Uzumaki family still allowed to remain in the village, but their daughter Natsuko Uzumaki is still permitted to attend the academy if that is the path she chooses to take."

"Lord Sixth that is unacceptable," growled the mother.

"I wasn't finished. You best hope your son had no ambitions to be a ninja, because based on his actions I've decided he's the one who isn't worthy of being one. Your son is forbidden from attending the ninja academy and is prohibited from even practicing jutsu within the village."

The parents were speechless from this.

"You can't do that," argued the mother.

"Oh, but I can. As Hokage I must do what is in the best interests of the village. And I know the last thing we need is people like your son defending the village," stated Kakashi.

"And just so you know, you can ask any member of my clan, and they'll tell you the exact same thing I did about your son's actions," added Ino.

Ino, Naruto and Kakashi were about to leave, but the parents weren't finished.

"You haven't heard the end of this. You may be the Hokage, but the other village leaders can have you removed from office if they deem you unfit for leadership," stated the father. "And based on the biased attitude you showed today, you can't be trusted to properly punish the people you're close to. The Hokage needs to be fair to all the villagers, which you can't be trusted to do."

Naruto turned back to the parents. While he still appeared calm. He was now so angry his eyes had gone red.

Kakashi would normally stop Naruto when he was like this, but this time he let it slide as he had a feeling the bully's parents were about to learn a lesson they'd never forget.

"You're the ones who treat others unfairly," growled Naruto. "Ever since I arrived, all you've done is insulted me, my children and the women I love. All of whom until now did nothing to you. Not only that, you are clearly blind to what's in front of you. We have many eyewitnesses confirming your son as the instigator and a Yamanaka was able to provide extra proof of your son's guilt. Yet you still refuse to acknowledge your son's guilt and have the nerve to not only question the integrity of a respected shinobi, but a member of a respected clan."

"Integrity is easy to question when she's friends with the family of the one that's guilty," claimed the mother.

"Why you," growled Naruto.

"Naruto, that's enough," interjected Kakashi. "You're angry and not thinking straight. Let me handle this."

Naruto took a breath and calmed down.

"No wonder those kids can't control themselves. Their father needs people around to stop him from being violent," stated the mother.

"You clearly don't know Naruto very well, because if you did, you'd know he's shown a lot of restraint today," stated Kakashi. "Furthermore, because you refuse to see reason, you've forced me to take drastic measures."

"What do you mean?" asked the father.

"I left a shadow clone at the office to continue my work and I had him pull your files while we were talking. Both of you come from families that have been Shinobi for generations, correct?" asked Kakashi.

"That's right, which means we know how to tell an honest person from a lair," stated the father.

"Well, I hope you had a backup plan, because as of right now both of you are discharged. You are no longer Shinobi of the Leaf Village," declared Kakashi.

"You can't do that," cried the mother.

"I already have," stated Kakashi. "It's as you said the Hokage needs to be trusted to run the village fairly. In turn the Hokage also needs people he can trust to help him protect the village. Your actions today have proven that I can't trust either of you to give the village the protection it needs. Especially when you feel no guilt towards rudely judging an innocent child and refuse to see your own failures as parents."

"But how are we supposed to support ourselves?" asked the mother.

"Maybe ask yourself that the next time you teach your son that it's ok to bully others," answered Kakashi calmly. "Thank you for your time, I hope your son gets better."

Kakashi, Naruto and Ino then left. They met up with Hinata and Hanabi outside. Kakashi thanked Ino for her help and allowed her to leave.

"Thank you, Sensei," said Naruto.

"Unfortunately, Naruto, I can't accept your thank you," stated Kakashi. "I was only able to get you out of this because your daughter wasn't the instigator. Remember, as Hokage I must remain unbiased, meaning that had your daughter been at fault there would have been nothing I could do to help you."

"That doesn't mean we can't be grateful," interjected Hanabi. "You collected evidence and determined who was actually at fault. I have a feeling there aren't many in the village who would be willing to do that for us."

"Like I said, its my job to be unbiased," said Kakashi. "That being said, my public support for you affects me, meaning the actions you and your children take affect me."

"I know Sensei, I'm sorry we caused you so much trouble," said Naruto.

"It's ok, you're clearly going above and beyond to remain calm and professional, which helps others see your good people and considering what some say about your family, I know that can't be easy," stated Kakashi. "Also, today we proved your kids aren't naturally violent, which should hopefully help us in the long run."

"As you say, it should all work out in the end," sighed Naruto.

"Indeed, let's just hope it comes sooner rather than later," said Kakashi. "Look I have to get back to the office, are you all good from here?"

"We should be fine," said Hinata.

Kakashi nodded and left.

Naruto, Hinata and Hanabi were about to go collect Natsuko, but the parents of the bully had one more thing to say.

"My son didn't say anything that wasn't true. Your daughter is a disgusting bastard that should've never been born, and her mother is nothing but a slut," shouted the mother.

Hanabi was prepared to attack them, but Hinata managed to calm her younger sister down before she did anything. Hanabi then left with Naruto.

"Just so you know, I was the one who invited her to join our relationship," stated Hinata before leaving with them.

Chapter Text

They walked into the waiting room and went to a still crying Natsuko.

"Come on honey, let's go home," requested Naruto.

Natsuko stood up. She was too ashamed to face either of her parents, so she ran to her aunt.

Hanabi looked at Natsuko sadly. She wanted nothing more than to comfort her daughter, but knew at the same time she had to punish her, which felt wrong as she'd merely been standing up for herself.

The four of them walked home, with Hinata holding Natsuko's hand.

They entered and Naruto said the following.

"Natsuko, go to your room I'll be in shortly."

Without saying a word, Natsuko let go of Hinata and bolted to her bedroom.

"Maybe I should go in with you," offered Hanabi.

"No. I think this is a talk I need to have with her. She knows you love her more than anything, but I think she needs to know that I love her and that no matter what, she'll always be my daughter," stated Naruto.

"Still, we always knew this could be a problem," interjected Hinata. "Many of the villages were angered by our relationship with Hanabi. Her pregnancy only created more anger."

"They shouldn't direct their anger at Natsuko. I'm the one who asked to be a part of this relationship, I'm the reason she was born, they should be angry at me," stated Hanabi.

"Hanabi, they shouldn't treat any of us like this. This relationship was decided between all of us. If they were truly good people, they would accept this. And many people have. We have many close friends who have done nothing but support us. Even Father came around and has been nothing but a loving grandfather to our children," stated Hinata putting a hand on Hanabi's shoulder.

"You know, when I found out I was pregnant, I knew this would complicate things, but all I wanted was for us to be a big happy family," said Hanabi starting to tear up. "Is that too much to ask for?"

At that moment Naruto put his arms around his spouses and held them close.

"We are a happy family Hanabi. I love you both and I love both of my kids," comforted Naruto. "That is something that will never change."

"We love you to Naruto," cried Hanabi.

"And we always will," added Hinata.

"Maybe Natsuko just needs to prove everyone wrong," stated Naruto before grinning. "Something I have a little experience in."

A few minutes later Naruto entered Natsuko's room and found her crying into her pillow.

Naruto sat on her bed and put a hand on her back.

"Natsuko, a good person takes responsibility for their actions," stated Naruto, which got her to calm down. "Good, now please look at me."

Natsuko got up and looked at her father, while still hugging her pillow. Her face was red, and she still had tears running down her face.

"Look I know things haven't been easy for you and what that boy said was horrible, but you can't just lash out like that. If you're going to be a shinobi, you need to learn to keep your anger in check," advised Naruto firmly.

While she appeared to understand what her father had said, Natsuko said something unexpected.

"It's not fair Dad," she cried.

"What isn't fair honey?" asked Naruto.

"Why are Mum and I treated so horribly just because you and her aren't married?" asked Natsuko.

Naruto took a breath as he thought of a way to explain this to her that wouldn't upset her further.

"They don't just treat you and your mum horribly, public opinion really went down for me when it was revealed I had taken your mother as my second wife. Your aunty received scrutiny for staying with me and your brother has received a bit of grief from other kids as well. In fact, he'd probably be in the same situation you're in if his mother hadn't been there to stop him. Truth be told though, based on what he told me I can't say I blame him for getting angry," stated Naruto.

"But why do they treat me and Mum so much worse?" queried Natsuko. "Mum said when two people love each other they have kids together. You love my mum, right? Just as much as you love Aunty?"

"Of course honey, I love your mum and aunty with all my heart," he answered placing a hand on her head.

"Then why is my existence such a problem for everyone?" cried Natsuko.

Having grown up in the environment, it was probably hard for Natsuko to understand why some considered their relationship disgraceful. He would just have to explain it in a way she would understand.

"Natsuko, you see plenty of kids out with their parents, right?" asked Naruto.

She nodded.

"How many do you that have three parents like you do?" queried Naruto.

Natsuko stopped and thought about this. Her mother, father and aunt had taken her and her brother on many trips around the Leaf Village and in that time, she had seen many families with children. Sometimes she would see mothers with their children, sometimes she would see fathers with their children, sometimes she would see both. There were even occasions when she saw families that had two dads or two mothers, but she had never seen a family that consisted of three parents.

"None," she answered.

"That's right. That's why some people find our relationship weird or even disgraceful. Because to them, it seems unnatural that I can love and have two women be my wives," stated Naruto. "It was probably worsened by the fact that they're sisters if I'm honest."

"But Mum's not your wife, right Dad?" asked Natsuko.

"Um, no, not legally," admitted Naruto.

"Why not?" queried Natsuko.

"It's complicated," stated Naruto.

"Please tell me," pleaded Natsuko.

"Alright," sighed Naruto. "Truth is, I didn't set out to fall in love with your mother and have her become a part of your aunty and my relationship."

"Then why did you?" asked Natsuko.

"One day your mother came to your aunty and me and confessed that she too was in love with me! Your aunty had predicted this a while ago, but it was news to me" explained Naruto. "Your mother feared this would destroy her relationship with us, but at the same time she felt she had to be honest. To her surprise and mine, your aunty was ok with this and happily asked if she would like to join our relationship. There are times where I wonder if I had much say in the matter, but I could see doing this would make your aunty happy, so I agreed in allowing your mother to join. It didn't take me long to fall in love with your mother as well."

"Why did you marry Aunty instead of my mother?" asked Natsuko nervously. "Do you love her more?"

"No, no its nothing like that," insisted Naruto. "Again, it's complicated. Your aunty and I were already engaged when your mother confessed her feelings, and we feared if we called the wedding off people would get suspicious. So, we went through with it to keep our real relationship a secret. Unfortunately, we didn't consider the long-term consequences. A few months after Boruto was born, your mother discovered she was pregnant. It was then we knew that we had to be honest about our relationship. Sadly, some people haven't accepted it as well as others, but we didn't want that to stop us from being a happy family, because we love each other and that's all that matters."

"What if you married my mum as well? Would that fix things?" suggested Natsuko.

"It's not that simple Natsuko," Naruto sighed.

"Why not? You said you love her, why can't you marry her?" asked Natsuko.

"Because legally I can only have one spouse. And even if I could have more than one, I don't think it would change the public's opinion," answered Naruto.

"If you ask me, Mum isn't an equal to you and Aunty," pouted Natsuko.

"I know what you mean, I feel that way sometimes to. But that's what makes your mother amazing, because she doesn't let it bother her," stated Naruto.

Natsuko looked at her father curiously.

"Listen, both your aunt and I have done everything we can to make your mother feel like an equal to us in this relationship. When the relationship became public, your aunty and I nearly divorced because we decided, if I can't be married to both the women I love, I won't be married to either. That way we would all be equal. Your mother hated this idea and tore up the divorce papers almost instantly," chuckled Naruto.

This also got a chuckle out of Natsuko.

"However, because your aunty and I believe your mother also deserves to be married to me we decided to do the next best thing. We had another wedding ceremony so she could have a special day like her sister did. We knew our union wouldn't be considered official, but it was the best we could do. We even gave her an identical wedding band so she would know that we recognise her as an equal partner!" explained Naruto who then smiled. "You should've seen her face when that happened, she was so grateful we were willing to do all that for her. But then she said something that honestly shocked me. She said she didn't need all of this."

Natsuko had a shocked look on her face.

"She said she knew what she was getting into when she joined our relationship. She knew we could never be legally married the same way your aunt and I were, and that I loved your aunt before I loved her, but she didn't care about that. The only thing she cared about was that I loved her as well. And that's exactly why I love her just as much as I love your aunt, they are the most amazing women in the entire village and I consider myself so lucky that I was the one they fell in love with," stated Naruto. "And because I love both my wives equally, I love both my children equally. Don't ever consider yourself inferior to Boruto. While I may be married to his mother, I love you just as much as I love him."

Natsuko put her head down and hugged her pillow tighter.

"I just wish the rest of the village could see that," she cried.

Naruto made her look at him.

"Natsuko, I wanna tell you something. When I was a kid, not only did I have no family, but I was rejected by the entire village."

"Why?" asked Natsuko curiously.

"Again, it's complicated and it's not something I like talking about. I'll tell you when you're a little older," stated Naruto. My point is nearly the entire village believed I would amount to nothing and that I would always be a failure. People are now believing the same of you. You know what I did?"

Natsuko shook her head.

"I proved them wrong. I worked hard and improved myself little by little each day. Before long I became someone the entire village admired," stated Naruto.

"And then you started a harem, and the village hated you again," groaned Natsuko.

"I wouldn't say they hated me again. They just found it a little old fashioned," stated Naruto.

Natsuko raised an eyebrow.

"Ok they found it very old fashioned and rather disgraceful. My point is, they can't completely hate me for it, because if it wasn't for my efforts in the last war, they might not be alive today. I helped them so much that they couldn't reject me again, just because I made a few decisions they didn't agree with!" explained Naruto. "Unfortunately, it did stop me from accomplishing something I've dreamed of my whole life.

"That was to be Hokage right?" asked Natsuko.

"Yup, and because of my actions in the last war me becoming Hokage seemed like a sure thing," stated Naruto proudly. "Unfortunately, the village felt having a leader who was in a polygamous marriage made them look bad and so they forbade me from becoming Hokage."

"That doesn't seem fair, especially if you're the reason we're still alive," stated Natsuko.

"I know. They use the excuse that just because I saved the world doesn't mean I should be allowed to do whatever I want. And I agree, if I was a tyrant, I wouldn't blame them if they wanted to rise up against me and take me down," said Naruto.

"But you're not a tyrant, so why do they treat you like one?" asked Natsuko.

"I guess because in their eyes, me having a second wife was me taking my first step towards tyranny, so they wanted to stop me from reaching a position of significant power," sighed Naruto. "They wanted to remind me that despite all I've done, I still have to face consequences for my actions."

"But your actions aren't bad, you haven't done anything wrong and you haven't hurt anyone," argued Natsuko.

"They don't see it that way. They see me taking a second wife as me unfairly exerting my power over others and they don't want someone like that as their leader," stated Naruto.

"But didn't Mum fall in love with you out of her own free will?" asked Natsuko. "She chose to be your second wife, you didn't make her."

"I know, in their eyes, I took your Aunty as my first wife and then forced your mother to be my second wife," said Naruto. "We've tried to convince the village otherwise, but they refuse to believe this was something we all agreed to."

"How can we convince them that this was something you all agreed to?" asked Natsuko. "If we do that, maybe they'll stop treating Mum and me so poorly."

"Unfortunately, I don't have an answer for that. We've tried to convince them, but they refuse to listen. And I can't force them to accept us, because then they'll continue to see me as a tyrant which is not what any of us want," stated Naruto. "There's only one thing we can do. We have to keep doing what I've always done. Keep fighting for acceptance. I got them to accept me once before and I know I can do it again."

"But how? You've already saved the world. What more can you do?" asked Natsuko.

"Show them that no matter how bad they treat me, I'll always be there to protect them. We may live in a time of peace, but something tells me there will come a day where the world will be in crisis again. When that day comes, I will step forward and protect everyone, just like I did in the last war," declared Naruto. "They'll see that no matter what I'll always be there to help, and hopefully they'll finally understand that I didn't take a second wife to exert my power, I did it because I had enough love in my heart to love two women."

"You really think that'll happen?" asked Natsuko curiously.

"I know it will and when that day comes, they'll be begging me to lead them and take my rightful place as Hokage of the Leaf Village," declared Naruto.

"No offence Dad, but why would you still want that position?" asked Natsuko. "I can understand still wanting to defend them, but do you really think they deserve you as Hokage?"

"Where's this coming from?" asked Naruto curiously. "I expect this attitude from your brother, but never from you."

Natsuko blushed.

"Don't tell Brother I told you this, but he thinks if you do become Hokage you should tell them 'you had your chance, but now that I've proven once and for all that I'm better then you, you can buzz off'. He then thinks you should resign from the position immediately, because you accomplished what you need to, but they don't deserve your leadership"

Naruto shook his head and laughed. Clearly Boruto hadn't learnt his lesson from the last conversation they had. He had a feeling he might have to have another talk with him.

"I can see what he means, that would be a fun way to stick it to them. At least he wants me to become Hokage first, because he knows that'll benefit all of us, especially you and your mum," stated Naruto.

"What do you mean?" asked Natsuko.

"I guess, now's a good a time as any to tell you," said Naruto. "While, I still want to become Hokage so I can protect and lead the Leaf Village, I now have another reason for wanting to obtain the position. According to the marital laws of The Land of Fire, only those who hold a significant position of political power is allowed to have more than one wife."

"Wait, you mean?" asked Natsuko hopefully.

"Yep, if I become Hokage I'll legally be allowed to take a second wife. As soon as I become Hokage, the first thing I'm going to do is ask your mother to marry me, for real this time," said Naruto.

Natsuko had the biggest grin ever seen on her face. Naruto could tell that she too now wished for Naruto to become Hokage so he could marry her mother.

"That being said it's going to take a lot of hard work to gain their trust again, but one day I'll prove that despite my outdated marriage practices, I'm still worthy of being Hokage," stated Naruto. "You need to do the same, but for a different reason."

Natsuko looked confused.

"You need to prove you are more than just my… I don't like saying this because I don't consider it true… more than just my illegitimate child. You need to prove you will be a strong and brave Shinobi who will do everything she can to protect the Leaf Village. And I don't want to hear you say you can't do it. I know you can do it because of one simple fact, because you are my daughter."

Naruto didn't know how it was possible, but Natsuko's grin got even bigger.

"Thanks Dad," she sniffed.

Naruto also smiled but his face quickly became firm.

"But like I said, a good shinobi keeps their temper in check. And a good person takes responsibility for their actions."

Natsuko knew she was foolish for thinking she would get out of this easily.

"You're grounded for a month and not only do you have to help your mum and aunty around the house, we've contacted your grandfather and you'll be helping around his home as well," stated Naruto firmly.

"But Grandpa's house is huge," cried Natsuko.

"Well hopefully you'll think twice before losing your temper again," said Naruto before turning to leave. "Then again, you know what your grandfather's like, he might go easy on you."

They both had a small laugh at this statement.

"Also, you might want to get use to going over to see Grandpa, because after your grounding's over, you'll be going over to his house to train when he's available," stated Naruto.

"What? Why?" asked Natsuko curiously.

"I know you don't remember what happened, but everyone present confirmed you've unlocked the Byakugan. You're going to visit Grandpa so he can help you master it," answered Naruto.

"Couldn't Mum or Aunty help me with that?" asked Natsuko.

"They could, but we know teaching you the ways of the Hyuga would make your grandfather happy, so we decided to leave that training to him," stated Naruto.

"Good point," laughed Natsuko.

"But like I said, it won't be happening until after your punishment is over. You best behave yourself in the meantime," advised Naruto before closing the door behind him.

Natsuko accepted her punishment without complaint. She helped around the house with whatever her mother and aunt needed and only left the house when she had to go over to help her grandfather. As predicted her grandfather was a little more lenient with her, but not by much. Overall, the month passed relatively quickly and Natsuko got back to playing with her family around the village like she always had. She also spent many days at her grandfather's home, so he could help her master her abilities.

Despite having the knowledge that her father loved her, Natsuko continued to remain insecure about who she was. She despised the nickname given to her by villagers, as she hated it when people told her she wasn't her father's legitimate daughter. Whenever she heard someone call her 'The Harem Bastard' she was filled with white hot rage. She did her best to keep her anger in check, but sometimes it became too much for her to bear. Because of this her family tried to ensure she didn't leave the house alone as much as possible. Thankfully, this was easily accomplished as Boruto and Natsuko did nearly everything together, so they were mostly able to go on with their lives as if nothing had changed.

And while they had told her they wanted her to stay with Boruto to make sure he behaved, it was also to help ensure she didn't lose her temper. They knew Boruto could calm her down if she became angry and he'd been advised to do this ever since Natsuko had put the bully in the hospital. They didn't tell her this though, because they didn't want her to think they didn't trust her.

This ensured no major incidents occurred over the next few years. Natsuko was still prone to outbursts, but she had managed to avoid putting someone in the hospital again. That was until she had been forced to separate from her brother after he had been suspended from the academy.

After her first day Natsuko and Hanabi came through the front door with Hanabi holding Natsuko by the collar of her shirt.

Boruto and Hinata were sat at the kitchen table where Boruto was being homeschooled

"What's going on?" asked Hinata.

"Long story short, Boruto isn't the only troublemaker that won't be attending the academy for a while," answered Hanabi looking at Natsuko angrily.

"Has she been suspended as well?" asked Hinata nervously.

"No, thankfully she was able to avoid suspension, as everyone confirmed the other child was the instigator!" explained Hanabi. "She got into a fight after some boy provoked her."

"Did he…" Hinata was cut off as Hanabi knew what was being asked.

"Yes," answered Hanabi.

"Did she?" asked Hinata remembering the last major incident.

"Yes," answered Hanabi.

With Naruto away on a mission Hanabi would have to deliver the entire punishment herself. While the sisters had agreed to love each other's children like their own, they still agreed to boundaries when it came to punishments. Because of this Hinata knew it would be better if she left.

"Boruto, we're going to the shops. You're going to help me get something for dinner tonight," ordered Hinata.

"You said I had to finish first," stated Boruto who was curious about what was going on.

"We'll finish after dinner, now let's go," ordered Hinata.

"But…" Boruto trailed off after Hinata activated her Byakugan.

Boruto knew that when she did this, she was not in the mood for arguing. Boruto got up from his seat and left the house with his mother.

After the door shut Hanabi dragged Natsuko to her bedroom. They entered, Hanabi pointed at Natsuko's bed, and Natsuko sat down without arguing.

For a while Hanabi just stood there with her hands on her hips glaring at her daughter.

"Mum I'm…" Natsuko was cut off from speaking.

"Quiet," interrupted a furious Hanabi.

Natsuko flinched at how angry her mother was.

"I thought we talked about this Natsuko. You can't just lose your temper like that. We taught you Hyuga Family techniques, because we thought we could trust you to use them wisely," lectured Hanabi.

"I know and I'm sorry, I just can't help it. I hate it when someone calls me… that name," stated Natsuko holding back tears. She hated the term 'The Harem Bastard' so much that she could never bring herself to say it.

"I thought your father talked to you about this the last time this happened?" queried Hanabi.

"He did, but it's hard ok. Everywhere I go people make me feel like I'm not dad's true daughter and that no matter what, I'll never be seen as his legitimate child," stated Natsuko.

Hanabi took a breath, sat down next to her daughter and put a hand on her shoulder. Hanabi was still angry with her, but at the same time she understood why she was so insecure about this.

"Don't you remember what your father said?" asked Hanabi. "He doesn't see you as an illegitimate child. While your father and I aren't legally married, he considers me his wife and considers himself my husband and I think the same way. So, in our eyes you are a legitimate child. He loves me just as much as he loves your aunt, and he loves you just as much as he loves Boruto. Even your aunt loves you more like a daughter then a niece and I love Boruto like he was my own. Knowing this, why do you care so much about what others think?"

"Because it makes me feel like I'm nothing and that no matter what I do, people will continue to look at me like I'm a disgusting creature that should've never been born," cried Natsuko finally breaking into tears. "I know Brother has also faced problems from all this, but at least people don't act like his very existence is a disgrace."

Hanabi wished Naruto could've been here for this, because this was a feeling he knew all to well. Unfortunately, he'd made both Hanabi and Hinata promise to keep some of the sadder parts of his childhood a secret, because it was something he wanted to forget.

"Look I know it's hard, but you're just gonna have to try and ignore what others are saying. Do as your father said, work hard, prove yourself and eventually people will come around," advised Hanabi.

"And what if they don't?" asked Natsuko. "What if I became the greatest ninja in the world and people still looked at me like my existence is disgusting."

"Then those people are a bunch of blind, ungrateful fools who can't see you for who you are," answered Hanabi. "But we see the real you. You are a sweat and smart girl and we love you so much."

"Does Brother love me?" asked Natuko with her head down.

"What are you talking about of course he does," answered Hanabi confused.

"Then why does he never introduce me as his sister?" asked Natsuko. "Whenever we meet new people, he always introduces me by name. Does he see me as his sister, or just his half-sister and cousin?"

"Only he can answer that question, but you guys have been close since you were babies, just ask him and I'm sure he'll say he considers you his sister," advised Hanabi.

Natsuko shook her head.

"I can't, I'm too afraid of what he'll say," stated Natsuko.

"Well, you have plenty of time to ask. Do so when you're ready," advised Hanabi. "Back on topic, I'm serious when I say you can't do this anymore. You caused your father enough grief after you and your brother drove that train into the Hokage's Monument. Yes, you didn't hit any of the faces but that's besides the point. How do you think he'll feel if he finds out you're getting into fights?"

"He defended me before," answered Natsuko weakly.

"And he'll keep defending you for as long as he lives, especially considering the circumstances. But there may come a time when you go too far and he won't be able to defend you anymore," stated Hanabi.

"What do you mean?" asked Natsuko.

"You my be young, but you're already a skilled fighter and you've been taught extremely dangerous techniques, that if misused could have disastrous consequences. You got lucky the last two times. The first boy you hurt was able to make a full recovery and I hear you didn't hurt this one as badly, so he'll be fine. But what if next time you go too far? Boruto and Metal were able to intervene the first time, and this time your teacher managed to stop you from doing too much damage. What if you're alone the next time you lose your temper, and no one is around to stop you?" queried Hanabi.

Natsuko knew what her mother meant. If misused, the techniques she knew could easily kill someone and Natsuko knew that was something she'd never be able to live with.

"I could do something so bad that no one in the world would be able to help me," answered Natsuko.

"Exactly. Like I said you got lucky this time, because you could've been expelled for your actions. Be grateful you and your classmates were able to convince your teacher you weren't the instigator. But I warn you, if this happens again its over for you," stated Hanabi.

"What do you mean?" asked Natsuko.

"If this happens again, I'm gonna have you pulled from the academy until next year," stated Hanabi.

"What, why?" asked Natsuko.

"Because doing this shows you aren't ready for the responsibility that comes with being a shinobi. We entered you early because we thought we could trust you and because we knew it would make you happy to attend with your brother," answered Hanabi. "If you keep losing your temper, all you prove is that you aren't ready."

"But Mum…"

"Don't, but Mum me," growled Hanabi. "This is your final warning. If you lose your temper again, you're out of the academy and you'll be spending the next year with me teaching you to keep your anger in check."

Hanabi got up and headed from the door. Natsuko was sad, but not because her mother yelled at her, she was sad because she knew what she had done was wrong and she felt nothing but shame.

As Hanabi looked back, she to became sad by how upset Natsuko was. When Natsuko was a baby, her laugh was the cutest thing Hanabi ever heard, and it never failed to brighten her day. Natsuko had also been a baby that laughed a lot. Seeing Natsuko so upset over the mistreatment from the other villagers broke Hanabi's heart.

"I know you're just defending yourself," Hanabi said more calmly. "But that doesn't change the fact that we need to be responsible and also face the consequences of our actions. Both the good and the bad. And don't forget there will come a day where no one can say you aren't a legitimate child, but to do that we all need to help your father gain back the trust of the village,"

Hanabi left, leaving Natsuko to think about what she said.

Natsuko took her mother's threats seriously and made sure to be on her best behaviour from then on. Unfortunately, her actions had caused her to become an outcast at the academy. Whenever she tried to approach the other students, they ran from her in panic. Thankfully Denki and Shikadai still treated her with kindness and invited her to sit with them. This made Natsuko happy, but she was still eager for her brother to return, so they could continue their journey together.

That time had come and now Natsuko was facing the same issue she had before.

End Flashback

Back in the classroom, Natsuko looked nearly ready to pop as she was shaking with anger.

"Just as I thought, not only are you a disgusting bastard, you're also too much of a coward to stand up for yourself," mocked Iwabe.

Having heard enough Boruto stepped forward. He knew he needed to fulfill his role as an older brother.

"You know I don't appreciate some jerk talking to my sister that way," spat Bortuo.

Iwabe turned back to Boruto. Meanwhile, hearing Boruto call Natsuko his sister helped her calm down.

"You don't know us or what we're capable of," declared Boruto. "I told my mother I wouldn't pick fights while I'm here, but I'm not gonna take your crap any longer. We're finding a place to fight and I'm going to show you what I'm made off."

Iwabe gave Boruto an evil grin.

"Fine, putting you in your place should be fun."

"No," interjected Natsuko.

They all turned their attention to her.

"Natsuko, I know your worried about me, but this jerk needs to be taught a lesson," insisted Boruto.

"It's not that. I have full confidence you can beat him, but I want to show him who I really am. I'm gonna be the one to fight him?" declared Natsuko.

"Are you sure about that? Remember what happened last time?" stated Boruto.

"Please Brother," begged Natsuko.

There was something different about Natsuko here, normally she would've already lost her temper and attacked Iwabe in blind range. While she still had range in her eyes, Boruto could only describe the look on her face as determination. Most would call him foolish for what he did next, but Boruto had a feeling that everything would be ok.

"Alright, show this jerk what your made of," stated Boruto.

Natsuko nodded with confidence.

"Some big brother you are," spat Iwabe. "Backing down and letting his sister fight his battle for him."

Boruto just chucked.

"I didn't just challenge you because it's what a good big brother does. I challenged you, because Natsuko's wrath is not something I would wish upon my worst enemy."

"Is that so? Well then, maybe this fight will be enjoyable," stated Iwabe staring at Natsuko with pure anger.

Chapter Text

With the challenge made the class headed from the classroom to a training arena that would act as a Battlefield. Little did they know something had been left behind that alerted their teacher to this.

A beetle could be seen flying from the classroom making its way back to the homeroom teacher Shino. The beetle landed on his finger.

"Something wrong?" asked Shino, as the beetle communicated to him. "I see. Good thing Hinata asked me to keep an eye on Natsuko after the last incident. Normally I'd simply stop this, but I'm sure Naruto will want to hear about this. I also think Hanabi would like to know what her daughter is up to."

Shino left to make a few phone calls.

Back at the training arena, Natsuko and Iwabe stood on the battle ground, while everyone else stood in the stands.

"This is bad," stated Denki, fearful for Natsuko's safety.

"What're you taking about she'll be fine," stated Boruto confidently.

"How can you be so sure?" queried Denki. "I looked Iwabe up, not only is he the best in our class at Ninjutsu and Taijutsu, he was the best in last year's class as well. If his grades weren't so abysmal in other areas, he'd already be a fine ninja."

"None of that matters. No matter how strong he is Natsuko is stronger," declared Boruto. "She may be young, but ever since we discovered Natsuko has the Byakugan, our grandfather has been training her in the ways of the Hyuga clan. If anyone can beat him it's her."

"He's right," interjected Shikadai. "Her opponent may be tough, but she's not someone you'd want to pick a fight with either. I certainly wouldn't anyway."

"Well, if your sure," conceded Denki. "Still, this won't be an easy fight. If she wants to win she'll have to give it everything she has."

"Don't worry. She'll win," said Boruto confidently.

"You're not a very good big brother are you," interjected Inojin.

"Excuse me?" groaned Boruto. "She's the one who insisted on fighting. Trust me, she can take care of herself."

"It doesn't matter. My father told me an older sibling always steps in to defend their younger sibling. It doesn't matter if she can handle herself, if you were a good big brother you'd be fighting instead of her," stated Inojin

"No offense Inojin, but I'm not taking sibling advise from someone who's an only child," retorted Boruto.

Inojin smirked. "Fair point."

"But believe me, if things get out of hand you'll see just how good of a big brother I am," stated Boruto turning back to watch the fight.

On the training field, Iwabe and Natsuko were staring daggers at each other.

"So, is the little bastard ready to fight?" taunted Iwabe.

Natsuko took a breath before answering.

"Ready when you are."

"I'll admit I'm impressed. Most challengers would've forfeited by this point," stated Iwabe arrogantly. "Your existence might be a disgrace, but at least you're not a coward. Because of that I'll even give you a small advantage. Not that it'll do you much good."

Iwabe took his staff and plunged it into the ground.

"I'll agree to fight by academy sparring rules, and I won't use this. Mainly because if I did, you'd die," stated Iwabe.

"With the way you've been acting, I'm amazed that would be a problem for you," stated Natsuko.

Iwabe smirked at this. He couldn't deny Natsuko had more guts than he thought.

"Your existence may be a disgrace, but I've heard what's happened to the people that mistreated you, so potentially killing you is not a chance I'm willing to take!" explained Iwabe. "You may be a bastard, but your father clearly still cares about you."

"Why wouldn't he? He's my father," stated Natsuko.

"True, but he can't protect you forever. And once I beat you the Hokage will realise you and your family aren't worth supporting. Truth be told I can't figure out why he even wants to be associated with your father," spat Iwabe.

"My father saved the entire world, why wouldn't he want to associate with him?" asked Natsuko. "Also, as my father was the Hokage's student, he probably see's him as his greatest success."

"He was once, but then he ruined it by letting it go to his head by thinking he was allowed to take a second wife," countered Iwabe.

"You all act like my father committed a major sin, when in reality he's done nothing wrong," argued Natsuko. "The Hokage knows this, which is why he has always supported my family. In fact he's even helped against those who mistreat me. Which leads me to my next question. If you've heard the stories, why are you willing to treat me this way?"

"Because when I become a strong ninja, I'll make sure people like you are never allowed to attend the ninja academy," declared Iwabe.

With the way he was acting, Natsuko was even more surprised he wasn't fighting her with everything he had. She wouldn't be holding back. Especially when she remembered one of the first things her grandfather taught her after her Byakugan awakened.

Flashback.

After her grounding had ended, Natsuko was regularly sent to her grandfather's home to help hone her abilities and so she could learn additional Hyuga techniques.

Her first day of training had ended and she hadn't performed well.

While her grandfather had been nothing but kind to her and her brother, she had heard stories about what he used to be like from both Hinata and Hanabi and so feared the repercussions that may come from not performing well in training.

"Grandpa, I'm sorry, I did my best, please don't be mad at me," begged Natsuko on her knees.

"Mad at you? Why would I ever be mad at you?" cried Hiashi tearing up a little. "Have your mother and aunt been telling mean stories about me again?"

Natsuko looked at Hiashi with confusion. It was moments like this that she questioned how true the stories of her grandfather were, because she could not imagine him as the stern, strict man that he had been during her mother's childhood. Her brother felt the same way.

The next thing Natsuko knew her grandfather had pulled her into a hug.

"Was I too hard on you? I'll do better next time," he proclaimed squeezing her.

"No Grandpa you were fine," comforted Natsuko. "I just thought you'd want me to be more of a prodigy."

Hiashi let her go and looked at her.

"Everyone learns at their own pace. Had I accepted that earlier I could've been a better father. Especially to your aunt."

Even though Hiashi was confirming what Hinata and Hanabi said, Natsuko still found it hard to believe that her grandfather had been a much stricter man in the past.

"It's only your first day. I don't expect you to become an expert overnight," stated Hiashi.

"Sorry Grandpa, I just thought you'd be happier if I was a natural," admitted Natsuko.

"Don't be silly, the fact that you're here learning the ways of the Hyuga Clan is what truly makes me happy," stated Hiashi before pulling a photo of his grandkids from his jacket. "The only thing that would make me happier is if your brother was here learning as well. Sadly, as fate has not gifted your brother with the Byakugan, there is only so much I can teach him."

"Seems a bit unfair that Brother can't use the Byakugan just because he got dad's eyes. He may not look it but he's still technically a Hyuga," stated Natsuko.

"Indeed he is, so you never know, he may be able to learn more under me eventually," stated Hiashi.

"But I thought Brother didn't have the Byakugan because he didn't inherit his mother's eyes like I did," stated Natsuko pointing at the white eyes she shared with her, mother, aunt and grandfather.

"I wouldn't be so sure," stated Hiashi. "While Hyuga's generally tried to marry within the clan, there were a few who didn't, and they would sometimes have children with eyes different to ours. This led to rare, but not unheard-of cases of children unlocking the Byakugan that didn't possess the Hyuga eyes. Furthermore, not every member of the Hyuga clan is able to unlock the Byakugan, meaning that just because you have your mother's eyes it didn't guarantee you'd be able to unlock it."

"So in other words I was lucky?" asked Natsuko.

"In a way, but you were also lucky enough to be given a situation where you were able to unlock it," answered Hiashi. "Though I think we can all agree that we wish it were under better circumstances."

"Indeed," said Natsuko, still a little ashamed over what she had done.

"None of that matters now. What does matter is teaching you how to control this ability," stated Hiashi. "And I promise, I'll do everything I can to help you become an excellent user of both the Byakugan and the gentle fist."

"Thanks, Grandpa," smiled Natsuko.

"But please let me know if I'm pushing you too far. I'm not going to make the same mistakes I did with my own children. I still can't believe your aunt forgave me, but I guess that just shows how great a person she is," stated Hiashi.

"But won't pushing me help me get better?" queried Natsuko.

"For some it might, but not for all. It took me a long time to realise that, while pushing is good for some, encouragement is what others need. That being said, I will find it a little difficult to go easy on you while training," stated Hiashi.

"Why's that?" asked Natsuko.

"Its how I was taught. I was taught to never go easy on an opponent. That I always had to fight to my fullest. This is something I still struggle with, even when trying to pass on knowledge to others. I'll try to go easy on you, but I want you to remember something," stated Hiashi.

Natsuko gave Hiashi her full attention.

"Not everyone will go easy on you. Your father, mother, aunt and your brother might all take it easy on you while sparing, but that won't be the case for everyone. There will come a day where you'll face an opponent who will fight you with everything they have. When that day comes, I advise you fight them with everything you got. If you don't it could end badly for," advised Hiashi. "So, I want you to promise me, when the time comes to face a tough opponent, you'll fight them with everything you got."

Natsuko took her grandfather's hand in hers.

"I promise grandpa," she declared.

"Good, now let's get you home. Your mum and aunt will kill me if I don't get you home in time for dinner," laughed Hiashi.

End Flashback.

Natsuko felt that the day her grandfather had been referring to had come and Iwabe was an opponent she would need to fight with everything she had. While he had given her some leeway by dropping his main weapon, she still had a feeling that Iwabe would fight her with everything he had meaning she needed to do the same.

"Shall we begin?" queried Iwabe.

"Sure, but just because you decided not to use your greatest weapon doesn't mean I won't use mine," stated Natsuko raising her fingers to her face and having veins rise around her eyes.

"So, the rumours were true. You can use the Byakugan," smirked Iwabe. "I shouldn't be surprised though. You might be a bastard, but you're still a Hyuga."

"Did we come here to talk or to fight?" asked Natsuko taking a kunai from her pouch.

"You're an eager little bastard, aren't you?" taunted Iwabe. "I'll admit you've got guts, but it won't save you here.

Iwabe reached for his own tools and managed to have a shuriken in each finger gap. He threw them and they flew towards Natsuko. The girl didn't even flinch. She pulled out another kunai and parried all the shuriken away as if they were nothing.

"She's got good reflexes," thought Iwabe impressed.

Natsuko ran at Iwabe. In response he threw another shuriken, which she again parried away like it was nothing. It was clear ranged attacks would be useless against Natsuko. The only way to beat her would be to fight head on. When she was close enough Iwabe threw a punch, which Natsuko easily dodged. She put one of her Kunai's away and countered with a gentle fist strike, Iwabe was able to jump out of the way just before the attack hit.

Natsuko followed suit by jumping after him and struck again. This time Iwabe managed to deflect the strike before it hit.

"She's unusually quick and agile for her age," thought Iwabe. "And as a Hyuga she specialises in close combat. Attacking her from a distance is pointless, but I'll still need to put some between us so I can figure out how to beat her."

After Iwabe landed he started fleeing, Natsuko however wasn't going to let him get away. She threw the Kunai she still held, which made contact with Iwabe.

At first everyone thought Natsuko had gained a quick victory, but the moment the kunai made contact with Iwabe he disappeared in a cloud of smoke and was replaced by a wooden log.

"Substitution?" thought Natsuko. "If he thinks that will help him, he's in for a big surprise."

Using her Byakugan Natsuko quickly found where Iwabe was hiding. She could see he was hiding behind camouflage on one of the pillars. She threw a second kunai forcing Iwabe to jump out of the way.

"Did you really think you could hide from me?" asked Natsuko.

"I did that more out of instinct," admitted Iwabe. "Been a while since I fought a Hyuga."

"Even so, if you've fought a Hyuga you should know hiding from me is pointless. I have eyes over the entire arena. No matter how hard you try I'll find you," stated Natsuko.

Iwabe knew this was true. No matter how well he hid, Natsuko would be able to find him in only a matter of seconds with her Byakugan.

"You're better than I thought you'd be, your mother and aunt have taught you well," observed Iwabe.

"It was my grandfather that taught me the ways of the Hyuga clan," Natsuko corrected.

"Do you honestly expect me to believe that?" spat Iwabe. "Your grandfather disowned both his children after their relationship with your father was revealed."

"You should really check your facts before you make accusations," stated Natsuko. "If you did, you'd know that he never actually disowned them. He was angry at first, but he accepted that my dad made his children happy, and he's continued to see my father as a member of the family."

"Then why did he try to brand your mother with the cadged bird seal," questioned Iwabe.

"He had no choice. The elders told him it was the only way for the Hyuga clan to accept it, but after my mother changed her name there was nothing they could do. Which is why she walks around proudly as Hanabi Uzumaki," stated Natsuko.

"Yeah, well that still doesn't make her your father's wife," spat Iwabe.

"My mum is my father's wife, he loves her just as much as he loves my aunty. So, it doesn't matter what you or anyone else says, my parents are married, and I am their child," declared Natsuko.

"Talk about delusional," thought Iwabe.

"As for my grandfather, according to all three of my parents, his love for his grandchildren helped him overcome any issues he had with their relationship," stated Natsuko. "My brother sometimes feels he loves us too much."

Natsuko could see Boruto groan a little in the stands from her statement.

"Yeah, well it doesn't matter who taught you how to fight. I've defeated Hyuga's before, so I'm confident I can defeat you," stated Iwabe.

"Theres one little thing you forgot," stated Natsuko.

"What's that?" asked Iwabe.

"I haven't just been trained by my mother's side," said Natsuko crossing her fingers. "Shadow Clone Jutsu."

There were three puffs of smoke, which created three additional Natsuko's.

"Have you ever faced four Hyuga's at once," they all asked in unison.

"So, you know your father's signature Jutsu. Big Deal, I'll just take you all on," declared Iwabe.

Despite his confidence, he knew this would be difficult as he'd be dealing with four Byakugan users.

"Alright everyone let's go," said the main Natsuko.

The remaining Natsuko's nodded and they all charged at Iwabe from different directions. It was here Iwabe decided he was done toying with Natsuko. Despite being outnumbered Iwabe managed to hold of all his opponents. Iwabe knew that while the gentle fist was powerful, as long as Natsuko's attacks didn't make contact he'd be fine. Because of this he focused all his concentration on either dodging her attacks or parrying her by the writs. Unfortunately, taking on four opponents was starting to take its tole, and Iwabe knew that if he didn't do something soon he'd lose the match.

Thankfully, Iwabe knew that Shadow Clones had one big weakness. It only took one hit to destroy them, and if he hit the real Natsuko they'd all disappear. He'd lost track of which was the real Natsuko, but he was willing to take a chance.

When the Natsuko closest to him was open, Iwabe punched her in the face and she disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

"Damn, it was a clone," thought Iwabe. "Oh well, one down three to go."

Now only having to deal with three Natsuko's Iwabe was finding it easier to hold them off. When the opportunity rose to struck another, he took it. This one also disappeared in a puff of smoke. With only two left Iwabe knew he had a fifty-fifty chance of striking the real Natsuko. Now that the number of opponents had halved Iwabe's next opportunity to strike came much sooner. He struck yet another Natsuko, which disappeared.

Iwabe grinned at the final Natsuko.

"So, you managed to avoid detection till the end?" questioned Iwabe. "I heard your father had a knack for gambling, guess it's something you inherited. Sadly, your luck's just ran out."

Iwabe charged at the final Natsuko. She tried to defend herself, but Iwabe was too quick. He avoided her gentle fist attack and struck her right in the face. For a brief moment Iwabe believed the fight was his, when suddenly Natsuko disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

"She was a clone too?" queried a surprised Iwabe. "Where's the real one?"

"RIGHT HERE," yelled a voice.

Iwabe turned and saw Natsuko flying towards him. She'd launched herself of one of the pillars and was flying towards Iwabe with intense speed. Iwabe didn't have time to react as Natsuko punched him in the face and sent him flying across the arena.

Natsuko landed on her feet while, Iwabe landed on his stomach on the other side of the arena.

"But how?" asked Iwabe.

"While you were distracted by my clones, I snuck away and created another for you to fight," answered Natsuko walking up to him.

As Iwabe stood, he couldn't believe the pain he felt in his cheek.

"What kind of Hyuga are you?" demanded Iwabe. "No one from your clan attacks like a brute."

This question made Natsuko angrier. While she was proud to be a descendent of the Hyuga Clan, there was something everyone seemed to forget about her. She bolted to Iwabe before he had a chance to respond.

"I'M AN UZUMAKI," declared Natsuko, striking Iwabe in the stomach with the gentle fist, once again forcing him to fly across the stadium.

"Isn't using the gentle fist going against the point she's trying to make?" asked Shikadai from the stands.

"Maybe, but I can use the gentle fist as well and considering how much power she has behind her attacks, would you really want to argue with her?" queried Boruto.

"Nah, that's way to bothersome," sighed Shikadai.

Iwabe tried to stand, but he now felt enormous pain in his stomach. He ceased standing when he felt something sharp poke his cheek. Iwabe looked up and saw Natsuko holding a kunai to his face. Even he had to admit he had lost this fight.

"Go on then," dared Iwabe. "Aren't you gonna hurt me like you hurt that other boy? I'd expect nothing less from someone like you."

Natsuko shook her head as she deactivated her Byakugan.

"You're not worth it," she spat.

She lowered her guard and turned away satisfied with what she had accomplished.

Iwabe unfortunately hadn't learnt his lesson. Now that Natsuko's guard was lowered he felt this was the best time to strike back. Furthermore, with Natsuko's Byakugan deactivated she wouldn't be able to see him coming.

Iwabe charged forward and attacked with a jumping kick. Natsuko turned after his attack had began and knew she wouldn't have enough time to react. Thankfully she wouldn't have to. Just as Iwabe's attack was about to make contact with Natsuko he found himself being attacked by someone else. He turned and saw Boruto had kicked with both feet causing Iwabe to go flying against a wall.

"You know I get an important part to being a ninja is stealth and sneak attacks, but that doesn't mean you have the right to attack someone who showed you mercy," lectured Boruto.

"And you have no right to interrupt our fight," Iwabe spat back.

"This fight's already over. Natsuko is clearly the victor. I wasn't interrupting the fight, I was just being a good big brother and protecting my sister from a bully," Boruto declared. "If you decide to keep fighting, you're going to have to deal with me as well."

"Fine, gives me an excuse to take you both down," stated Iwabe eyeing his weapon.

Iwabe charged at his weapon and pulled it out of the floor, which now caused it to have a large rock on one end.

"Come on Natsuko, let's take him together," stated Bortuo taking a stance.

Natsuko nodded and also took a stance. "Thank you, Brother, for everything."

"Don't worry about it," said Boruto.

Iwabe was about to charge at them when a strange creature swooped down and took the weapon from his hands. The creature in question appeared to be a drawing of an orange eagle. The eagle landed next to Inojin who held a drawing pad, before disappearing and droping the weapon at Inojin's feet.

"Hey, what's the big idea?" demanded Iwabe. "You have no business interrupting this fight."

"Actually, I do. For one you said you weren't going to use weapons. How can we expect you to fight fair if you break your own rules? Secondly, it's as Boruto said earlier, the fight is over as Natsuko had you beat. She showed you mercy and you refused to do the same," stated Inojin. "Do you still think you have a right to call yourself a Shinobi?"

This surprised Iwabe who lowered his head in defeat.

"No, I don't," admitted Iwabe.

The rest of the class was quiet, when out of nowhere they could hear clapping coming from behind them.

Everyone turned to see both the Sixth Hokage Kakashi and Naruto.

"Excellent match, you both fought spectacularly," applauded Kakashi.

"Agreed, I'm glad to see Natsuko hasn't neglected her training," added Naruto.

"What's Dad doing here?" asked Natsuko.

Boruto only shrugged in response.

Naruto and Kakashi jumped from the stands and into the arena.

"You know I feared in these peaceful times the Shinobi of the future would be a little soft, but after today I think we should be able to push them a little harder," stated Kakashi.

"But I'm surprised though," added Naruto. "I didn't think Natsuko was going to be the one fighting with the classes' top student. I figured Boruto would be the one trying to prove he was the best."

"I was going to, but Natsuko insisted she be the one to fight," grumbled Boruto.

"And you didn't try to fight instead of her?" queried Naruto.

"Should I really deny her a chance to show her strength?" countered Boruto.

"Good point," smirked Naruto.

"Dad what are you doing here?" interjected Natsuko, fearing this would lead to her removal from the academy.

"I think I can answer that," called Shino walking into view. He held up a finger revealing one of his beetles. "I wanted to make sure there was no fighting in the classroom, so I left this beetle to ensure none occurred. When I saw one of the Naruto's children was engaged in another fight I thought it was best I tell him as quickly as possible."

"And he wasn't the only one who was alerted," said another voice.

At that moment, Hanabi came into view behind Shino.

"Mum," squeaked Natsuko, knowing her time at the academy was over.

"And I have to agree with the Hokage. That was a spectacular match," continued Hanabi jumping down to the stadium below and approaching the group. "I'm just glad no one ended up in the hospital."

The more Natsuko heard, the more certain she became that she was being pulled from the academy.

"Since when do the teacher's leave spies in the classroom," demanded Boruto changing the topic.

"Normally they wouldn't," admitted Shino.

"Maybe I should explain the rest," said one more voice as Hinata came into view.

"Oh no," exclaimed Boruto terrified of what his mother might do.

"After Natsuko's last incident, I asked an old friend to keep an eye on her to ensure it didn't happen again!" explained Hinata.

This cleared everything up for the Uzumaki children. They knew Hinata and Shino were former teammates, so he'd likely agreed to Hinata's request without hesitation.

With everything cleared up, Natsuko decided to cut to the chase.

"Can I go get my things first?" asked Natsuko.

"What are you talking about?" asked Hanabi curiously.

"Aren't I being pulled from the academy?" asked Natsuko fearing the answer.

"Why would I be pulling you from the academy?" asked Hanabi.

Natsuko looked at her mother with confusion.

"Didn't you say you'd pull me from the academy if got into another fight?"

"I said I'd pull you from the academy if you lost your temper. That doesn't seem to be the case here. Not only did you manage to keep a level head throughout the entire fight, but you also managed to defeat your opponent without seriously injuring him. That shows not only an immense level of skill, but also a great level of control," stated Hanabi.

"Not only that, my beetles confirmed you tried very hard to stay calm while Iwabe was taunting you," added Shino.

"Because of this I see no reason why you can't stay at the academy, provided you don't have another outburst," stated Hanabi.

Natsuko ran to her mother and embraced her.

"Thankyou Mum," said Natsuko crying.

Hanabi held her daughter close, overjoyed this could be a happy moment for both of them.

"Something tells me I'm going to be punished for this though," groaned Boruto interrupting the moment.

"Why would we punish you?" asked Naruto. "You didn't pick the fight, you were merely standing up for your sister. Keep showing behaviour like that and I might just forgive you for what you did to the Hokage Monument."

Boruto rolled his eyes.

"I agree," said Hinata joining the group. "As an older sibling myself I'm proud of you for standing up for your sister,"

Hinata proceeded to pat him on the head.

"Mum cut it out," demanded Boruto.

"You're right that's not a nice enough reward," said Hinata who proceeded to hug him.

"Mum," groaned Boruto angrily.

This caused a lot of laughter from the crowd, with many of the students even referring to Boruto as a mammas boy.

"But wait, why is the Hokage here?" asked Natsuko letting go of her mother.

"By chance Naruto was dropping of his report for his last mission to me when the fight started," answered Kakashi.

Naruto had been gone the last few days on a mission and had only gotten home the night before.

"I told him, he didn't have to come, but he insisted," said Naruto scratching his head.

"Well, despite my public support for them, this family has forced me to postpone my retirement until we can change the minds of the other leaders," said Kakashi sternly. "And I wanted to make sure today wouldn't cause another dely. Thankfully, I can say we are no worse off then we were yesterday."

"But it also means we're no better off then we were ten years ago," laughed Naruto.

"And you wonder why people can't understand why I support you," sighed Kakashi. "Thankfully, where aware that Natsuko again wasn't the instigator, meaning there's nothing wrong with me supporting her decision to fight. Now, all that's left is to deal with the aggressor."

Kakashi turned to Iwabe and despite his face being mostly covered they could tell he was cross. While Naruto couldn't do anything to affect Iwabe's future as a ninja, Kakashi could. Kakashi was more than willing to punish the guilty party and most here would argue that Iwabe was guilty. It also didn't help that Kakashi's support for the Uzumaki family was well known throughout the village and they even treated him like family. Iwabe knew he was in trouble now. It only now dawned on him that he'd been a fool to antagonise Natsuko. He'd heard what happened to other villages who had mistreated Natsuko and called her a bastard. Now he was likely to suffer the same fate.

This led to Iwabe doing something he normally wouldn't be caught dead doing. He got on his knees and begged.

"Lord Sixth, I'm sorry for what I said about the ba… I mean Natsuko. I swear it won't happen again."

"I'm not the one you should be apologising to," stated Kakashi. "Still, I was hoping my actions from earlier would've discouraged others from repeating the last incident. I'm a fair man who won't punish people without evidence, but from what I gather I have a room full of witnesses saying you were the instigator. Your teacher can also confirm your guilt, as his bugs witnessed you antagonising the Uzumaki children. Perhaps, I didn't make that message clear enough before."

Iwabe raised his head and prepared for the worst.

"Iwabe you are hereby…"

"Lord Kakashi wait," interrupted Natsuko. "He's not worth it."

"Natsuko, you've done your part, this is now my problem," advised Kakashi.

"Wait Sensei, hear her our," asked Naruto. "Please."

There was definitely one rumour that was true. Kakashi did have a soft spot for his old student.

"Very well," sighed Kakashi turning to them. "Natsuko, you have my attention."

"Someone shouldn't be expelled from the academy just because they made a mistake," argued Natsuko. "If we expel every student who makes a mistake the village won't have any ninja for the future."

Iwabe couldn't believe what he was seeing, despite the way he had treated her, Natsuko was defending him.

"This village needs Shinobi I can trust. I'm not sure if I would trust him as a Shinobi," stated Kakashi.

"You gave Brother another chance when he made a mistake. And you've given me plenty of chances to make up for my mistakes," argued Natsuko. "How can you call yourself a fair leader if you're willing to give second chances to some and not others?"

Naruto smiled at this. Despite her insecurities and anger outbursts, Natsuko was still a smart and wise child. Something Naruto knew she had inherited from her mother's side of the family.

"How many extra chances have I been given?" asked Naruto smiling with crossed arms.

They could tell Kakashi was smiling under his mask.

"Very well," conceded Kakashi before turning to Iwabe. "At Natsuko's request, I'll let you off with a warning, but if I hear of any more instances of you mistreating any of the students you will be expelled. Understand?"

"Yes Lord Sixth, thank you," said Iwabe bowing again.

"You're lucky I'm a believer in second chances," stated Kakashi. "I've given many and they've taken full advantage of it. I hope you do to."

Kakashi left without saying another word.

Naruto was about to leave as well but decided to say goodbye to his children.

"Good work today Natsuko, keep it up, you have a bright future" complimented Naruto before turning to son. "As for you Boruto, please stay out of trouble."

Hinata then walked up to them and handed Boruto some money.

"What's this for?" asked Boruto.

"Because you stood up for your sister today, I want you to go and treat yourselves after school," she said warmly.

"Wow, thanks Mum," said Boruto taking the cash.

Hearing his kids would be a little late getting home gave Naruto an idea.

He put an arm around each wife.

"You know Sensei said I won't have another mission for a few days and we have the house to ourselves for the next few hours," he said seductively.

Both Hinata and Hanabi blushed.

"Naruto there are children present," stated Hinata.

"They don't know what we're talking about," argued Naruto.

"We do know and its disgusting," grumbled Boruto softly.

"Either way be careful what you say," added Hanabi.

"Well, we want to prove we're a loving family, what better way to do that then to show affection in public," argued Naruto.

Neither Hinata or Hanabi had a counter for this and blushed again, as Naruto led them to the exit.

All the kids gagged in disgust after Naruto had left with his wives.

The school day continued as normal, students still stayed clear of the Uzumaki siblings for most of the day, but many congratulated Natsuko on her victory over Iwabe. Many even apologized to Natsuko for avoiding her earlier.

Even Inojin apologized to Boruto and admitted he'd misjudged him. Furthermore, he took back what he said before, not only was Boruto a good influence on his younger sister, but he was also a good big brother. Because of this, Inojin offered Boruto the friendship that he'd been offered before which Boruto gladly accepted.

When school let out the Uzumaki siblings decided to walk home together.

"So, Brother you want to work on the homework when we get home?" asked Natsuko.

"Sure, but we'll worry about that later, I'm going to Thunder Burger first," chucked Boruto.

"Really, after everything that happened today?" asked Natsuko.

Considering the day they had, she was amazed her brother didn't want to simply go home and relax.

"Are you kidding, don't forget my mum insisted," chucked Boruto pulling the money out of his pocket. "Also, I'm fearful over what we might see if we go home."

"Yeah, that wouldn't be pleasant," shivered Natsuko, remembering how their parents were acting before.

"So yeah, I say we eat first, go home and pray they've finished whatever they are doing," shuddered Boruto.

"Would you mind if we went somewhere else for a change?" requested Natsuko. "I don't think we should have Thunder Burger every day."

"Are you serious?" queried Boruto.

"Please Brother?" begged Natsuko.

"Alright fine, but only because you were so awesome today," stated Boruto. "Where do you wanna go?"

"I'd like to go to Ichiraku's Raman Place," requested Natsuko.

"Dad's favourite place?" asked Boruto.

"Yeah," said Natsuko excited.

"Oh alright," sighed Boruto. "Who takes after dad now?"

"Very funny," retorted Natsuko.

As they walked through the streets to Ichiraku's, Natsuko thought back to the events of the day. It was at this point she found the courage to ask Boruto something she'd wanted to for a long time.

"Brother, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, ask me anything," stated Boruto.

"Do you think of me as your sister?" she asked.

This caused Boruto to stop dead in his tracks.

"Where's this coming from?" he asked.

"That doesn't answer my question," stated Natsuko. "Do you think of me as your sister?"

"Of course, I think of you as my sister," answered Boruto confused. "Why wouldn't I?"

Natsuko looked away.

"Some people talk about me like I'm not Dad's real daughter, all because he and my mum aren't married," she answered.

"Natsuko, I thought you'd gotten over that," groaned Boruto before realising he should approach this more gently. "Look I know it's hard sometimes, but you know Dad would marry your mum if he could. Even I'm not angry at Dad for that. You know he loves your mum just as much as he loves mine. Your Dad's child just as much as I am."

"What about the fact that we're only half-siblings?" asked Natsuko.

"That may be genetically true, but considering we're also cousins, we share more DNA than half-siblings. I think anyway," stated Boruto. "But that's beside the point. Not only do we have the same dad, but we live in the same house and we're growing up together, if that doesn't make us siblings, I don't know what does."

"Then why do you never introduce me as your sister?" asked Natsuko.

"Huh?" asked Boruto.

"Whenever we meet new people you always simply introduce me as Natsuko. You never say 'this is my sister, Natsuko'. I know it might seem silly, but sometimes it makes me question if you think of me as your sister," stated Natsuko.

"Umm, well, I guess I never really thought about it that way," admitted Boruto. "But if you want an answer, I guess it's because we've been so close all our lives, that in addition to thinking of you as a sister I also think of you as a friend, so I introduce you like a friend. Sorry I can't come up with a better explanation, but if you want, I'll try to introduce you as my sister from now on."

"No that's ok I can see the logic in your reasoning," she admitted.

"What brought this about all of a sudden?" queried Boruto.

"Well, it's something I've been thinking about for a while, I just never had the courage to ask you," admitted Natsuko. "Hearing you refer to me as your sister in front of the whole class while you confronted Iwabe, finally gave me the courage I needed to ask."

Boruto put a hand on her shoulder.

"Well, you don't need to worry anymore, because I am telling you right now that of course I think of you as my sister and I'll be there to help you whenever I can," he declared.

"Thank you, Brother," smiled Natsuko.

"Don't mention it," stated Boruto. "Now are we going to get Raman or not, because if we waste any more time, I'm going to Thunder Burger."

"No, we're getting Raman and if you really think we're wasting time, I'll race you there," declared Natsuko before bolting off to Ichiraku's.

Boruto shook his head.

"She's more like me then our parents are willing to admit," he sighed before taking after her.

Chapter Text

Boruto and Natsuko entered the academy the next day hoping it would have less drama than the day before. Thankfully their wish came true. Everyone happily greeted them when they entered and many students had apologised to Natsuko for avoiding her. Tensions rose however, when Iwabe approached the siblings.

"Something you want to say?" asked Boruto prepared to defend his sister.

"I'm sorry," was all Iwabe said in response.

"Huh?" stated Boruto.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have treated either of you the way that I did," admitted Iwabe, he turned to Boruto. "You were right, your parents' marriage is none of my concern and they are free to live their life how they see fit."

He then turned to Natsuko.

"And I'm sorry for what I said to you. It was cruel and unnecessary, and it shouldn't be said about anyone. When I saw your parents come in and defend you, I could see that all three of them stood as equals and despite what the law says, your mother is just as much your father's wife as Boruto's is, meaning you have every right to call yourself his daughter," stated Iwabe. "And I also wanted to thank you. If you hadn't stepped in, I would've been expelled. So, thank you for helping me stay at the academy."

Many surrounding students thought Iwabe was foolish for believing that the Uzumaki siblings would forgive him so easily, but then to everyone's surprise both siblings smiled.

"Our father said the most important lesson he can teach us is how to accept forgiveness," said Natsuko smiling.

"According to him its stronger than every technique in the world," stated Boruto. "So, forgive you."

"But don't you ever call me a you know what again. Got it?" warned Natsuko.

"I swear I will never call you that again," promised Iwabe a little nervous. After the strength she'd shown the day before, Iwabe understood it was wise to stay on her good side.

"Good," stated Natsuko.

"I gotta say though you're a lot stronger than I expected your mo… I mean your grandfather taught you well," stated Iwabe. "He must've pushed you really hard if you're that strong at such a young age."

"Actually, he was never that hard on me. Which is odd considering what my mum and aunty have said about him," laughed Natsuko.

"I agree. I've had training sessions with Grandpa as well and I don't believe for a second he was this super strict man everyone claims he was," added Boruto.

They continued to talk and laugh among themselves, and everything seemed great. However, there was still one student who hadn't warmed up to the Uzumaki siblings. Sitting at one of the desks was Metal Lee trying to do some revision before the class began and he was having trouble concentrating over the noise.

"So, they win one little fight and suddenly they're popular. Typical," grumbled Metal Lee. "At least Natsuko earnt the praise, all Boruto did was throw one kick. Always achieving so much by doing the bare minimum, what a joke."

Class went on as usual and before long the day ended.

Boruto, Natsuko, Inojin, Shikadai and Denki all left the academy together.

"Would any of you like to go do some training, I could use some pointers on tai-jutsu," stated Denki.

"Not a problem, I'll help you with whatever you need," grinned Boruto patting him on the break.

"Give me a break," called a voice.

They turned to see Metal Lee.

"If you want to be a strong ninja, Boruto's the last person you want to train with. All he'll do is hold you back," spat Metal.

"That's a little harsh Metal," stated Natsuko.

"Good, harsh training is what helps one become a ninja. If anything, I'm being too soft on him," spat Metal before leaving.

The group silently walked from the academy.

"Geeze what is that guys problem," sighed Shikadai.

"I've met his father, you'd think he'd be a bit more pleasant," stated Inojin.

"What do you expect, he takes after his mother. Let's just be glad she's not as bad as my mother or he'd be even more unpleasant," sighed Shikadai. "What a drag."

"You know his parents too?" asked Denki. "Let me guess, also friends with your parents?"

"More than that, his mother use to be teammates with our dad," stated Boruto.

"Really?" asked Denki.

"Yup, not only that our mothers' cousin was also teammates with his father," said Natsuko sadly. "In fact, Mr Lee has told us many great stories about our Uncle Neji. I really wish I could've met him."

"What happened?" asked Denki.

"He died, during the war," answered Boruto. "In fact, he died protecting my parents. Because of this they talk about him fondly, but I can tell they still miss him."

Seeing that the current conversation was upsetting Boruto and Natsuko, Denki decided to get it back on track.

"So anyway, what's Metal's problem with you? I'm assuming your families are close, so I can't really understand why he's so cold towards you," stated Denki.

"He wasn't always like that," sighed Boruto.

"In fact, Metal and Brother were very close when they were young," stated Natsuko.

"They were? What happened?" asked Denki.

"Honestly, I still don't know," answered Boruto. "But I think he's just jealous."

"Why would anyone be jealous of you?" queried Inojin.

"Inojin," stated Shikadai.

"Opps did I say that out loud?" asked Inojin. "Sorry."

Boruto ignored them and continued answering Denki's question.

"Let's just say we began training around the same time as each other. We'd often train together as well!" explained Boruto. "From what I remember my progress was only slightly greater than his."

"Then what's the problem?" Denki asked.

"Metal is of the mind that hard work is the most important thing to being a strong ninja," added Natsuko. "Rumour has it that his father, Rock Lee might be the hardest working ninja in the entire village."

"Rock Lee, I heard of him. Isn't he the ninja that showed no talent for ninjutsu or genjutsu, which led him to devote his entire life to taijutsu?" asked Denki.

"That's him, but he's also a really nice man. I honestly don't know why Metal can be so unpleasant," stated Natsuko.

"I told you, it's because he got his personality from his mother," sighed Shikadai.

"Anyway, because his father puts so much faith in hard work, Metal's adopted the same mindset and over works himself even on the simplest task," stated Boruto. "Long story short he hated that I was progressing faster than him, despite the fact that he works so much harder. Ninja training has always come easily to me, so I progressed rather quickly without much effort."

"He got angry at you for that?" asked Denki.

"He didn't seem too angry at first, but the longer we trained the angrier he got. Eventually, he decided he was wasting time, by training with me. He claimed my 'lazy' attitude was holding him back and we've barely talked since," stated Boruto.

"That seems a little harsh. Shouldn't he just be happy for your success?" asked Denki.

"You'd think, but I've given up trying to understand Metal," answered Boruto.

"I wish you guys would make up. I remember you were really upset when he said he didn't want to be friends anymore," stated Natsuko.

"That was his decision, he if doesn't want to be friends anymore that's his business," stated Boruto.

"I guess, but I know Mr Lee is also not someone to ever hold a grudge. So, if he really wanted to follow his father's teachings, he shouldn't have let it bother him," stated Natsuko.

Meanwhile, Metal Lee was making his way home, still sour over the events of the day. For as long as he could remember he had been working hard, trying to be the best ninja possible. But no matter how hard he tried Boruto always seemed to be ahead of him. Metal felt it was wrong that things came so easy to Boruto, whereas he had to work extremely hard to get where he was.

"Dad, I'm home," called Metal walking through the door. He knew his mother would still be on shift at the hospital.

"Welcome home Metal," called Lee cheerfully. He was wearing an apron leading Metal to believe he had been cooking dinner. "Did you have another youthful day of learning."

"Sure," sighed Metal sitting down at the table.

"Why the long face son? Did you have a bad day?" asked Lee sitting down next to him.

"My day was fine, until Boruto started showing off. Again," groaned Metal.

Lee just sighed.

"What's he done this time? Or rather what hasn't he done this time?"

"Remember that fight I told you about at school yesterday?" asked Metal.

"Sure do. Good to see how far little Natsuko's come. She beat up the toughest kid in school. I bet her Uncle Neji would be proud," stated Lee. "But what's that got to do with Boruto?"

"Because of her victory, they've both become super popular in the class. I can understand, Natsuko becoming popular, as she's the one who won the fight, but Boruto barely did anything," stated Metal.

"I wouldn't say he did nothing. I ran into your teacher yesterday and he told me that Boruto was very protective of Natsuko and prevented Iwabe from hurting her," stated Lee.

"Yeah, but that's all he did. He didn't even properly fight. All he did was throw one little kick and suddenly he's gained the respect of the entire class," said Metal.

"Son, I think you're missing the bigger picture, he jumped in right when his sister needed him and was willing to fight alongside her so they could defeat Iwabe together," stated Lee. "Though I did hear the fight was interrupted before he could do anything, but at least his heart was in the right place."

"That's another thing, what kind of big brother just lets his sister fight on her own like that? If Boruto was responsible, he would've fought Iwabe himself," stated Metal.

"You make a fair point, but you've seen Natsuko in battle before. She can handle herself in a fight," argued Lee.

"That doesn't change the fact that a responsible brother wouldn't let his younger sister fight for him," stated Metal.

"True, but I think it's safe to assume Boruto knew Natsuko would be fine and he still jumped in when she needed him, so you can't say he's completely irresponsible," countered Lee.

"Doesn't change the fact that he's still gained heaps of praise for doing almost nothing," stated Metal. "How can he achieve so much when he puts so little work into his training."

Lee gave another sigh.

"Metal, do you think everyone should be praised purely on effort, as opposed to talent and achievement?" asked Lee.

"Of course, hard work is how you succeeded," answered Metal.

"Then by that logic I should be resentful of you," stated Lee.

Metal looked at his father in shock.

"What? Why? You know I've worked extremely hard to get where I am. And it's all thanks to you," argued Metal.

"I agree, but you also have potential and opportunities I could only dream of having," countered Lee. "As you know I possess no talent for ninjutsu or genjutsu. This is something I accepted long ago and why I've spent my life mastering taijutsu. Your different though. It's true you work just as hard as I do, but you are able to use ninjutsu just like any of the other students. You can thank your mum for that. Speaking of which, your mother's very impressed by your progress and she thinks you'll soon be ready to learn some of her techniques."

"Wait really?" asked Metal.

"Yup, before you know it, you'll be able to destroy the ground you walk on," laughed Lee. "And with the work ethic I've instilled in you, I know you'll achieve it in no time at all."

"I bet Boruto would achieve it faster," spat Metal.

"And so what if he could? We're all gifted with different talents to give to the world, it's how we use them that is important," said Lee. "Boruto was gifted with great intellect and natural talent, but what you were gifted with was an exceptional work ethic. The same was true for me and Boruto's Uncle Neji. Like you guys this led to us having many disagreements when we first became teammates, but over time we were each able to recognise the strengths we brought to the team. I'm sure the same will be true for you and Boruto if you just be patient."

"I don't know, from what you told me, at least Boruto's uncle worked for his achievements. Boruto doesn't work for anything," spat Metal.

Lee could only shake his head at this. While Metal had inherited Lee's work ethic, he'd inherited his suborn personality from his mother, meaning when he'd made up his mind on something it was very hard to convince him otherwise.

At that moment, they heard the door open.

"I'm home," called Sakura.

Lee got up from the table to greet his wife.

"Hi honey how was work?" asked Lee giving his wife a kiss.

"Same as usual, how was your day?" asked Sakura returning the kiss.

"Oh, I can't complain, and I never do," laughed Lee.

They walked into the kitchen.

"Evening Metal how was school?" asked Sakura.

"Fine," groaned Metal.

"What's wrong with him?" asked Sakura to Lee.

"Upset about Boruto's success again," answered Lee.

Sakura chucked at this.

"Metal we've been over this, you've got to stop stressing over how easily things come to Boruto. Pure talent will only get him so far. Eventually he'll learn that if he wants to succeed as a ninja, he'll have to work hard just like everyone else. Take pride in the fact that this is a lesson you learnt before him."

"Mum, I can understand Dad defending Boruto, but why are you defending him? Don't you resent his father's decision in having two wives?" asked Metal.

"We've already been over this Metal. While I wasn't happy about the situation at first, your father helped me realise its none of my business what others decide to do with their personal life," answered Sakura. "If their relationship makes them happy, who are we to judge?"

"You say that, but dad told me you wanted to beat him to a pulp when you discovered he had two wives," stated Metal.

"That was more based on my history with him then my position on polygamous relationships," said Sakura. "As you know Naruto and I are former teammates and we've been friends for a long time. I'll admit I found him annoying at first, but overtime I came to view him as one of my closest friends. The only real issue that remained between us was that he was a giant pervert."

"He's a pervert?" asked a surprised Metal.

"Oh, you have no idea," sighed Sakura. "It also didn't help that he had a huge crush on me for a long time."

"What? Did anything ever happen between you to?" asked Metal. "Um, no offence Dad."

"No, none taken I'm fully aware of their history," admitted Lee.

Sakura got the conversation back on track.

"To answer your question, nothing ever happened between us. While we did grow close over the years our relationship was more like that of a brother and sister then anything. I just could never love him that way. And as much as I knew it would hurt him, he deserved to be with someone who did love him. That's how he ended up with Hinata," stated Sakura. "Which leads us to your initial question. When I heard that Naruto had taken Hanabi as his second wife, my immediate instinct was to believe he was a pervert who betrayed his wife. Thankfully, everyone was able to convince me otherwise before I did something I'd regret."

"So, you accepted their relationship just like that?" asked Metal.

"It still took some getting used to, but the more I saw the three of them together, I could see it was what made them happiest," stated Sakura who then laughed. "Also, I think adding Hanabi to the mix benefited them, because she's more willing to keep Naruto in line then Hinata is."

Both Sakura and Lee had a laugh at this.

"But going back to what we were originally discussing, you've got to stop comparing your progress to Boruto. As we keep telling you his natural talent will only get him so far. When that day comes, he'll need someone to show him the importance of hard work. And you never know, maybe that person could be you," stated Sakura.

Metal went to bed that night thinking about what his parents had said. Maybe he had been too harsh on Boruto these last few years. He remembered a time when they were the best of friends, and he threw it all away just because Boruto progressed faster than him with less effort. Was he right to criticize Boruto for his lack of effort? Or was he just jealous because Boruto possessed more natural talent then he did? Either way, Metal started to wonder if he should make good with Boruto.

Unfortunately, the chance to do so never really came and the longer the week went on the angrier Metal became. Not only did Boruto pick up ninja techniques with minimal effort, but he dozed off in class and still managed to answer all questions that were asked. Metal couldn't understand how someone who put so little effort in could achieve so much. By the end of the week Metal was certain that he wanted no association with Boruto, because he felt it looked bad to associate with someone so lazy.

Then unknown to Metal he was attacked by the same unseen force, that had previously attacked Denki. When this happened, Metal's anger for Boruto became even more intense.

When the school day ended, Metal decided he was going to put Boruto in his place once and for all.

Boruto was leaving with his usual group when they were blocked by Metal at the gate.

"Metal I heard you the first time when you said I didn't belong here, but I'm here to stay so I suggest you deal with it," stated Boruto.

They were about to walk around him when Metal spoke.

"No, I'm going to prove to everyone that you don't belong here," declared Metal.

"And how do you plan to do that?" queried Boruto.

"We're going to fight. I'm going to show you what it really means to be a ninja by showing you the difference between a lazy prodigy and someone who works hard for what they achieve," declared Metal.

"And how will that determine if I belong at the academy?" asked Boruto.

"Because this fight is going to have the following conditions. If you win, I'll never bother you about this again and I'll openly admit you've earnt your spot at the academy. But if I win, you have to drop out and give up on being a ninja," stated Metal.

Normally Boruto wouldn't agree to such a thing, but then something happened that made him change his mind. Unknown to Boruto his eye changed again, and he saw Metal was covered in the same strange energy that had previously surrounded Denki. Boruto looked at everyone else, but none of them seemed to be seeing anything unusual. Was Boruto the only person who could see this.

Boruto rubbed his eyes again and when he opened them the energy was gone. Something told Boruto that if he wanted to find out what that energy was he'd have to agree to Metal's fight.

"Alright, if it gets you off my back, I'll happily fight," said Boruto.

Natsuko then grabbed him by his sleeve.

"Brother, I don't think this is a good idea," she expressed. "It's been ages since you trained together, and you know how much time he and his father dedicate to Taijutsu training. I'm not sure this is a fight you can win."

"You beat the classes top student, I'm sure I'll be fine," stated Boruto.

"He wasn't fighting me to his fullest and with me having the Byakugan he couldn't hide from me," stated Natsuko. "Even if we ignore that, something tells me Metal won't take it easy on you."

"Then I'll just have to fight him with everything I have from the start," stated Boruto.

"But what about the risk associated with this fight?" asked Natsuko. "If you lose, you'll have to drop out of the academy."

"If I lose then I'll know me being a ninja wasn't meant to be," stated Boruto.

He tried to pull away, but Natsuko refused to let go of his arm.

"Listen I put my faith in you when you challenged Iwabe, now I'm asking you to put your faith in me," stated Boruto.

Natsuko knew he was right, so she reluctantly let go.

"Alright Metal, I'll fight you and I'll agree to your conditions," stated Boruto. "If I lose, I'll drop out of the academy."

"Good," said Metal getting into a fighting stance.

"I'm not doing this here though," said Boruto, knowing his mother would become furious if he caused trouble in town.

"Then what do you propose?" asked Metal.

"Let's head to the forest that surrounds the village," suggested Boruto.

"Fine, gives us more space to fight," Metal agreed.

They headed to a forest field outside the main area of the village. This way no one else would get hurt and no additional collateral damage would be caused. However, Metal's attitude concerned everyone present so they kept an eye on him until they got to the battlefield.

Eventually, they found an open field. Boruto stood on one end while Metal stood on the other and the rest of them watched from the sidelines.

"So how do you want to do this?" asked Boruto.

"First one to surrender or be knocked out loses," answered Metal.

"Sounds good to me," said Boruto. "Shall we?"

Metal didn't answer, he just charged at Boruto at full speed. Boruto was able to jump out of the way before Metal could land a punch.

"So, we're not even going to have someone call fight?" asked Boruto while landing.

"In a real fight, an opponent will attack without warning," answered Metal.

"Also true," stated Boruto.

Metal charged again, but this time Boruto didn't jump out of the way. He blocked the punch with his arm, which hurt more than he thought. Natsuko was right, between the time they had last trained together, Metal had improved significantly. Before Boruto could think of what to do, Metal struck with a kick. Boruto managed to block this, but only just. Not only was Metal strong, he was extremely fast. This didn't surprise Boruto as Metal's father was well known for his speed and had likely passed that training onto Metal. To make matters worse Boruto had a feeling Metal wasn't showing his full speed as he likely wore ankle weights like his father did.

Boruto would have to end this before Metal decided to drop the weight. Boruto tried to attack with a gentle fist attack, but Metal dodged with minimal effort. After this Boruto attacked Metal with everything he had, but Metal was able to either block or dodge the attacks like they were nothing. When given the chance, Metal fought back as well. Likewise, Boruto did his best to either block or evade Metal's attacks, but it didn't take long for Metal to outmanoeuvre him.

Metal punched Boruto in the stomach then kicked him across the field.

"Brother," called Natsuko concerned.

She was about to jump in before being held back by Shikadai.

"Natsuko, you can't interfere," stated Shikadai.

"But Brother needs help," pleaded Natsuko.

"That may be, but this is his fight and you have to let him see it through," stated Shikadai. "He asked you to believe in him. If you jump in now, it shows you don't."

As much as Natsuko hated to admit it, she knew Shikadai was right. This was her brothers fight and he had to do this alone.

Meanwhile, Boruto stood up from the last attack.

"Is this all the son of the war hero can do? Pathetic," spat Metal.

"Unfortunately, he isn't willing to teach me everything yet," stated Boruto. "Says I'm not ready."

"Whatever, overtime you'll come to be known as nothing more than his lazy child and your sister will get the recognition she deserves as she actually works for her accomplishments," declared Metal.

"You need to worry less about who my father is and be more concerned with how hurt you'll be once this fight is over," stated Boruto.

"Do you honestly think you can win this fight? My skill in Taijutsu is far superior to yours," stated Metal. "You're nothing compared to me."

"I'm just getting warmed up," countered Boruto. "And if I can't beat you in Taijutsu, no problem I have other ways I can take you down."

Boruto made a few hand signs and shouted, "LIGHTING STYLE."

Boruto shot an electric chakra attack, at Metal, who using his superior speed was able to dodge it with minimal effort. Boruto tried a few more times, but Metal just kept dodging. Boruto was starting to realise he'd need a better strategy if he was going to win this. Metal was faster, stronger and a better fighter than he was. Not only that, but if Boruto kept attacking with ninjutsu he'd quickly run out of chakra.

Boruto did have one more option, but he didn't know if it was a good idea to use it here. After Natsuko had started training more with their grandfather, Naruto had decided to teach Boruto a special technique so he wouldn't feel left out. Naruto had warned Boruto however that he should only use this technique as a last resort, because if used recklessly the results could be disastrous. Boruto took this advice to heart, because he had seen just how powerful this attack was.

Chapter Text

After the incident where Natsuko had unlocked her Byakugan, she left the house most days to train with her grandfather. This left Boruto at home with his parents. He couldn't deny he was jealous of Natsuko. She was away learning amazing techniques he could only dream of learning. While he too was trained in the gentle fist, without the Byakugan he couldn't use it to its full potential.

Eventually, Boruto became determined to find a way to unlock his Byakugan so he could train with his sister. Even if that meant spending extended time with his doting grandfather. From here he spent every morning trying to see if he could awake the Byakugan. While he didn't have his mother's eyes, he was still a Hyuga, so he was sure there was a way to unlock it. He spent every morning standing in front of his mirror, focusing his chakra to his eyes to see if they would change. He'd stand there for hours and nothing would happen. Nevertheless, he kept trying.

He kept this a secret from his family, but eventually Naruto walked past his room and saw what he was doing. He knew his efforts were pointless, as the true way to awaken the Byakugan was either through intense training or an intense emotional moment like what had happened for Natsuko. Nevertheless, Narut wished there was more she could do for Boruto, but both Hinata and Hanabi had already taught Boruto everything he could learn regarding the Hyuga Clan. The only person who could teach him something knew was Naruto. Naruto couldn't deny there were benefits to being denied the position of Hokage. He had plenty of time to train his children.

One day, Hanabi had gone out with Natsuko to see how she was progressing in her training. It was then that Naruto decided to discuss something with Hinata.

He walked into the kitchen, where Hinata was cleaning up.

"Hinata, can we talk about Boruto?" asked Naruto.

"Is he trying to unlock the Byakugan again?" asked Hinata. She too had seen him practicing in the mirror. "We should probably tell him he's going about that the wrong way."

"Maybe, but I think we both know why he's doing it," stated Naruto. "He probably wants to learn more about your family's techniques."

"I understand, but I don't think there's anything we can do," stated Hinata. "We all agreed upon having kids, that we wouldn't force them to undergo the same harsh training that Hanabi and I had as children. We'd only do that when they're a little older. And even when that time comes, it probably won't make a difference. Because he has your eyes instead of mine, it's highly unlikely he'll ever be able to unlock it."

"That doesn't mean we can't teach him more," argued Naruto.

"I know, but there's nothing more we can do. Hanabi and I have already taught him everything about the gentle fist a non-Byakugan user can learn," stated Hinata.

"There might not be anything else you can teach him, but I have plenty I can teach him," stated Naruto. "I just wanted to make sure you were ok with this, because what I want to teach him is a little advanced."

"What did you have in mind?" asked Hinata curiously.

"Let's just say that since Natsuko is learning the signature techniques of your family, I think its only fair that we teach Boruto the signature techniques of mine," answered Naruto.

In his room Boruto was still attempting to unlock his Byakugan when he heard a knock on his door.

"Come in," he said.

Naruto entered.

"Morning son, still trying to unlock the Byakugan?" asked Naruto.

Boruto flinched.

"How long have you known?" asked Bortuo.

"A while. Your mother and I didn't have the heart to tell you your going about it the wrong way," laughed Naruto sitting on the bed.

"I guess, I kinda knew that, but I also felt it couldn't hurt to try," admitted Boruto.

"I'm amazed you'd actually want to have the Byakugan. I know you don't particularly enjoy visiting grandpa," joked Naruto.

Boruto shuddered as he remembered how his doting grandfather acted when he saw his grandkids.

"Yeah well, if I was able to learn the techniques of mum's clan, I think I could handle being around Grandpa," stated Boruto.

"Maybe I should tell him that, he might come over more often to see if he can help," joked Naruto.

"Please don't," groaned Boruto.

"Why? You know he'd be happy to help," teased Naruto.

Boruto just groaned.

"Hey, don't be like that," stated Naruto. "But if I didn't know any better I'd say somebody's jealous."

"Of course I'm jealous, how come she can learn the techniques of Mum's clan and I can't just because I didn't inherit Mum's eyes?" Boruto pouted.

"That's just how life is sometimes," said Naruto. "One sibling might inherit certain abilities while another doesn't. But that doesn't mean you can't become a strong ninja in your own right. That's actually why I'm here."

Boruto looked at his father curiously.

"Get ready for a long day, because you'll be spending it training with me," stated Naruto.

A short while later Boruto and Naruto found themselves in the forest.

"Because your sister's away learning the techniques of your mother's family, I've decided to teach you one of the signature techniques of my family," said Naruto.

Boruto rolled his eyes.

"Dad you already did that," said Boruto crossing his fingers. "Shadow Clone Jutsu."

Boruto created a clone of himself, and then made it disappear.

Naruto chucked.

"I said I was going to teach you one of my signature techniques. I have more than one."

This got Boruto's attention.

"Now listen, I wasn't going to teach you this until you took your Chunin Exams, because it's pretty advanced and very dangerous!" explained Naruto. "So, before I teach it to you, I need you to promise me that you'll only use it when absolutely necessary."

His father was usually a carefree man, especially when he was around his family. Hearing the serious tone in his voice made Boruto believe he was being truthful.

"A promise means a lot to you right?" asked Boruto.

"It means everything to me," answered Naruto. "Because I never go back on my word. That is my ninja way."

"Then I promise I'll only use this technique when absolutely necessary," promised Boruto.

"Alright, I'm going to hold you to that," chucked Naruto. "What I'm going to teach you is a powerful Jutsu, created by my father the Forth Hokage and taught to me by my mentor Jiraya the Toad Sage. He made me pass a few steps before showing me the final result, but I think it'll motivate you better to show you the finished result."

Naruto held out his hand face up. Before Boruto's eyes he saw chakra appear in his fathers hands and form into a ball of controlled, swirling chakra. Needless to say, Boruto was impressed.

"Cool, isn't it?" asked Naruto.

"Yeah," answered Boruto. "But what does it do?"

"I'll show you," said Naruto.

Naruto walked over to a nearby tree and pushed the ball of chakra towards the body. The justsu pushed through the tree like it was made of wet paper. Naruto deactivated the technique after pushing halfway through.

Boruto's eyes went wide.

"Woah."

"I knew you'd be impressed. And I think you now see why I made you promise to only use this technique when absolutely necessary," said Naruto.

"Definitely. What's it called?" asked Boruto.

"It's called the Rasengan. It took my father years to create this technique. I was able to learn it in only a few weeks, but that's because I had a good teacher and I got creative with how to form it," said Naruto. "Something tells me you'll figure it out even quicker than I did."

"You bet I will," declared Boruto. "When do we start?"

"Right away," answered Naruto.

They started with step on, using chakra to cause a water balloon to explode. Not only did Boruto immediately figure out he had to use his chakra to rotate the water inside, he managed to think of Naruto's personal solution of using another hand to better control the chakra. Boruto was able to pass step one before the hour was up. Naruto felt great pride seeing this.

Boruto struggled a little more with step two, which was using the same technique with more power to destroy a rubber ball. Thankfully, because Boruto had more natural talent and better chakra control then his father did and managed to complete this task by the end of the day.

This led them to step three. Focusing the swirling chakra into a ball, keeping it contained and this time ensuring you don't pop the balloon. This took Boruto much longer to complete, but in the span of one week he managed to contain his chakra without popping the balloon and unlike Naruto, he didn't require a shadow clone to master it.

"Dad, I think I did it."

"Very good, now, let's see it in action without the balloon," Naruto instructed.

Boruto nodded and got his hands into position. Using great control he formed the spinning ball of chakra in his hand.

"I did it."

"Yeah, you did," said Naruto ruffling his son's hair. "But remember this jutsu is extremely dangerous and should only be used when absolutely necessary."

"Dad, I promise. I'll only use this if I have no other options."

End Flashback

Boruto felt the only way he'd be able to defeat Metal Lee would be to use the Rasengan. He had to be careful though. One wrong move and Metal could be seriously hurt or worse.

Knowing it should only be used as a last resort Boruto decided to try one more strategy first. If he couldn't out run or overpower metal, perhaps the key was to outnumber him.

Boruto crossed his fingers.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu."

Three Boruto clones appeared and they all charged at Metal and attacked him at different angles. Unfortunately, this still wasn't enough. While Metal was caught off guard by the extra fighters, his excessive training allowed him to fight all four of them without taking a punch. When an opening came, he punched and destroyed one of the clones. He then managed to destroy the other two leaving just him and the real Boruto.

The distraction of the clones allowed Boruto the chance to spot an opening. He took it and charged forward with a gentle fist strike. Unfortunately, Metal managed to catch him by the wrist just before it made contact.

"Good try, but not good enough," stated Metal.

Metal threw a punch which Boruto managed to dodge, but then Metal threw him across the field. Boruto landed on his feet and resumed his stance.

"That little trick barely worked for your sister against Iwabe, did you really think it would work on me?" demanded Metal.

"I wouldn't know unless I tried. Sadly, even four of me isn't enough to defeat you."

"You wouldn't have been able to beat me even if you had a thousand clones," spat Metal. "Face the facts Boruto, jutsu might come easy to you, but right now your techniques are sloppy and lazy. If you'd spent a little more time training, you might've stood a chance, but as of right now, your nothing compared to me."

"We'll see," thought Boruto. "I'm going to need to distract him for this to work. Here's hoping he's as gullible as Iwabe."

"Shadow Clone Jutsu."

"How predictable, you literally just tried that," spat Metal.

Three of the clones charged at Metal, trying their best to overpower him.

"I just need a bit more time. Hopefully he won't notice the real me stayed behind."

Boruto silently created one more clone, which charged at Metal, while the real Boruto stayed behind and started focuses the chakra in his hands.

"Is Brother really going to use that against Metal?" thought Natsuko.

The clones kept Metal busy as a swirling ball of chakra grew in Boruto's hands.

Before long Metal defeated all the clones.

"Told you that wouldn't work but it was start leaving the real you be…"

Metal went silent as he saw the real Boruto charging towards him with the Rasengan in hand. Metal had heard of this technique and if it made contact, he knew it would do serious damage. To make matters worse, the clones had distracted him enough that there was little space between him and Boruto. Even with his great speed Metal knew he didn't have time to dodge. If this attack landed, it was all over.

Metal closed his eyes as he prepared for his defeat, but the attack never came.

He opened and saw Boruto standing in front of him, with the Rasengan less then an inch away from his torso.

"Why didn't you finish your attack?" asked Metal.

"If I'm not careful this could kill you. You might not see me as such anymore, but I still consider you a friend, so I don't want to do something I'll regret," answered Boruto deactivating the Rasengan. "You win Metal, I'll tell my parents to pull me from the academy as soon as I get home."

Metal couldn't believe this. Despite how he'd treated Boruto over the last few years, he wasn't willing to risk killing him. Metal figured Boruto would view him the same way he viewed most of the village.

"Why do you still consider me a friend?"

"Because I do understand your reasons for hating me. And I'm the only one you've treated badly, you've done nothing to my sister or parents like the rest of the village," answered Boruto. "You're way better than they are."

Boruto turned away and headed towards his friends.

In that moment all the anger Metal had felt towards Boruto disappeared. While he may not agree with Boruto's approach to Shinobi training, he could see that Boruto wasn't a bad person. He cared deeply for his friends and family and would do everything he could to protect them. Metal also now knew that Boruto didn't care how others treated him, just how they treated those he cared about. Metal couldn't bring himself to hate someone like that.

The chakra that was influencing Metal disappeared as he came back to his senses.

"Boruto wait," called Metal. "You're the victor."

Boruto turned around surprised.

"I know you yielded, but in the moment you had me beat and as far as I'm concerned that means you won. I won't stop you from attending the ninja academy. You have as much right to be there as anyone."

"Are you sure?" asked Boruto.

"I'm sure, my parents were right. I let my jealousy get the better of me. Which as my dad would say 'isn't very youthful'," admitted Metal. "And as you know that's the opposite of what he taught me."

They heard a sniffle come from the trees.

"What was that?" asked Shikadai.

They turned and saw Rock Lee sitting in a nearby three who was crying tears of joy.

"Dad?" asked Metal. "What're you doing here."

Rock Lee jumped from the tree and embraced Metal.

"DAAD."

"Oh Metal, I feared that I'd failed to teach you the way of youthfulness, but now I can see you were listening after all," cried Lee.

"How could I forget when you preach it every day?" asked Metal.

Lee didn't respond, he only held Metal tighter.

"And you think Grandpa dotes on us to much," commented a smiling Natsuko.

"Yeah, he makes Grandpa look tame by comparison," stated Boruto.

"You know guys, this is a moment between them, I think we should give them some space," suggested Shikadai.

They all nodded and turned to leave.

"Boruto wait, I want to talk to you," requested Metal.

Rock Lee's head shot up.

"Wait are you telling me you're finally making up with Boruto?"

"I guess," answered Metal.

"Oh, happy day," exclaimed Lee then extending an arm to Boruto. "Come here Boruto, you deserve to be a part of this."

"No thanks I'm good," said Boruto.

"Don't be shy, joy deserves to be spread," said Lee, jumping over with Metal still in his arms.

He pulled Boruto into the hug before he could decline. Boruto decided to accept his fate.

"Oh, I'm so happy you two are going to be friends again. I'm sure Boruto's parents will be happy as well."

Boruto and Metal just looked at each other and groaned over Lee's actions.

Later on, Metal and Boruto were walking in awkward silence together. Both didn't know what to say after all this time. Boruto stopped when he saw they were passing Thunder Burger.

"Want to get something to eat?" asked Boruto.

"Sure, I'm a little hungry after our fight," answered Metal.

They ordered their food and continued to sit in silence.

"So, still training hard I see," commented Boruto.

"Um, yeah, when he's home Dad and I train for two hours everyday after school," stated Metal. "Probably why he came looking for me, as I usually go straight home."

"Well, hopefully he would've stopped me from doing something stupid," said Boruto.

"Oh, he would've. My dad's so fast you wouldn't have even seen him coming," stated Metal.

"Let's just be glad it didn't come to that," said Boruto.

"Agreed."

Metal decided to cut to the chase.

"Listen Boruto, sorry about the way I've been acting over the past few years," said Metal. "I just didn't like how you were progressing so much quicker than me, without putting in the same effort."

"It's fine. Like I said, you were still way better than most of the village because your anger was only directed at me," repeated Boruto.

"That doesn't excuse my behaviour and by resenting you I was dishonouring everything my dad stood for," argued Metal. "My dad never holds a grudge, which is a mindset he's tried to instil in me, but I was doing the exact opposite by resenting you all these years. He's been trying to convince me for ages to let it go and I ignored him."

"Well, just count this a lesson that took some time to learn," advised Boruto. "And take pride in the fact that you learnt it quicker than I did."

Boruto looked out the window and glared at the people walking by.

"Still hate most of the village for how they treat your family?" asked Metal.

"How can I not. After everything my father has done for them, they find him and the rest of my family disgusting just because my dad loves two women. That's why I never resented you like I do them. Your anger was at me and me alone. You didn't drag the rest of my family down with me. What's more, you don't treat Natsuko like her existence is a sin. You've always treated her right," stated Boruto.

"Well, no offence, but I just felt she actually worked for her achievements," said Metal.

"I can understand that," said Boruto. "Still, my father teaches me similar lessons your father teaches you. He teaches me to be the bigger person and to become powerful to defend the village, even if I feel they don't deserve it. That's why I'm at the ninja academy, I want to prove I'm better then all of them."

"You might be able to achieve that if you work a little harder," joked Metal.

"That's another thing, I want to thank you for today."

Metal raised an eyebrow.

"Today has shown me I will need to work a little harder if I want to become better than the rest of the village," said Boruto. "I may have more natural talent then you, but its clear that'll only get me so far. Your better than me in all the ways that count, your faster, stronger and a better fighter. If I want to keep up, I'm going to have to work harder."

"Don't be too hard on yourself, you won today's fight," stated Lee.

"Only because my dad taught me his special technique," said Boruto. "Which I'm pretty sure he only did out of pity."

"What do you mean?" asked Metal.

"I'll tell you some other time," answered Boruto.

"Alright. And I'll admit that gives me another reason to be jealous. Neither of my parents have taught me their signature attacks yet," sighed Metal. "They say, I'm not ready."

"After today's fight I think you're definitely ready," commented Boruto.

"Is that so, maybe I'll have to ask them to teach me more when I get home," stated Metal. "Then the next fight we have will go to me."

"Not if I work hard enough to keep up," added Boruto.

"Oh, please you'd have to work ten times as hard as you currently do to reach my level of skill," proclaimed Metal.

"Then let's make it a competition. We'll both work hard at the academy to become strong ninja and we'll have another fight after graduation," stated Boruto. "Whoever loses will have to publicly admit the winner is better."

"Boruto, you have yourself a fight," smirked Metal.

The two of them then fist bumped singling the rekindling of their friendship.

They sat and talked for a bit before Boruto brought up something that was troubling him.

"Metal, I know your anger towards me had been building up over a time, but was there ever a moment where it just exploded for no reason?"

"No that you mention it, I was very angry a you last night, but then I could swear I was attacked by something. By what I don't know, but increased by anger tenfold," answered Metal.

"Hmm?"

"Why what's going on?" asked Metal.

Boruto proceeded to tell Metal about the strange chakra he'd seen surrounding Denki the day they crashed the train into the Hokage and how his attitude seemed to change because of it. He then told Metal that the same Chakra seemed to be affecting him earlier.

"And you're saying that you're the only one that can see it?" asked Metal.

"Yeah. Natsuko was with me when I first saw it. She couldn't see anything, so I assumed I was just imagining it. But then I saw it surrounding you earlier today," stated Boruto. "I've told Dad about this, but apparently the Hokage doesn't feel this is worth investigating yet, because we can't be sure yet if it was an isolated incident."

"Doesn't today prove it wasn't?" asked Metal.

"I guess, and I promised dad I would tell him if I saw it again, which will be the first thing I do once I get home. Maybe now the Hokage will feel this is worth investigating," stated Boruto. "If there is anything to investigate. I don't know maybe I am just imagining it."

"I don't think so," added Metal. "I don't know why but I believe you. I can somehow tell I wasn't in control of my actions earlier."

"Let's, just hope it doesn't strike again," stated Boruto. "Considering what you and Denki did under its influence, who knows what will happen if a more advanced Shinobi is infected."

"Hopefully we can be more prepared once you tell your dad what happened today," stated Metal.

"Maybe, but a part of me doesn't just want to sit around waiting for disaster to strike," said Boruto. "I want to stop this before someone gets hurt."

Chapter Text

After the incident with Metal Lee, Boruto told his father what happened, including how he again saw the purple chakra possessing Metal. Naruto forwarded this information to Kakashi who felt this was enough to make it public. He went on to announce it on a TV interview that was watched by nearly everyone in the village.

"Lord Sixth, Thankyou for being with us today," said the host.

"No problem, I'm willing to do anything that keeps the Leaf Village safe," stated Kakashi.

"And what is it exactly we need to be safe from?" asked the host.

"It's a little hard to explain," said Kakashi. "Basically, we've had reports of an unseen enemy that seems to be infecting villigers and influencing them to be violent."

"If the enemy is unseen, how are you aware of its existence?"

Kakashi took a breath before answering. Boruto had given him permission to mention him if people wanted proof. But they both agreed it probably wouldn't do much to convince the villagers.

"It's not unseen by everyone. Boruto Uzumaki has now reported two separate incidents of seeing those affected being possessed by some strange purple chakra."

"Really, this enemy can be seen by Boruto Uzumaki?" queried the host unconvinced. "Has anyone else been able to see this purple Chakra?"

"No so far Boruto is the only eyewitness," answered Kakashi.

"So, he's the only one who can see it? Sounds like a bit of a stretch. How do you know he isn't just looking for attention?"

"I've been a Shinobi for a long time. I've gotten good at sensing if someone is being honest or not," stated Kakashi. "I've also known Boruto his entire life and I can tell when he's being honest."

"What about the fact he's the only one who can see it?"

"That's not to surprising. Shinobi invent new jutsu nearly every day and they can affect people differently. It stands to reason some people can see a jutsu others can't. In Boruto's case he seems to be the one exception. It might sound unbelievable, but it isn't impossible."

"Still sounds like a bit of a stretch to me."

"I understand. Thankfully, I didn't come here to convince merely to warn," said Kakashi before looking directly at the tv. "I want you all on high alert for this threat because I have a feeling it could affect anyone at any time. At this stage we are calling it the ghost. According to Boruto, it seems more likely to affect those who are feeling strong emotions of rage. I know this will be a difficult request to make, but please try to keep your anger in check until we can find a way to deal with this threat. I just hope we can accomplish this sooner rather than later."

Despite this announcement being made by the Hokage, there weren't many who took it seriously. Many agreed that this was just Boruto looking for attention. Furthermore, most didn't want to listen to any thing that 'disgusting' family had to say and so they just carried on with life as normal. Thankfully there had yet to be another incident.

The Uzumaki family however knew better and had decided to take more caution with their children's safety. At least one of them would be dropping Boruto and Natsuko off at the ninja academy and picking them up at the end of the day and they were forbidden from leaving the house without a parent. They feared Boruto would object to this, but he was surprisingly compliant. Having seen this danger firsthand he felt it was good to have a parent around just in case he was in a situation he couldn't handle.

Thankfully, this hadn't hindered Boruto or Natsuko's training, because a parent was happy to supervise them at the training grounds and even trained with them occasionally.

The only downside was it was hurting their social standing at school.

Hinata was currently dropping them off at the ninja academy and they could see a few students laughing at them.

"Please don't let them bother you," requested Hinata. "You know we're only doing this to protect you."

"Don't worry about it. I spent my whole life not caring what these close-minded idiots think why would I start now?" asked Boruto.

"At least we're not the only ones who get dropped off by parents," gestured Natsuko.

Naruto's friends had taken the warning to heart, and many were also dropping and picking their kids up from school. They could see Inojin being dropped of by his father Sai, Shikadai being dropped off by his mother Temari, who was giving him a hard time about staying out of trouble and most noticeably they could see Metal Lee being dropped off by his father who was wishing him to have a youthful day. Metal just looked annoyed by his antiques.

"He's actually a little annoyed at Brother for telling the Hokage," giggled Natsuko.

"He's only got himself to blame," countered Boruto. "I'm just glad we're not arguing anymore."

"Me too, it broke my heart when you and Metal stopped being friends," added Hinata. "I'm glad you worked out your differences."

Many students started going in as class was about to start.

"We'd better get going. See you later Mum," said Boruto. "Who's picking us up, you or Dad."

"Actually, Natsuko's mother will be doing pick up."

"But Mum's away on a mission," added Natsuko.

"Oh right, I forgot," said Hinata. "She called me last night to say she should be back around noon today and offered to do pick up this afternoon. This works well for us, because your father will be helping the Hokage all day and I have errands to run this afternoon. Also, she missed you two, so she practically begged to do pick up."

"Alright, we'll keep an eye out for Aunty after schools done," said Boruto. "See you tonight Mum."

Natsuko hugged and kissed Hinata on the cheek before following her brother.

"Have a good day Aunty," she said cheerfully.

The day went without issue. After Natsuko's fight with Iwabe, students had stopped being hostile with the Uzumaki siblings. They were starting to see there was nothing particularly odd about them. Sure their parents were polygamists, but so what? Their parents clearly loved each other, what did it matter if their were three. And the more the other students got to know Boruto and Natsuko, they realised they weren't much different from them. Thery were all students of the Leaf Ninja Academy and the Uzumaki siblings had every right to be there.

Unfortunately, while the other students were warming up to the Uzumaki family, the same couldn't be said for the parents.

At the end of the school day, Boruto and Natsuko went to the school gate and waited for Hanabi.

"Bye Boruto, bye Natsuko, see you tomorrow," said a student leaving the academy.

"See ya," returned Boruto as they both waved at him.

By chance this boy was also being picked up by his mother who was angry at him for talking to the siblings.

"Why are you talking to those freaks?" she demanded. "I thought I told you to stay away from them."

"Mum, they're not freaks, they're actually really cool," he argued.

"Don't give me that. Mark my words, they'll do something as disgraceful as their parents one day."

Boruto rolled his eyes.

"Close minded morons. I hope Aunty gets here soon so we can get away from them."

"I wonder where Mum is, its not like her to be late," said Natsuko.

Then out of nowhere they saw Hanabi running down the street before halting in front of the academy.

"Sorry I'm late guys," puffed Hanabi. "I fell asleep after I got home and lost track of time."

"That's ok we weren't waiting…"

"MUMMY," interjected Natsuko jumping into her mother's arms. "How was the mission?"

"It was good honey, really good," chucked Hanabi hugging her. "Glad to see you missed me, I definitely missed you."

"What about me?" grumbled Boruto.

"Yes, Boruto I missed you too," laughed Hanabi patting her nephew/stepson on the head.

The boy and his mother watched this. While the boy smiled at them, the mother was disgusted.

"Look at her, no shame at all. Not only did she bring that filthy harem bastard into the world, she acts like a mother to her sister's child. What nerve."

"Mum don't say that about Natsuko, she's actually a very nice girl," argued the boy.

"It doesn't matter how nice she is. Polygamy is a disgusting practice. Marriage is a union between two people, not three. Meaning any child born from that disgusting whore should have never been born and the world would be better off if they were dead."

Hanabi and the children overheard this. Boruto was grinding his teeth trying not to lash out, while Natsuko and Hanabi just held each other closely. After the Iwabe incident Natsuko wasn't reacting to people calling her a bastard as much, but it still hurt to hear. Hanabi on the other hand was feeling her blood boil. She'd done her best to ignore the comments of others over the years due to how loving her family was, but recently the comments were starting to get to her. It hurt her inside knowing that even after a decade, many refused to acknowledge her as Naruto's wife and treated her daughter like an abomination that shouldn't exist.

"Come on kids, lets go," gestured Hanabi leading them away from the drama.

Unfortunately, it only continued as they walked home. People tended to stare and whisper more when Hanabi was around. They'd gotten quieter over the years, but recently they were getting more vocal.

Hanabi heard things like: 'I heard the bastard has been starting fights at the academy, why do they let that disgusting thing attend?'. 'She's now put two kids in the hospital, why didn't the Hokage have her expelled?'. What broke Hanabi the most however were comments like: 'Guess the whore doesn't know how to keep the bastard under control' and 'Why do they keep that slut and her bastard around? If Naruto just abandoned them, he could have everything he ever wanted'. Not only that, they were also bringing Boruto into their insults: 'And now the son's causing trouble. You'd think he'd be normal as the legitimate child.'. 'If you ask me that filthy bastard and the whore are making him do that to take the attention off them.'. 'Yeah, I bet he's only bringing up this 'invisible' attacker to distract us from the actual culprit.'. 'I bet the bastard was the one who ran into the Hokage monument, because she and her mother love making the village look bad.'. 'Let's face it, the only ones causing trouble for the village is the slut and the bastard she tricked Naruto into fathering.'.

This broke Hanabi. She was sick of them saying she tricked, or seduced Naruto into fathering Natsuko. She was sick of them calling Natsuko a bastard, of them saying she wasn't Naruto's wife. But most of all, she was sick of them saying she was the cause of Naruto's problems, mostly because she kind of agreed. If she hadn't joined Naruto and Hinata's relationship, the village wouldn't be treating the two people she loved the most like freaks. Naruto would be thriving and likely be Hokage already. What's more, if she hadn't had Natsuko, an innocent child wouldn't be facing prejudice for something she couldn't control. While she had no regrets being Natsuko's mother, she hated herself for bringing a child into such an environment.

There was only one thing that kept Hanabi going and that was the knowledge that she wasn't the problem, the villagers were. If they could just let go of their prejudice and accept the Uzumaki family, all would be good. Unfortunately, the village didn't seem to be able to see past their beliefs of polygamy being an outdated and tyrannical practice, that painted the village in a bad light. Hanabi hated most of the villagers for this. There were some days she wished she could inflict the same pain on them, that had been inflicted on those she loved.

Little did she know, that moment would come and it would be out of her control. The same invisible force that attacked Denki and Metal, struck Hanabi.

Boruto's eye once again changed without him realising as he saw his Aunt emit the same Purple Chakra that had possessed his friends.

"Natsuko, get away from Auntie," ordered Boruto.

"Why?"

"It's gotten her, the ghost has Aunty."

"What?" asked Natsuko horrified.

Hanabi had more anger on her face then either of them had ever seen.

"Mum, are you ok?" asked Natsuko carefully. "Mum."

Hanabi ignored her and approached a group of two men and women that were talking about them.

"What do you want?" asked a disgusted woman.

"Why do you keep saying horrible things about me and my daughter?"

Hanabi's voice sounded calm, but Boruto and Natsuko knew better.

"We're not saying anything that isn't true," interjected a man. "You're the one who chose to be a disgusting freak. And you can't blame us for your daughter's treatment, you have no one to blame but yourself."

Hanabi clenched her fists which went as white as chalk.

"Why don't you do us all a favour and get the hell out of the village," spat the woman. "And take your disgusting bastard with you. We have no room in this village for freaks like you."

"We'll forgive Naruto for keeping you around so long," said the other man.

"We don't blame him for this," spoke the other woman. "He just felt it was his responsibility as a father to look after his child, even if he was tricked into having it."

"Over time he'll realise that neither of you are worth his time and energy," said the first man. "Because all you were doing was holding him back from his dream."

Hanabi stood still, but she was now gripping her hands so tightly, they were bleeding.

"Got nothing to say?" spat the second woman. "Course you don't, you know we're right."

"The only disgusting freaks in this village," said Hanabi calmly. "ARE PEOPLE LIKE YOU."

Hanabi hit the first man in the chest with a gentle fist that sent him flying. She then attacked the remaining members of the group until they were out cold.

"Mum stop," called Natsuko running over, but her cries fell on deaf ears.

Hanabi jumped to the top of a building and screamed "YOU WON'T HURT MY FAMILY ANYMORE."

Boruto and Natsuko could only look in horror as one of their parents caused havoc throughout the village.

"What do we do Brother?" asked Natsuko.

"You go find Grandpa and my mum," advised Boruto. "I'll go see Old Man Kakashi and see if he knows where Dad is. The others were only able to break free after calming down and we'll need all the help we can get if we want to stop Aunty quickly."

"Alright, good luck Brother," nodded Natsuko.

They ran in the opposite direction to find the best people they could to calm Hanabi down.

Boruto wasted no time getting to the Hokage's Office. As expected, the guards there wouldn't let him in, but Boruto didn't have time to explain and pushed through them.

Meanwhile, Kakashi was in the middle of paperwork currently unaware of the situation at hand.

"Hey, you can't go in there," called a voice from out side the door.

Boruto burst through the door.

"Old Man Kakashi, where's Dad? It's an emergency."

Before Kakashi could answer a shinobi appeared and grabbed Boruto by the collar.

"I told you, you couldn't come in here," here lectured. "Sorry for this Lord Sixth we told him you were busy, and he refused to listen."

Kakashi held up a hand.

"Let him go, clearly what he has to say couldn't wait."

"But Lord Sixth protocol dictates…"

"Let him go," ordered Kakashi.

"Yes, Lord Sixth," he said releasing Boruto.

"Return to your post," ordered Kakashi.

"Yes sir," the man closed the door behind him.

"Now, Boruto, what's going on?" asked Kakashi. "Even you won't barge into my office without reason."

"Where's Dad?" Boruto pleased.

"Before I tell you I need to know what's going on," stated Kakashi.

"Dammit, there's no time, Aunty's been attacked by The Ghost," stated Boruto.

"What?" asked Kakashi. "Are you sure?"

"Yes I'm sure, she was attacked by the same thing that attacked Metal and Denki, I'm positive!"

Kakashi was about to enquire more when the phone rang.

"Hokage's office?"

"Lord Sixth, we have a situation. Hanabi Uzumaki has started attacking the village for no reason. Many are injured, but thankfully there are no casualties."

"I'll be right there," said Kakashi standing and hanging up.

"Was that about?"

"Yes, I just got confirmation that your aunt is rampaging through the village," answered Kakashi putting on his head band.

"Old Man… I mean Lord Sixth, you gotta believe me this isn't her fault," pleaded Boruto.

"I believe you Boruto, I knew the moment you came in something was wrong," stated Kakashi. "Come with me, we'll find your father and put a stop to this before it gets to bad."

They ran from the office, Kakashi in the lead and Boruto following closely behind.

"If you don't mind me asking, why do you think The Ghost attacked your aunt?" asked Kakashi.

"Let's just say all the hatred the village has towards Aunty and Natsuko is coming back to haunt them," answered Boruto.

"I was afraid of this," thought Kakashi as he led Boruto to his father.

Meanwhile, Natsuko was scanning the village as quickly as she could to find Hinata. She had decided to locate Hinata first, as her grandfather could be found easily at the Hyuga compound.

Natsuko eventually found Hinata leaving a store with her arms full of groceries and hurried over without a second thought.

"Aunty," called Natsuko landing in front of Hinata.

"Natsuko? What's going on?"

"It's Mum, she's been attacked by The Ghost. Please, we have to help her."

Hearing the desperation in Natsuko's voice, Hinata dropped the groceries and followed her.

After everyone had been found they rushed to the site of the skirmish, praying they could stop Hanabi before it was too late.

Chapter Text

Hanabi continued her rampage through the Leaf Village. Civilian's ran in panic, because regardless of their opinion of her, they knew she was a powerful Shinobi, highly trained in the Hyuga techniques. Many Shinobi and members of the Konoha Police Force had stepped forward to stop her, but their efforts had been in vain. Any shinobi that had tried to stop her ended up on the ground, temporarily paralysed from her gentle fist. As a jonin level Shinobi, Hanabi's threat level was high, but her anger towards the village seemed to make her even stronger. Before long, there was a trail of bodies left behind from her rampage. Surprisingly enough, no one had died.

A member of the police force was currently crawling away horrified as Hanabi approached.

"Please, don't kill me."

"You misunderstand, I have no intention of killing you," said Hanabi. "My family continues to suffer because of close minded people like you. I want you to feel as much pain as we've felt. You can't do that if your dead."

This only made the officer more scarred as Hanabi hit him in the chest with the gentle fist. She continued knowing she'd be unsatisfied until the village paid its debt.

Using her Byakugan she scanned for people trying to hind. She found another small group hiding around the corner. The group consisted of a mother and father with a young boy.

"Please, don't hurt us," pleaded the mother.

"That depends on you, and if you've done anything to hurt my family," answered Hanabi.

"We haven't done anything to your family, I swear," stated the father. "We knew better then to anger the jinchuriki of the Nine Tails."

"Even if I believe you, did you do anything to stand up for us?" asked Hanabi. "Did you tell people off for calling me a whore, my daughter a bastard or my sister disgraceful for allowing this to happen?"

"We thought it would be better to stay out of it," answered the mother.

"So, if other words, you did nothing?" spat Hanabi. "That makes you just as bad as the others."

Hanabi was about to strike when the kid stepped in front of her with his arms spread out.

"No, I won't let you hurt my mum and dad."

As Hanabi looked into the child's eyes she remembered why she was doing this. To hurt those who had hurt her daughter and nephew. How was she any better if she hurt an innocent child trying to protect his parents? And to her knowledge, this family hadn't done anything to hurt hers. Perhaps she could make a few exceptions.

Hanabi lowered her arms.

"Consider yourself lucky."

As Hanabi ran off to continue her rampage, the family huddled together, relieved they were ok.

Hanabi continued to scan the village. Unfortunately, most were smart enough to know hiding was pointless and were running away.

"So, they want to do this the hard way? That's fine, it'll make their pain last longer."

Before charging off, six shinobi appeared before her. They included, Kiba, Shino, Sakura, Ino, Choji and Shikamaru. They were all friends who had supported the Uzumaki family over the last decade.

"Hanabi stop, this isn't helping anyone," stated Ino.

"Get out of my way," growled Hanabi.

"No, we're not going to let you hurt anymore people," stated Sakura. "I know these people hurt you but hurting them back isn't the answer."

Hanabi glared at Sakura with white hot rage.

"That's rich coming from you. You were one of the first people to express hatred towards us when our relationship became public."

"I know it may seem that way and I acknowledge what I did was wrong. Remember, my reaction to your relationship was based more on my personal history with Naruto and I came around quite quickly," stated Sakura. "I have nothing against you, or your family and I love your kids like they were my own. You know that."

"Do I? Because Naruto 'knew' the village accepted him for who he was," said Hanabi. "Then he took a second wife and suddenly the entire village believes he's a tyrannical freak who'll use his strength to forcefully take an unlimited number of wives."

"Hanabi, you know we don't believe that," argued Ino. "We know you guys are together because you and Hinata both love Naruto so much that you found sharing him to be the best option. And I know it might not seem like much, but we've done everything we can to support your family. We're still just as close to Naruto and Hinata as we were as children and you've become a part of our friend group through them. And whenever we hear someone bad mouth you guys in public, we tell them off and remind them it's none of their business."

"If you really wanted to support us, you wouldn't be stopping me, you'd be helping me," stated Hanabi.

"You know we can't. Hurting others will just cause more problems for everyone," argued Shikamaru.

"Then I repeat. Get out of my way," demanded Hanabi.

Kiba stepped forward.

"Hanabi, do you really think Hinata would appreciate what you're doing? She helped you become a part of your new family. The hate you receive from the village hurts her just as much as it hurts you. And doing this will only hurt your family more."

"I think Big Sister should appreciate what I'm doing," argued Hanabi. "I'm not just standing up for my daughter, but for her son as well."

"Hinata wouldn't approve of your actions, and you know it," argued Shino.

Hanabi was getting tired of arguing.

"I don't want to hurt you guys, but I will if you don't move aside."

"You know we won't," Sakura took a fighting stance. "We're not going to let you hurt anymore people."

"Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you and if you run away, I won't hurt you. I'll start with the one who was cruel to my family."

Sakura knew Hanabi meant her and prepared to counterattack. Then to everyone's surprise, Hanabi moved so quickly she disappeared.

"Where'd, she go?" asked Sakura.

"Sakura, behind you," warned Ino.

Sakura turned to see Hanabi approaching ready to strike with the gentle fist. She jumped out of the way just in time.

Wanting to end this quickly, Shikamaru prepared his Shadow Possession Jutsu, but with her Byakugan active Hanabi saw what he was up to and struck him before he had a chance to use it. Shikamaru went flying and crashed into a wall.

"I won't make it that easy," stated Hanabi.

"Hanabi," charged Kiba.

He threw a punch, which Hanabi managed to block just in time.

"Are you really going to hurt the younger sister of your former teammate?"

"I will if I have to," Kiba returned. "And don't forget, I don't fight alone."

Kiba's dog Akamaru charged at Hanabi.

"And don't you forget, I can see everything," Hanabi turned and blocked the dogs attack with her other arm.

Hanabi then followed up by kicking Akamaru in the opposite direction.

"Akamaru," gasped Kiba.

"Your dog's getting old Kiba, you should think about getting a new one," spat Hanabi.

With Kiba distracted, Hanabi manage to strike him with the gentle fist sending him flying into a nearby wall.

"Ok, who's next?" asked Hanabi.

"PARTIAL EXPANSION JUTSU," yelled Choji.

Hanabi turned and saw a huge arm coming her way. She jumped out of the way, but then Choji expanded his other arm and caught her mid-air. Hanabi tried to break free, but Choji's massive grip was firm.

"Hold her still," ordered Ino getting in front and preparing a hand sign.

Hanabi knew what was coming. If Ino managed to trap her with her mind transfer jutsu, the battle would be over. Hanabi couldn't let that happen. Thankfully, she had another trick up her sleeve. Just before Ino was able to transfer her mind to Hanabi's, the vengeful woman disappeared in a cloud of smoke, leaving Choji gripping a piece of wood.

"A substitution," exclaimed Ino.

Before they could react, Hanabi struck Choji from behind, used her Byakugan to locate and hit Choji's pressure points, before kicking him to the ground. Hanabi then charged at Ino and struck her in the stomach before Ino could retaliate. Ino faced the same fate as her comrades, as she too got thrown into a wall.

"I'm truly sorry Ino," said Hanabi, shedding a tear. "You've always been kind to us. It's a shame you couldn't see things my way."

Hanabi turned and faced the final obstacles in her path. The team of six that had come to subdue her was now down to two.

"It's like her strength has increased since being infected," observed Shino.

"It probably has, we don't know the full extent of The Ghosts abilities," stated Sakura.

Hanabi walked towards them.

"This is your final warning, get out of my way or suffer the same fate as them."

Shino and Sakura got ready to fight.

"We can't do that Hanabi," said Shino. "Regardless of how much the villagers have hurt you and your family, what you are doing is wrong, and we'll do whatever we must to stop you."

"Shame," sighed Hanabi. "I know it will upset Naruto and Big Sister if I hurt their old teammates, but I think they'll understand they left me no choice. They'll see I'm doing this for the greater good."

"You haven't won yet," interjected Sakura. "I'm not worried about losing, the only thing I'm worried about is how angry Naruto will be after I've beaten you into the ground."

"Hit me with your best shot," taunted Hanabi.

"Oh, I will," said Sakura before whispering to Shino. "Remember the plan?"

Shino nodded and Sakura charged forward. She threw a punch at Hanabi who jumped out of the way, as she knew how destructive Sakura's attacks were. Sakura's attack hit the ground which levelled everything around her.

"Did you really think I was dumb enough to fall for that?" asked Hanabi. "I know all about your training with the Fifth Hokage and I know better than to let you hit me. Thankfully, you're easy to avoid, as your attacks are slow and predictable."

"Who says I was aiming to hit you?" smirked Sakura.

Suddenly Hanabi was surrounded by a swam of beetles. She looked and saw Shino releasing his clans signature bugs from his arms.

"So, still trying to subdue instead of defeat?" thought Hanabi. "That'll be their downfall."

The bugs closed in on Hanabi, as Shino ordered them to imprison her.

"ROTATION," Hanabi screamed spinning in every way possible and creating a blue spherical barrier between her and Shino's bugs.

Any bug that was two close was deflected, and the rest were blown away.

"Is that the best you have?" lectured Hanabi to Shino. "After all those years of being Big Sister's teammate did you really think that would work?"

"Couldn't hurt to try," argued Shino.

Sakura jumped and landed next to Shino.

"Let's just hope she doesn't figure out that our plan isn't to subdue her, but to wear her out by forcing her to use up her chakra," she whispered.

"Unfortunately, I think we're a long way away from that," stated Shino. "I don't like our chances of winning.

"We don't have to win," stated Sakura. "We just have to hold her off long enough for Naruto to get here."

Unfortunately, that help would still take a while, as Kakashi and Boruto were still in the process of finding Naruto. Thankfully, there was another team making their way to the scene.

"Hanabi's close by, she's just around the corner," stated Hinata with her Byakugan active.

"Good, hopefully we can get her to stop before she does anymore damaged," added Hiashi.

Hinata suddenly came to a halt.

"Natsuko stay here."

"But Aunty, I want to help," begged Natsuko.

"I know, but I don't think you should see your mother this way," argued Hinata. "If she were in her right mind, she wouldn't want you to see her this way either."

"Alright," sighed Natsuko agreeing to stay.

"Go home, we'll be back as soon as we can," advised Hinata before taking off with Hiashi.

Silently, they all knew Natsuko had no intention of going home.

Hinata and Hiashi turned the corner to see Hanabi engaged in combat with Sakura. They then spotted all who had failed to stop her. Even Shino had been added to the defeated.

"They're alive," observed Hinata, using her Byakugan to check their vitals. "Thank goodness."

"I have a feeling she finds killing them too merciful right now," stated Hiashi.

"Let's just hope she listens to us," stated Hinata charging forward. "HANABI STOP."

The sound of her sister distracted Hanabi. Sakura took this chance to throw a punch that would end the fight. Unfortunately, she forgot Hanabi saw everything. She grabbed Sakura's arm and threw her over her shoulder. Sakura landed on a nearby rooftop, she wasn't defeated, but felt it might be smart to step back for a bit to see if Hinata and Hiashi could deescalate the situation.

"I better go check on the wounded," she said while retreating.

Thankfully, the presence of her sister had calmed Hanabi down. She even deactivated her Byakugan.

"So, what do you think Big Sister? I'm showing these worthless creatures the same pain they've shown us over the last decade."

Hinata heard pure anger in her sister's words.

"Is that why you haven't killed anyone?"

"Of course, you can't hurt people if they're dead," said Hanabi coldly.

"That doesn't mean you should hurt them," argued Hinata.

"Why not?" asked Hanabi. "They've never showed us mercy, why should we show it to them."

"Because we're better than this," argued Hinata. "We're better than them."

"How has that helped us?" asked Hanabi. "It hasn't stopped them from mistreating us, from bullying our children. Don't you understand Big Sister, I'm not just doing this for myself and Natsuko, I'm doing this for all of us, so the discrimination against our family can end."

"What about them," gestured Hinata to their injured friends. "They never hurt you, or our family. They're our friends, they only ever showed us love and support."

"If they really supported us, they wouldn't have stood in my way, they would've helped me," argued Hanabi. "I gave them plenty of chances to step aside but they refused. It saddened me to hurt them, but I had no choice."

"We always have a choice," called a voice.

Hiashi had joined the discussion.

"In every situation we have a choice to do either what is right, or what is wrong."

"You," said Hanabi coldly. "You lecture me about choosing between right and wrong. How many times have you chosen to do the right thing?"

"I've done a lot of wrong in my life, I won't deny that," admitted Hiashi. "But you know, I've been trying to do better ever since you told me about your relationship with Naruto."

"No, you haven't," spat Hanabi. "After we told you about our relationship and my pregnancy, the first thing you did was tell the Hyuga Elders, which only caused us more pain."

"I know what I did was unforgivable, but at the time I felt it was my duty as clan head to let them know we no longer had…"

"Don't give me that," interrupted Hanabi. "No matter how you spin it, it was the wrong thing to do. If you really wanted to help us, you would've stayed silent. Maybe then we would've had a few years of peace before the truth came out. And don't even get me started on the way you treated Big Sister growing up."

Hiashi had become speechless by his daughters' words.

"If you ask me, all the discrimination against our family, STARTED BECAUSE OF YOU," Hanabi charged at Hiashi planning to make him her next victim.

Hanabi and Hiashi clashed, with Hanabi attacking with a multitude of gentle fist attacks. Thankfully, having taught Hanabi how to fight, Hiashi was able to defend against her. Unfortunately, Hanabi's techniques were a lot more vicious then usual and as predicted, whatever had possessed her seemed to make her stronger. Hiashi's age also wasn't helping in his struggle. Before long, Hanabi gained the upper hand on her father by landing a hit and pushing him backwards.

"You're getting slow in your old age Father," she spat closing in.

She charged in for a finishing attack but was blocked by an intervening Hinata.

"Hanabi, stop," ordered Hinata. "I know you're angry, but now you're just hurting people for no reason."

"Big Sister, you gave me everything I could've asked for. You let me share the man you love, all because you knew it would make me happy and doing so allowed us to grow closer as well. You and Naruto have made me happier than I've ever been and given me everything I've ever wanted. I have a husband who I love with all my heart and a beautiful daughter who means the world to me. It hurts me so much when I see people treat her like a disgusting creature who should've never been born. That's why I'm doing this, so they can't hurt her anymore."

"I know, but there's a better way to do this," argued Hinata.

Hanabi however didn't want to hear it.

"I don't want to hurt you Big Sister, but I will if you try and stop me."

"I'm sorry Hanabi, but I'm not going to let you hurt anymore villagers," declared Hinata.

"Good luck trying to stop me," countered Hanabi. "We both know you can't hurt me. You couldn't hurt me when we were kids, and I know you won't hurt me now. We might not be kids anymore, but I know in your eyes, I'll always be the precious little sister you refuse to hurt."

Hinata said nothing as she knew Hanabi was right. No matter how old they got, she could never hurt her little sister.

Hanabi threw a gentle fist attack. Hinata managed to block it and the two of them proceeded to engage in battle. As predicted Hinata refused to hurt her sister and proceeded to defend the entire fight, while Hanabi threw attack after attack.

Meanwhile, Kakashi and Boruto had finally managed to locate Naruto.

"They're close by," stated Kakashi. "Naruto, how do you want to handle this?"

"You want me to take lead?" asked Naruto.

"You know Hanabi better than I do, so I think it might be better if you decide what we do," stated Kakashi. "We know we need to calm her down, and something tells me you'll be better at that then me."

"True," Naruto suddenly came to a halt. "I think it might be better if I face her alone. You told me she's angry at the entire village, so the less people present the better."

"Agreed," nodded Kakashi.

"Stay with Boruto, I'll go on by myself," Naruto requested.

"Dad, hold on," interjected Boruto.

"Boruto, I know you've already dealt with someone affected, but this isn't Metal or Denki. Your Aunt is a Jonin Shinobi and she's very dangerous," advised Naruto.

"You know she won't hurt me, she couldn't," argued Boruto.

"Perhaps, but according to you, when someone's infected, they're not in their right mind," stated Naruto. "You even said you feel someone is pulling the strings. If that's the case, we don't know what your aunt is capable of right now. I'll feel a lot better if you stay behind with Lord Sixth. At least then I'll know you're safe."

"Fine," grumbled Boruto.

"Sensei, keep an eye on him," requested Naruto. "Restrain him if you must."

"Yeah, alright," sighed Kakashi as Naruto took off. "You know, I thought being Hokage meant I didn't have to babysit anymore."

"I'm just as annoyed as you are," grumbled Boruto with crossed arms.

As Naruto raced to the sight of the conflict, he prayed he would be enough to stop Hanabi's rampage.

Chapter Text

The fight between Hinata and Hanabi continued. Hinata continued to defend, because despite everything Hanabi was doing she was still her little sister and she couldn't bring herself to heart her. Unfortunately, the weight of Hanabi's attacks were starting to wear on Hinata. In her exhaustion, Hinata made a mistake and left herself open giving Hanabi the chance she needed. Hanabi struck Hinata in the stomach, pushing the older sister back and on to her knees.

"No matter what the result is the same," sighed Hanabi. "We'll never know which of us is stronger, because you refuse to fight be seriously."

"Well, you always said I was the Super Sister," puffed Hinata.

"You are, you refuse to hurt me regardless of the situation and you gave me everything I ever wanted," stated Hanabi.

"Isn't that enough?" asked Hinata. "If you have everything you could ever want, why do you insist on causing others pain?"

"You know why. Because they view us as freaks and they refuse to treat us as people. I thought it would get better over time, but nothing's changed. I thought I could get through it knowing Naruto loves me as much as he loves you, but… they hurt my daughter," cried Hanabi. "For the past eleven years, I've had to sit and watch while this village treats my daughter like her existence is a sin. I've seen her come home crying after facing verbal and physical abuse from others and whenever Natsuko tries to defend herself, people insist she's the one at fault."

"Hanabi I…"

"And I know it's not just happened to Natsuko. I know Boruto's faced similar hate. He doesn't show it as much, but we both know he's also mistreated by the villagers. It's not as bad considering the village at least views him as a legitimate child, but we both know they hate him just for being associated with us. And like Natsuko, he's also viewed as the villain if he tries to stand up for us," stated Hanabi. "Don't tell me you haven't seen it. The hurt looks on his face when the village can't keep their opinions to themselves. If I can see it as his aunt, I know you see it as his mother."

Hinata didn't have an answer for this. She knew that despite Hanabi not being in her right mind, the words she spoke were true. She started to wonder if it had been a mistake to keep living in the Leaf Village.

Thankfully, their saving graced seemed to arrive.

"Hanabi," called Naruto.

Hanabi turned to face the man she loved with all her heart.

"How much of that did you hear?"

"All of it," admitted Naruto.

"Then surely, you of all people can understand why I'm doing this," argued Hanabi.

Naruto hung his head in shame.

"That doesn't make it right."

"Naruto, why do you keep defending them?" demanded Hanabi. "For most of your childhood, they treated you like a monster. All because of the nine-tailed demon fox sealed inside you. Most people would've grown to hate the village for that, but somehow you didn't. You never gave up. It's what Big Sister has always loved about you, and I love you for it as well. You worked hard to gain the village's love and approval and eventually it worked. Then, you did one little thing they didn't approve of, and it all went down the drain. And yet, this didn't discourage you. You believed you could gain it all back through hard work."

"That's right," said Naruto full of shame.

"Lot of good that did us," spat Hanabi. "Despite everything you've done for them, they hate you, all because you chose to take a second wife. I know I fell in love with you first and I was the one who asked to join you and Hinata. I knew the risks involved, I knew some people wouldn't take kindly to this, but… I just don't understand. Why do you keep defending those who mistreated you as a child? Why do you let them treat your children the same way you were treated."

A tear formed in Naruto's eyes.

"I hate that they treat you this way. I wanted to cause pain and fear to those who hurt my wives and children. I didn't because it would only make things worse. Not only that, but it would also add evidence to the thing I've spent my entire life trying to disprove. That I'm a monster."

"You're not the monster Naruto. They are," declared Hanabi.

"I know, which is why I have no good excuse for what's happened," stated Naruto defeated. "By wanting to regain the approval of the village I've caused us all so much pain. I was able to ignore it, because I'm used to it, but I should've thought more on how it was affecting you, Hinata and the kids. I should've done more to protect those I love the most. I should've let the village know I wasn't going to tolerate any hate against my wives and children. But I didn't, because I feared doing so would only make things worse for us. I took my Sensei's advice and only did as much as I could without causing trouble. But you're right. It's only made things worse for us. I went back to trying to earn the villages approval, so I could achieve my dream of being Hokage, when I should've been focused on my family and our happiness."

"Naruto wait," called Hinata struggling to get to her feet. "Don't forget, we encouraged you to keep fighting for your dreams, because it felt wrong that our dreams came at the cost of yours."

"That doesn't make what I did right," countered Naruto. "As a husband and father my main duty should've been to my family. A duty in which I've failed."

This surprised everyone, Naruto was never one to accept failure.

"I'm sorry. I've been a bad husband to you both and a bad father to our children," admitted Naruto. "And I'm an idiot for not realising it till now."

This statement enraged Hanabi.

"YES YOU ARE."

She charged at Naruto with a gentle fist strike ready. Hinata tried to charge forward and intervene, but she was still hurt from her fight with Hanabi.

Hanabi threw her attach and struck Naruto in the chest. What was surprising however, was that Naruto did nothing to defend himself. It was as if he was accepting something he deserved. He took the full force of the attack and went flying into a nearby building.

Normally, Hanabi would've continued attacking, but this stopped her dead in her tracks.

"Why?"

"A good husband doesn't harm his wife. At least I got that part right," chucked Naruto.

This made Hanabi reconsider what she was doing. Maybe everyone was right. Maybe what she was doing was wrong. It was clear Naruto blamed himself for this, so much so that he seemed willing to let Hanabi kill him if it would stop her rampage.

Thankfully, it didn't have to come to that.

"MUM STOP," called a voice.

They all turned to see Natsuko running down the street with tears in her eyes. She bolted past Hanabi and stood between her mother and father with her arms outstretched.

"I know your angry, but please, don't hurt Dad," begged Natsuko.

Seeing the tears in her daughter's eyes, Hanabi lowered her arms.

Boruto and Kakashi also came around the corner upon hearing all the commotion.

"You're right, living in this village hasn't been easy for us, especially you and me," stated Natsuko. "And I'd be a liar if I said the hurtful comments didn't get to me, but I don't want to hurt others because of it and I don't blame any of you for this. Through all of this, I've had you, Dad, Aunty and Big Brother. Every day we remind each other, that despite what the public thinks, we're a family and we love each other. That's the only reason I've been able to deal with the hate, because I know that at the end of the day, I can come home to the people who love me most. The only opinions that matter are ours. Maybe Dad could've done more, but for as long as I can remember he's been nothing but a devoted father to Brother and I, and a loving husband to you and Aunty."

Everyone was impressed by Natsuko's words and bravery.

"I know your angry at the villagers for the pain they caused us but hurting them won't solve anything. All it will do is cause more pain. There's already too much pain in the world and I want it to stop."

Tears were now streaming down Natsuko's face like miniature waterfalls. Hanabi realised that the person she had hurt most with her rampage was her own daughter. She was just as bad as the other villagers. What kind of mother was she?

"I've failed her," thought Hanabi.

Hanabi then felt an arm on her shoulder. She looked and saw a Hyuga woman with long dark blue hair, pale skin and wearing a kimono the same colour as her hair. What was odd however was that the woman appeared slightly transparent and only Hanabi could see her.

"You haven't failed anyone sweetheart," said the woman. "The ones who have failed are the villagers for not learning from the mistakes of the past. You're a wonderful mother and wife Hanabi, never forget that."

These were the words Hanabi needed to hear the most. After this the woman disappeared.

Out of nowhere, Hanabi struggled and gagged in pain, as she let go of the hatred she had for the villagers. Then she appeared to vomit, but nothing escaped her mouth, nothing that most could see anyway.

"There, that's the ghost," exclaimed Boruto. "Can't you see it?"

"No, I can't," sighed Kakashi. "How can you…"

Kakashi trailed of when he noticed something odd about Boruto's right eye. He knelt and made Boruto face him.

"What?" asked Boruto.

"Your eye, what is that? I've never seen anything like it," stated Kakashi.

"My eye?"

Boruto blinked and his eye returned to normal.

"After this is resolved, I want you to see someone who specialises in eye techniques."

"Eye techniques?" asked Boruto. "Do you think I have the Byakugan?"

"It's not the Byakugan, but it's definitely worth investigating," answered Kakashi.

Meanwhile, Hanabi had fallen to her knees.

"Mum?" asked Natsuko cautiously approaching Hanabi.

Hanabi responded by wrapping her arms around her daughter.

"Natsuko, I'm so sorry," she cried squeezing her. "By trying to hurt others, the one I hurt the most was you."

Natsuko hugged her back.

"It's ok Mum, Brother told me you got possessed by The Ghost, you weren't in control."

"But this only happened because I couldn't keep my anger in check. No matter how you look at it this is my fault."

Hanabi and Natsuko held each other, as the rest of the Uzumaki family gathered around them. Naruto and Hinata had found the strength to stand, and Boruto walked over to join them. They all knelt and joined the hug.

"It's ok Hanabi," said Hinata comfortingly. "We're here for you, all of us."

"Why? You gave me everything I ever wanted, and I hurt both of you," cried Hanabi.

"As Natsuko said, you weren't yourself," assured Naruto.

The family's moment of comfort was short lived as they were suddenly surrounded by the Konoha Police Force.

"Hanabi Uzumaki, you are under arrest for your crimes against the village," declared the one in charge.

Kakashi wanted to step in and say something, but being Hokage put him in a difficult position. He knew Hanabi wasn't in control of her actions and was by all account's innocent, but at the same time he couldn't deny the destruction she had caused across the village.

Boruto was about to step in and defend his aunt, when Hanabi stood up and walked towards them. She put her hands out.

"I won't resist. I'm willing to accept the punishment I'm given."

"Mum no," called Natsuko.

She wanted to run to her mother, but Naruto held her back.

"It's ok honey," cried Hanabi. "I brought this upon myself. Let's just be glad you stopped me before I could do too much damage. You were so brave today Natsuko, I'm so proud of you. Be a good girl for your dad and aunt."

As Hanabi was arrested, Natsuko continued to cry for her.

"NO, MUM, MUUUUUM."

Eventually she broke down and cried into her father's arms.

As the Konoha Police force escorted Hanabi through the village, she found herself passing many of the people she hurt. Medics had been sent to help the wounded. Just as Hanabi intended no one had died, but they were shaken up by the event. Many looked at her with the usual disgust, but most looked at her with fear in their eyes. While they had always been disgusted by Hanabi's actions, she had never been this outwardly violent like this. While known as the more outgoing and quicker to anger of the sisters, Hanabi had kept her anger in check for the sake of her family. Now they were all facing the consequences of her actions.

"Hanabi," called a voice.

Sakura jumped down followed by the friends Hanabi had hurt in her rampage.

"I'm so sorry you guys," was all Hanabi could say.

"It's ok we're not mad at you," admitted Ino. "We know you weren't in control."

"That doesn't excuse what I did," stated Hanabi. "I hurt people who've done nothing but support me and my family."

"Don't be a drag," interjected Shikamaru. "With this annoying attacker going around, something like this was bound to happen eventually. It was just unlucky it happened to be you."

"Something tells me the village won't see it that why if this goes to trail," argued Hanabi.

"Don't think about that right now," advised Sakura. "Just tell the truth and stay focused on what's important. Think of Natsuko and stay hopeful that you'll see her again."

"Do I deserve to be in her life after what I've done?" asked Hanabi.

"Don't be silly of course you do. You're her mother and she loves you," advised Ino. "Losing you would hurt her more than anything else could."

"You're right," stated Hanabi. "Thank you, I guess I'll see you later."

"Hanabi," stated Kiba stepping forward. "We're all behind you in this. Don't forget that."

"You're all true friends," responded Hanabi. "Which are hard to find in this village."

Before long, Hanabi found herself sitting at a table in an interrogation room. She was amazed they were even bothering with this. She would've been less surprised if they had decided to simply exile them from the village right there and then.

She'd been waiting for roughly half an hour, when Kakashi came in followed by a large man Hanabi knew as Ibiki. Hanabi had a bad feeling about this, as Ibiki was known for using extreme methods of interrogation.

"What's he doing here?" she asked. "Are you planning to torture me for interrogation?"

"Only if you're not honest," answered Ibiki.

"Ibiki, not the time," ordered Kakashi.

"You know it's why I'm brought into interrogate," stated Ibiki. "And why I'm the commander of the Konoha Torture and Interrogation Force."

"Yes, but it's not why you've been asked to be a part of this interrogation," reminded Kakashi.

"What's going on?" asked Hanabi.

"I'm so sorry about this Hanabi," said Kakashi taking a seat at the table. "I wanted to do this interrogation myself, but the other village leaders feared I would be to lenient with you given my relationship with your family. Nevertheless, I insisted on being the one to interrogate you, but they only agreed on the condition I bring Ibiki with me to be a non-biased third party. And because he's known for his ability to get… accurate information."

"But like I said, that won't be necessary as long as you tell the truth," stated Ibiki.

"Something tells me it won't matter if I tell the truth, because you won't believe me anyway," spat Hanabi.

"That's enough Hanabi," interjected Kakashi. "You're not a prisoner of war and you're not a spy, so we don't need to take extreme measures. Your crimes are serious, but no one was killed or even hurt that badly, so it's been decided this will be taken to trail and your fate will be decided there."

"Why bother? We know this village has it in for me," stated Hanabi.

"I know, but it's the only choice we have," said Kakashi. "Tell me what happened, and I'll do everything I can to help you."

Thinking of her daughter, Hanabi knew the best thing she could do was fight for her freedom.

"This wasn't entirely my fought," she stated.

"I know it wasn't, you were possessed by The Ghost correct?" queried Kakashi.

"I guess so, but you'd probably have to ask Boruto to know for sure," answered Hanabi.

"I have, he said you were possessed by the same mysterious chakra that possessed Denki and Metal," stated Kakashi.

"You mean this mysterious 'ghost' only your nephew can, see?" asked Ibiki suspiciously.

Hanabi looked away.

"Why should we even bother arguing I was possessed if no one but Boruto can see it? And no one believes Boruto, they just think he's trying to protect us."

"I believe him," stated Kakashi. "And not just because of my relationship with your family. He told me the exact moment The Ghost left your body, and I think I saw the reason he can see it."

Kakashi pointed to his eye.

"His right eye can change into some odd Kekkei Genkai that seems to give him the ability to see The Ghost."

Hanabi looked at Kakashi curiously.

"Kekkei Genkai in his eye? Do you think Boruto has unlocked the Byakugan?"

"No, I've fought against plenty of Byakugan users, and I can say with absolute certainty, whatever Boruto has, it isn't the Byakugan," answered Kakashi.

"Then what is it?" asked Hanabi.

"I'm not sure, but that's what I plan to find out," said Kakashi. "I've asked Naruto and Hinata to take him to see someone that specializes in eye related Jutsu's, maybe they can figure out what it is. For now, all we know is that it's the reason Boruto is the only one who can see 'The Ghost'.

"Do you think that'll be enough to convince people of my innocence?" asked Hanabi.

"Unfortunately, no. In addition to Boruto being the only one to see The Ghost, I'm the only one who's seen the change in his eye," answered Kakashi.

"Then what can we do?" asked Hanabi.

"Well, thankfully this isn't an isolated incident. As you'll recall both Denki and Metal were possessed before you, so it means there have been others who experienced this possession. I haven't spoken to them yet, but hopefully they'll be willing to testify on your behalf!" explained Kakashi. "But that's not what we're focusing on right now. What I need to know from you is what you felt while possessed. I'm going to ask Mental and Denki the same to see if their stories match, but for now I think it's best to focus on you. If there really is an enemy out there who can possess people, your possession is the most significant example we have right now."

"Why?" asked Hanabi.

"You are a much stronger Shinobi then Denki and Metal, both physically and psychologically!" explained Kakashi. "Even if we assume Metal Lee has strength compatible to a Chunin, that still puts his position one tier below you as a Jonin. If The Ghost could only possess those with the psychological strength of a Genin or Chunin, this threat would be easier to manage, but now that we know The Ghost is strong enough to affect the psyche of Jonin Level Shinobi, this makes the threat far greater than we originally thought. So, as the first Jonin level shinobi The Ghost has possessed, we need you to explain your experience, which will hopefully allow us to find a way to deal with the situation. If we can convince the other villagers of the severity of the situation, hopefully they'll understand this wasn't your fault."

"Do you really think that'll work?" asked Hanabi.

"We won't know unless we try," answered Kakashi. "Please Hanabi, tell me everything you can remember."

"Alright," decided Hanabi. "If I'm honest I can't remember much of what happened."

"That's ok, just tell us what you can," requested Kakashi.

"Obviously, I remember feeling angry," started Hanabi.

"Boruto did tell me the comments from others was harsher then normal today," stated Kakashi.

"Yes, I did my best to remain calm for the children, but at that moment, I felt so much hatred for the village. More so then usual. I also hated myself for being the continued cause of Naruto and Big Sister hardships. And then, my anger exploded. Like something inside me snapped."

"Then what happened?" Kakashi queried.

"That's where things get a little hazy," admitted Hanabi. "I remember walking over to the first group of villagers I attacked but… it was almost like my legs were moving on their own. Like I was, possessed."

"Hmm, well that fits with what Boruto said about The Ghost possessing villagers," stated Kakashi. "What else do you remember?"

"Not much, my moves felt involuntary, like they were reacting to my emotions," admitted Hanabi. "The only thing I can remember clearly are my thoughts and feelings. I hated those who were cruel to my family, and I wanted to cause them the same pain they caused us."

A tear rolled down Hanabi's face.

"And look where that got me. I hurt my friends, my father, my sister and the man I love. And now I may have lost my daughter."

"You haven't lost her," comforted Kakashi. "You heard her crying for you while you were being arrested, she wants you back more than anyone. And don't worry about the others. No one was seriously hurt. Thankfully, your possessed mind had no intention of killing them."

"Only because I believed death was too merciful," Hanabi shamefully admitted. "You can't cause someone pain if they're dead."

"As true as that may be, it's also your best chance of getting through this. Like I said, no one was killed, so they can't charge you with murder," stated Kakashi. "According to the medics, everyone will make a full recovery."

"What does it matter if I can't be charged with murder?" asked Hanabi. "There's so much else they can charge me for. Assault, property damage, injuries. If this goes to trial, I don't stand a chance."

"Not if we can prove you weren't in control. If we can convince the public that The Ghost is real and is possessing people to act radically, you'll be cleared of all charges," argued Kakashi.

"How are we supposed to convince people of something they can't see?" asked Hanabi. "Even with previous victims and Boruto as a witness, something tells me that won't convince the public. Especially since most will argue he's just making stuff up to help me. It also doesn't help that they've been looking for an excuse to banish me from the village ever since my relationship with Naruto and Big Sister became public. So, I'll ask again, how are we supposed to fight this?"

Kakashi took a moment.

"I honestly don't know."

Everyone in the room had a feeling the Uzumaki family, were about to fight the toughest battle of their lives.

Chapter Text

The next few weeks were hell for the Uzumaki family. As predicted nearly everyone in the village was demanding Hanabi be banished. They were also demanding for Natsuko to be banished even though she was completely innocent in this situation. Everyone now believed they were too dangerous to be allowed in the village. Kakashi did his best to keep the public calm, but nearly everyone now doubted his integrity as Hokage. They felt Kakashi was too lenient with his former student, which was preventing him from making decisions that were in the best interest of the village. Now, even Kakashi's ability to help the family was fading.

The Village Leaders soon offered Naruto a plea deal. Abandon, Hanabi and Natsuko and all would be forgiven. It was also mentioned that doing so would allow Naruto to get back on track to becoming Hokage. They argued that with public opinion of Kakashi decreasing, he may be forced into retirement and the village would need to find a new Hokage. They said if Naruto could do this for the greater good of the village, the position was his. He had the strength needed to protect the village and they knew that with Kakashi's leadership training, he had been qualified to take over years ago. All he had to do was help rid the village of two unwanted citizens, his 'mistress' and his 'bastard'. His misdeeds would be forgiven, his status as a hero would return and he, his wife and their son could live in the village in peace. Naruto said no, the second they made the offer.

In his own words he said, "My wife and daughter need me now more than ever. I'm not abandoning them now for anything."

They respected Naruto's decision, but that the only other option was to take this to trial. Which they did.

To say the trail was brutal would be an understatement. The little support they had from friends and family was minuscule compared to the backlash they were facing.

Before long Kakashi took the stand.

"Listen, I know it may be unbelievable, but I need you all to understand that Hanabi Uzumaki was not in control of her actions."

"You're saying she was possessed by this mysterious 'Ghost' that has been causing other villagers to act violent?" asked the prosecutor.

"Yes," answered Kakashi

"But no one has seen this 'Ghost' because its invisible."

"No, I can no say for certain that Boruto Uzumaki can see it," stated Kakashi.

"And how is it that Boruto Uzumaki can see it when no one else can?"

"It has something to do with his right eye. I saw it myself as the situation was deescalating. He told me when he could see The Ghost and when I looked at him, his eye was different to how it was before."

"I see. Well as citizens of the Leaf Village many of us are familiar with eye related Kekkei Genkai. Could you tell us what his eye was?"

"Unfortunately, no, I'd never seen it before. And everyone I got to examine his eye said they couldn't find anything unusual."

"So, what you're saying is, the only witness you have is a troublemaking child, who has an odd eye technique no one has seen before, and you can't prove exists and it allows him to see an invisible 'Ghost'. That he just so happened 'proved' was real right when it would benefit a member of his family. A family you yourself are very close to."

Thankfully Kakashi had an answer to that.

"While it's true I didn't see definite proof until the current incident, this wasn't an isolated incident. There have been at least two other possessions, and the victims have agreed to come forward to testify."

As promised both Denki and Metal came forward to confess their own encounters with 'The Ghost'. Denki admitted that it wasn't Boruto who crashed the train into the Hokage Monument, Denki was the true culprit. Boruto had just agreed to take the blame because he believed his family's association with the Hokage would make the punishment less harsh. He even confirmed that the circumstances leading up to his possession were like Hanabi's. He had grown tired of being bullied, when out of nowhere he snapped and did something he would never normally do. Like Hanabi he also described his memory of the incident as hazy and that it was like his body was moving on its own.

This caused a few people to think about the situation, now that they had two victims give very similar explanations of what happened. A few of Denki's former bullies had also come to the trial and added to this by saying that Denki had been acting very strange during the day of the event.

Metal Lee gave forward to testify next. He gave a very similar story. How he had been feeling very angry, he suddenly snapped and then it was like his body was acting on its own. This caused a few more people to wonder if what they were saying was true.

Unfortunately, the prosecutor had plenty of counter arguments up his sleeves.

"Tell me something, are you and this Denki boy friends with Boruto and his sister?"

"Well, yes but…" Metal got cut off.

"And isn't it true your parents are all close friends. With your mother being Naruto's former teammate and your father being the former teammate of Hinata and Hanabi's late cousin Neji."

"Again, yes but I don't see how that's…"

"How can we trust the words of 'witnesses' who are all close friends of the accused. Doesn't it seem more likely, they are making up stories to protect those they care about?"

Everyone present was starting to see some issues with the witness statements.

"With nothing, but weak witness statements from untrustworthy sources, I feel the only course of action is to continue with the villages desired banishment of the accused, otherwise known as, Hanabi Uzumaki. No further questions."

Although things weren't looking good for them, they weren't going to give up without a fight.

Kakashi proposed bringing in a Yamanaka to mind walk him to prove Boruto's unknown eye technique was real. The prosecution agreed, but only if Ino wasn't to be the Yamanaka performing the mind walk, as she was also close to the Uzumaki family and deemed untrustworthy. Another Yamanaka performed the mind walk and confirmed that Kakashi had witnessed Boruto use an odd eye technique. Boruto even volunteered to be mind walked so they could see what he sees. Now others had seen the mysterious purple shadow that had possessed multiple villagers. Unfortunately, the public still wasn't convinced of Hanabi's innocence. A rumour started claiming, that Boruto managed to manipulate his memory into making the Yamanaka see what he wanted them to see. The trail continued.

To make matters worse, the village made the trail as public as possible. They'd gotten their biggest news station to broadcast the trail live, so everyone could witness Hanabi's fate. Other villages allied with the Leaf, were also seeing the events unfold.

At the Uzumaki House, Boruto was sitting on the couch in his families living room watching the trail, with Metal, Denki and Shikadai. Having said all he could to defend his aunt, his parents thought it might be best, he stay home to avoid further scrutiny from the public. Both Naruto and Hinata were currently away defending Hanabi in any way they could.

"I really don't think you should be watching that," advised Kurenai who was setting food on the table in another room.

Naruto and Hinata had asked Kurenai to watch the kids while they were at the trail, to ensure they stayed safe and out of trouble. Now retired and disgusted by how the villagers were treating the Uzumaki's, Kurenai was happy to help. She was currently preparing lunch for both the Uzumaki children and their guests.

"What else am I supposed to do?" asked Boruto. "At least this way I know what's happening. Keeping me in the dark right now would drive me crazy."

"Can't argue with that logic," sighed Kurenai setting the final plate. "Anyway, lunch is ready, turn that off and come have something to eat."

"Alright, Miss Kurenai," returned Boruto who suddenly realised he was starving.

Boruto turned the TV off and they all headed to the table.

"I just hope Natsuko decides to join us today," expressed Boruto.

"You can't blame her if she doesn't," sighed Kurenai. "She's hurting the most from this."

Since Hanabi's arrest, Natsuko had barely left her room, spending most of her days crying over her mother.

With the public now hating them more then ever, both Boruto and Natsuko had been pulled from the academy and were being homeschooled for the foreseeable future. This was another responsibility Kurenai was undertaking when Naruto and Hinata were away. It was one of the few times Natsuko left her room. During this time, she was completely silent. She wouldn't even answer questions when asked. She would just write the answer down on a piece of paper and push it towards whoever was tutoring them. As soon as school was over for the day, she would return to her room, only leaving if she had to use the bathroom. She wouldn't even leave for meals. Knowing she needed space her family would leave meals outside her room and tell her to eat when she felt hungry. Unfortunately, many of her meals often when untouched.

Her family wished they could do more to help her, but right now they knew the only way to do so was to get Hanabi cleared of her charges.

"I'll go check on her," said Kurenai.

She left the kitchen and walked up the stairs to Natsuko's room. She knocked before speaking.

"Natsuko, we're sitting down to have lunch. How about you come and eat with us?"

The only response Kurenai got was the sound of soft weeping. Kurenai sadly sighed. Natsuko reminded her so much of Hinata when she was young. She wished she could do more to help her.

"Alright, I'll leave a plate outside. Just eat when you're feeling up to it."

Kurenai returned to the kitchen defeated.

"Sorry Boruto, looks like today's the same as yesterday."

"It wouldn't be if the stupid villagers would stop being so cruel to her mother," growled Boruto. "I don't care what Dad says. Those assholes don't deserve him or the service he's provided to the village. In fact, they don't deserve to have any of us as Shinobi."

"I know it might seem that way, but…" Kurenai trailed off as she felt something wrong.

"Something wrong Miss Kurenai?" asked Denki.

"Stay here," was all Kurenai said in response.

Kurenai approached the screen doors that led to the outside. She felt a disturbing chakra presence, one with a killing instinct. She now feared for the safety of the children and if she'd be able to protect them. Due to her retirement, she hadn't trained in years and her skills in combat were rusty. She looked out the screen door. No one was there and nothing seemed out of place. Unfortunately, Kurenai's worst fears were confirmed when she witnessed a kunai hit one of the doors wooden panels. Attacked to the kunai was a tag that read 'explosive', which ignited. She knew she didn't have time to dispose of the tag, and she had to protect the kids.

"All of you, get under the table," ordered Kurenai, darting back to the kitchen.

Hearing the urgency in her voice, they complied without hesitation.

Before Kurenai could get herself to safety, an explosion went off, destroying a section of the house. The explosion blasted Kurenai against a nearby wall. She wasn't badly hurt, but she was disoriented, and her ears were ringing. Before Kurenai could do anything else, a hand struck her on the neck causing her to pass out.

After the dust had settled, Boruto acted against his better instinct and emerged from the table.

"Miss Kurenai," he called.

"Sorry kid," called a voice. "Your little babysitter is taking a nap."

Boruto saw Kurenai lying unconscious on the ground as a strange man walked into the kitchen. What Boruto found odd about this man was that he looked weirdly familiar. A woman then came into the kitchen who also looked familiar.

"Now, where is that little bastard hiding?" she asked.

Boruto immediately knew they were talking about Natsuko. He got into a fighting stance.

"Stay away from my sister," ordered Boruto

Before anything else could be said Boruto charged forward with a gentle fist strike.

Back in the courtroom, a final verdict was being reached.

"So, your honour, with the defence only providing circumstantial information, with no physical evidence to support it, I'm sure you can agree there is only one logical outcome to this case," argued the prosecutor.

"Agreed," sighed the judge who felt this sentencing was unfair. "Hanabi Uzumaki, I hearby declare you…"

The judge trailed off as a shinobi rushed into the room.

"I'm sorry your honour, but I need to speak to Lord Sixth," he puffed.

"Proceed," said the judge.

Kakashi stood up from the crowd.

"What's going on?"

"Lord Sixth, there's a situation at the Uzumaki home. There was an explosion and reports say the people inside are hurt."

"WHAT?" exclaimed Naruto also rising from his seat.

Hinata also stood.

"Are the children ok?"

"I'm not sure, I was sent to find Lord Sixth before we could fully assess the situation. Lord Sixth, I need you to come with me right away."

Kakashi turned back to the judge.

"Your honour, I think we need to put this trial on hold until we deal with the current situation."

"I agree Lord Sixth," said the judge. "This trail shall be put on hold until the situation at the Uzumaki home is resolved. Court is adjourned."

The judge hit his gavel on the stand, freeing everyone from the court room.

"Sensei, wait, I'm coming with you," declared Naruto.

"So, am I," added Hinata.

"I expected nothing less, but before we go, I feel I should remind you that Hanabi can't come with us," stated Kakashi.

Hanabi was to be sent back to holding and was currently in special cuffs that prevented her from using her Chakra.

"Are you sure one of you doesn't want to stay behind with her?" asked Kakashi.

"Helping me isn't important right now," interjected Hanabi who overheard the conversation. "Right, now all our children are in danger, and I'd feel better if Naruto and Big Sister both went with you."

Kakashi looked at Naruto and Hinata

"Is that what you both want?"

They nodded.

"Very well, let's go," he declared.

All three of them sped off towards the Uzumaki home. What they saw horrified them. The home wasn't too badly damaged, but knowing that someone had attacked their home while they were in a painful situation made them sick. Numerous Shinobi were already there assessing the situation, which also included a few medical-nin. They saw Kurenai being treated by one of the medics. Next to her stood her teenage daughter Mirai.

"Sensei," called Hinata running over to them.

Kurenai looked up as her former student ran towards her.

"I'm sorry Hinata. You asked me to look after the kids, and I failed. I couldn't protect them."

"Sensei you did no such thing. We needed the kids to feel safe and cared for while we helped Hanabi and we know that's a service you can provide," countered Hinata.

"Still, this shows there are downsides to being retired. I have a lot of spare time, but I've also let my skills grow rusty. In my prime I would've never let this happen," Kurenai regretfully expressed.

"I told you should've let me watch them," interjected Mirai.

Mirai had also offered her services to look after Boruto and Natsuko.

"Mirai, you have your own responsibilities to consider. If you blew of your shinobi duties for this it could've hurt your career," argued Kurenai.

"Isn't helping those we care about more important than a career?" countered Mirai.

"Normally it would be," interjected Naruto approaching them. "But in this instance, we believed the children only needed supervision, not protection. I also believed no one would be stupid enough to attack our home when I'm away, especially when they know what I'm capable of. I've gone away on plenty of missions throughout the years and no one's ever been foolish enough to try this. Guess there really is a first time for everything."

Naruto looked so angry right now. It was as if the village had hurt both him and his family for the last time.

Hinata decide to change the subject.

"Where are the kids?"

"They've been taken to the hospital. Boruto, Metal, Shikadai and Denki tried to fight off the intruders and ended up getting badly hurt," answered Kurenai.

"What about Natsuko?" queried Naruto.

Kurenai lowered her head in shame.

"Hinata, Naruto, I'm so sorry."

"Why Sensei what happened?" asked Hinata.

"After I came to, I found Boruto and his friends passed out on the floor. After checking they were alive I went to check on Natsuko," answered Kurenai. "They took her."

"What where is she?" demanded Naruto angrily.

"Naruto," scolded Hinata.

"It's fine Hinata, he has every right to be angry," stated Kurenai. "To answer your question Naruto, I don't know. I didn't see them take her and I never even saw the intruders."

"Then how are we supposed to find her?" asked Hinata, worried for her niece/stepdaughter.

"Try asking Boruto, he got a better look at them, so he might have a better idea of who they are and where they're going," said Kurenai.

"Good idea," said a calm but angry Naruto.

"Hinata, I'm going to head to the hospital," stated Naruto. "Go find Kiba and I'll meet you back here."

"Kiba? Why?" asked Hinata.

"These, bastards took my daughter, I'm not waiting for a team to be formed to find her. I'm going to find her myself," declared Naruto. "With Kiba's help we should be able to do so while the trail is still fresh."

"But Naruto, if we leave the village without permission, we'll be declared missing nin, making us fugitives," stated Hinata.

Naruto looked at her and said in a completely serious tone, "I don't care."

Hearing this reminded Hinata why she fell in love with Naruto in the first place. He would do whatever it took to help someone he loved. With the victim in question being Naruto's own daughter, Hinata knew he wouldn't let anyone stop him.

"Alright, I'll get Kiba," said Hinata. "I just hope he's willing to help."

"We both know he will," stated Naruto before bolting off to the hospital.

Kakashi had overheard all of this and knew this was an issue that he could easily fix.

With his great speed Naruto arrived at the Konoha hospital in less than a second. After demanding where Boruto was, the people at the front desk answered without hesitation.

Naruto arrived at Boruto's room, to see his son inside being check on by a nurse.

"Dad," called Boruto.

The nurse turned upon hearing this.

"Could you give us a minute please?" queried Naruto sternly but politely.

The nurse was aware of the situation and left without hesitation.

"Son are you ok?" asked Naruto approaching the bed.

"Yeah, I'm ok, they said I only have minor injuries," answered Boruto whose expression then turned grim. "I'm sorry Dad, they came for Natsuko, I couldn't stop them. It's my fault she's gone."

"No, it's not. I shouldn't have left you two alone through this. I should've considered the possibility of this happening," said Naruto comfortingly. "If anyone's to blame it's me. I just never thought someone would do something this stupid."

"It's not too surprising. Nearly this entire village is rotten to the core. It's even less surprising when considering who took Natsuko," Boruto declared.

"Why, who took her?" asked Naruto.

Boruto looked at his father in shock.

"You don't know?"

"No, by the time we arrived the assailants had fled," answered Naruto. "Who did this?"

"Do you remember that boy Natsuko put in the hospital after awakening her Byakugan?" asked Boruto.

Naruto nodded.

"His parents have come back for revenge," stated Boruto.

Naruto got to his feet, his face full of anger.

"Dad?" queried Boruto.

"I'll get her back Boruto, I promise," was all Naruto said before speeding out of the room.

Boruto wanted to chase after him, but he was still in pain from the attack at his house. As much as Boruto hated to admit it, he couldn't help his father in this mission. He had to trust that his father would bring Natsuko back.

"Dad will succeed," thought Boruto looking out the window. "He never goes back on his word."

Meanwhile, in an abandoned building a few miles from the village, Natsuko was starting to stir. She was sitting in a chair, and her hands were bound behind her back. She silently cursed at herself for not knowing the Escape Jutsu. Natsuko had no idea how she got here. She remembered hearing noises downstairs and getting up to investigate, but had been knocked unconscious before she'd seen anything.

What was going on? Why was she here?

"Well, looks like the little bastard is finally awake," called a woman's voice.

Natsuko looked up to see a man and woman emerge from the darkness. Unlike Boruto, Natsuko recognised them immediately.

"You."

"Oh, so you remember us?" asked the man.

"That's good, because now you're going to pay for what you did to our son," said the woman.

Chapter Text

Natsuko stared at her captives horrified at what was to come. She had never seen people look at her with such killer intent. They had voiced clear opinions about Natsuko's family and their practices and something told her they hadn't changed over the years.

"Look, I'm sorry about what I did to your son but…" Natsuko trailed off as the woman slapped her across the face.

"Don't you dare talk about my son you bastard. His life was ruined because of you," she spat.

"What are you talking about? I was told he would make a full recovery," stated Natsuko.

"Guess you didn't hear," spat the man. "Doesn't surprise me. Your disgusting parents did everything they could to shield you from consequences."

"Our son did recover physically, but not mentally," spat the woman. "After you ruthlessly beat him to within an inch of his life, he was never the same. When we took him home, he refused to leave the house. He kept ranting that he was going to get hurt if he left the safety of our home."

"It took months of convincing, but we finally got him to go outside. It became the last time he ever did," sighed the man.

"In a moment of extremely bad luck, he spotted you and your whore of a mother walking on the other side of the street," added the woman. "This ignited all his memories of the event, and he completely broke down. He's been in a mental hospital ever since. AND IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT."

Natsuko went wide eyed at this. She really had no idea her encounter with their son had caused this.

"Mr and Mrs… um," Natsuko realised she didn't know something important about these two.

"Do you not know our names?" asked the man.

"I never thought to ask," answered Natsuko. "I've been trying to forget that day myself."

"Typical," spat the woman. "For your information, my name is Mariko."

"And mine is Ryuken."

"Our son's name is Idasa, did you at least know that?" asked Mariko.

Natsuko shook her head.

"Seriously, you beat our boy to within an inch of his life, and you didn't even bother learning his name?" asked Mariko.

"Like I said, I've been trying to forget that day," answered Natsuko.

She then took a firm stance.

"Listen, I'm sorry about what happened to your son, but it wasn't my fault."

Mariko slapped her again.

"Don't you dare sit there and say it wasn't your fault," she growled. "If it wasn't for you, Idasa might be a chunnin by now."

"Idasa attacked me first. Mum, Dad and Aunty told me, that while I went a bit far, there's no shame in defending myself," argued Natsuko.

"Didn't they also teach you that violence isn't always the answer?" demanded Ryuken.

"They did," Natsuko admitted.

"Then what made you think attacking Idasa was a good idea?" demanded Mariko. "He barely laid a hand on you. From what I saw you never gave him a chance to defend himself."

"He may not have hurt me physically, but he said horrible things about me and my mother," countered Natsuko. "I tried to walk away but he wouldn't let me."

"And that warranted nearly killing him?" asked Ryuken.

"No, but I asked him numerous times to stop insulting my mother, he refused to listen, and I lost my temper," argued Natsuko. "If anyone's to blame it's him."

Natsuko was slapped by Mariko for a third time.

"How dare you. Blaming a victim instead of taking responsibility for your actions," she spat. "You and your entire family are scum."

"I was a victim to," countered Natsuko. "My whole family is because people like you refuse to show us any respect. You talk about us not taking responsibility for our actions, yet you don't accept how your responsible either. Maybe I wouldn't have hurt your son if you hadn't taught him to be cruel."

Natsuko got slapped for a fourth time by Mariko.

"We taught him nothing but the truth," spat Mariko. "Why can't you and your family accept that what you do is disgusting?"

"What's so disgusting about having enough love in your heart for two people?" asked Natsuko. "My mother loves my father, just as much as Aunty does. What else were they supposed to do?"

"They should have made him choose," spat Ryuken. "In fact, from what I recall, your father had already chosen your aunt, they were engaged before your mother decided to force her way into the relationship. It might've hurt your mother for a while, but she would've found someone eventually."

"No, she wouldn't have. She says she's only ever had eyes for my father. She said her love is for him and him alone," argued Natsuko.

"And that gave her the right to manipulate your father into cheating on his wife, baby trapping him and forcing herself into a relationship with them?" queried Ryuken.

"Your aunt is just as disgraceful as your father and mother. I would've left as soon as I'd caught wind of their affair," spat Mariko.

"Is that honestly what you think happened?" queried Natsuko.

"Why wouldn't we?" asked Ryuken. "Rumour has it your aunt was obsessed with your father long before they got together. So much so, that we doubt she'd willingly share him with anyone, especially her own sister."

"But after your father became hero of the war, I guess he felt entitled to having another wife so when your mother seduced him, he didn't fight it," spat Mariko. "Guess your aunt is so blindly in love with him, that she'd rather stay married to a cheater then have a happy marriage."

"Where did you hear all this nonsense?" asked Natsuko confused.

"Word travel's quickly around the village," answered Ryuken. "And you can't call it nonsense if it's true."

"It is nonsense. All three of my parents were together before my brother was born and he's a year older than me. According to Dad and Aunty, my mum joined their relationship, shortly before they got married," stated Natsuko.

"Is that what they told you?" queried Mariko.

"Yes, they told me my mother was feeling guilty about her feelings towards my father, because he was already engaged to my aunty. She went to talk to them about this and to both my mother and father's surprise my aunty invited her to join without hesitation. In her own words, she felt that sharing the man they loved would help them grow closer as sisters. And she was right, they share a bond just as great as my brother and I, and we're best friends," declared Natsuko.

"Oh please, sharing the man they love would help them grow closer as sisters," spat Mariko. "What a load of rubbish. Hearing that her sister is also in love with the man she wanted to marry, should've ruined the relationship your mother and aunt have."

"Well, it didn't," returned Natsuko.

"Then that just confirms one thing about your family. Your parents are FREAKS. All three of them," declared Mariko. "Harems are only formed by tyrants, which is what your father would be if the village was foolish enough to make him Hokage. Who knows how many women have been saved from being enslaved by your father."

"Wait, hold on," interjected Ryuken. "You said it was your aunt who invited your mother to join and your father was surprised by this. Was he opposed to your mother joining the relationship?"

"I've never gotten a clear answer to that," admitted Natsuko. "According to my mum and aunty, he felt he didn't have any say in the matter and was very confused by what was happening, but he came around very quickly. According to him, it was better to not look a gift horse in the mouth."

"If you ask me, it sounds like he was seduced into agreeing to this sick arrangement," stated Ryuken.

"Who cares how it happened," interjected Mariko. "All that matters is that they're freaks and by extension so are their kids. I'm now starting to wish we'd taken the son as well. He might not be a disgusting bastard like this one, but his mother is just as disgusting as the rest of them. It would hurt them a lot more if we killed them both."

"Wait what?" asked Natsuko suddenly horrified.

"What, did you think we'd only brought you here to give you a stern talking to?" asked Ryuken. "This is payback."

"Your family hurt ours so now we're going to hurt yours," declared Mariko taking a kunai from her pocket. "We're going to make you pay for what you did to our son. Only difference is, we're going to make your mother suffer even more then we have. We still get to see our son, but your mother is never going to see you again."

Mariko stepped forward and placed the kunai's blade on Natsuko's cheek.

"Thankfully, your mother is facing the consequences for her actions. I don't know if you've kept up with the trail, but everyone knows the verdict will be guilty," declared Ryuken. "Not even Lord Sixth can protect her now."

"My mother isn't guilty, she was infected by The Ghost," protested Natsuko.

Mariko pressed the blade harder on Natsuko's face.

"You freaks really don't understand that actions have consequences. No one believes that nonsense about your mother being possessed. It's all just a lie your brother came up with to protect her. Thankfully, the village knows the truth and they're going to ensure your mother never sees the light of day again. She's going to be separated from your father and his actual wife, bringing an end to his disgusting little harem. All that's left is to right another wrong that should've never happened. You."

Natsuko closed her eyes in fear.

"And we're not going to make it painless," Ryuken threatened.

"Because you made our son suffer, we're going to make sure you suffer just as much," declared Mariko. "The moment you start begging for death, is the moment we'll consider ending your suffering."

"I don't think so," called a voice.

Out of nowhere, Ryuken found himself impaled through the heart with a metal poll. He fell to the ground lifeless.

Mariko turned around in horror.

"Wait, you said we could…"

Mariko also found herself impaled, but for her it was through the head. She fell lifeless next to Natsuko.

"I said you could torture her, I never said anything about killing her," a woman with short brown hair and green eyes came into view. "Not that it mattered. I was going to kill you anyway once you were finished. I was going to reward you for your service, but I guess this is what I get for being generous."

She kicked over Ryuken's body which was still being held up by the poll, before walking over to Natsuko.

"You hired them to do this?" queried Natsuko.

"Hired isn't the right word. Especially considering they wanted zero payment. The better term would be manipulation. I know of the history between you and them. I approached them and told them I needed help with something that would benefit us both. They wanted vengeance for their son and I decided you were the perfect specimen for my experiment. With your parents preoccupied by the trial I told them now would be the perfect time for vengeance. The fools accepted without hesitation. I told them I had only one condition. To bring you to me alive. In exchange for their service, I was going to let them torture you for a bit, but unfortunately, they got a little too greedy," she looked at them in disgust. "I'm not surprised though. You humans are all the same. Like I said though, I was going to kill them anyway so it wouldn't have mattered."

"Who, are you?" Natsuko asked nervously.

"Good question," answered the woman. "I think this body was originally called Satoko but who knows. To avoid confusion, call me by my true name Kaguya."

Natsuko didn't know why, but the name sent shivers down her spine.

"What do you want with me? You said I was a specimen for an experiment?"

"That's correct. A specimen for my revenge. I want to exact revenge against the man who foiled my plans," answered Kaguya. "What better way to do that, then by turning his own daughter into his enemy."

Natsuko had a feeling this woman was an old enemy of her father.

"Then you've already failed, because it doesn't matter what you do. I'll never hurt my father."

Kaguya shook her head in annoyance.

"I don't think you understand. You won't have a choice."

"What do you mean?" asked Natsuko.

"You'll find out soon enough," said Kaguya caressing Natsuko's cheek. "You have your mother's eyes, and your father will meet his demise, by looking into the eyes of the two women he loves the most."

By the time Naruto got back to his damaged home. Kiba had arrived with Akamaru and was waiting with Hinata. What surprised Naruto was that Hinata was dressed in her mission gear.

"Kiba, has Hinata told you why you're here?" he asked stopping in front of him.

"Yeah, and before you ask, I'm happy to help regardless of the consequences," answered Kiba. "I've already been to Natsuko's room and got her scent. We can leave as soon as you're ready."

"I'm guessing you're coming to?" asked Naruto to Hinata.

"Of course, Natsuko might not be my daughter, but she's a member of our family and I love our family," declared Hinata. "Also, Hanabi calls me her super sister, so I have to do my part to save her daughter."

"That's what family does, it sticks together," stated Naruto as Hinata nodded. "Also, now that I think about it, she is kinda your daughter, because as my wife you're technically her Stepmother."

"Naruto, we don't have time for this," interjected Kiba.

"Right, let's go guys, we don't have a second to waste," declared Naruto.

They stormed off towards the border of the village.

"Guys, I've got both good news and bad news," sniffed Kiba.

"What's the good news?" asked Naruto.

"Natsuko's not to far from the village, we should be able to find her in no time at all," answered Kiba.

"And the bad news?" asked Hinata.

"I have a feeling they did this with the intention of killing her and taking off before they can be found," stated Kiba. "Why else would they stop so close to the village when they know Shinobi will be hunting for them."

"If they're close by maybe I can find them," suggested Hinata activating her Byakugan. "No good, their to far away. I can't see them. That means they're over ten kilometres away from the village."

"Keep your eyes peeled. The closer we get the greater chance you have of finding her," advised Naruto.

"Try to reserve your chakra," advised Kiba. "I might be our best chance of finding her, but once you can locate her, you'll be able to tell if she's alive."

Hinata nodded and deactivated her Byakugan.

They were nearing the border of the village when they found their path blocked by Kakashi. They came to a halt.

"Sensei?" queried Naruto.

"Did you really think I wouldn't figure out what you're doing?" asked Kakashi.

"If you know what we're up to, I suggest you stop aside," Naruto threatened. "We both know you can't stop me. Nothing will stop me from finding Natsuko."

"There's no need to be hostile," sighed Kakashi. "I just wanted to let you know that the three of you won't face consequences from leaving the village."

"Hmm?" queried Naruto, as Kakashi pulled out a sheet of paper.

"Knowing you would search for Natsuko regardless of what I said, I decided to quickly approve a mission to free you from consequences!" Kakashi explained. "I know you're in a rush, so here's the important bits. A-ranked mission. Three-person team consisting of Naruto Uzumaki, Hinata Uzumaki and Kiba Inuzuka. Team leader Naruto Uzumaki. Mission goal: rescue Natsuko Uzumaki."

The three of them waited for Kakashi to say more.

"That's it, get going," he ordered.

"Thank you Sensei," said Naruto.

The three of them rushed past him without another word. Kakashi prayed they found her before it was too late.

Meanwhile, Hanabi was sitting in a jail cell, waiting to hear news of what was happening. More than anything she wished she could be out there, searching for her daughter with her husband and sister. She just hoped she could see Natsuko one more time before the end of the trial. While the trial was currently postponed until they returned, Hanabi knew what the verdict would be. She'd heard it in the judge's voice before the messenger had interrupted. She was going to be found guilty and there was nothing any of them could do to prevent it. Hanabi just hoped Natsuko could visit her in prison. She knew Naruto and Hinata would let her, the real question was if the village would.

While Hanabi was pondering her fate, the same transparent figure that helped calm Hanabi down during her rampage appeared again and sat down beside her.

"Don't worry, they'll find her, I know they will," said the spirit.

"That's not what I'm worried about," stated Hanabi. "I'm worried about how my daughter will feel, having to grow up with her mother in prison."

The spirit put a hand on Hanabi's shoulder.

"You can't know for certain if you're going to prison."

"Yes, I can. I could tell the judge had already reached a verdict," countered Hanabi.

"Have faith that Naruto and Hinata will use this time to find evidence to prove your innocence," said the spirit.

"What time?" asked Hanabi. "The trail is only being postponed until they find Natsuko. Once they do, it'll be right back to the courtroom where I'll face my final judgement. Let's face it Mum, I've failed my family."

The spirit was Akane Hyuga, the late wife of Hiashi Hyuga and mother to Hinata and Hanabi.

"Like I said before. You've failed no one. All you wanted was to protect them," comforted Akane. "This only happened because of the close-minded villagers, who refuse to acknowledge the genuine love you and Hinata have for Naruto. If they had just kept their opinions to themselves, you would've never become angry enough to be a victim of The Ghost."

"But I should have been strong enough to ignore them," countered Hanabi. "Big Sister never got this angry at them. And I know this situation hurts her just as much. Then again, she's always been the quiet one, while I'm the outspoken one. Why couldn't I be as polite and calm as her."

"Hanabi you are just as kind as your sister. What made you different was how you expressed your emotions. Hinata kept her emotions bottled up, while you were known to project yours when angered," stated Akane.

"You talk like that's a good thing, when in fact, it's gotten us both in trouble throughout our lives," argued Hanabi. "At least Big Sister overcame her issues, I'm as bad as I ever was."

"I beg to differ," counter Akane.

Hanabi looked at her.

"I feel you've both grown where you needed to and you helped each other reach it," argued Akane. "We both know you became more polite and calm through Hinata's guidance and I'd argue you also helped her become more confident in herself."

"Yeah, but it wasn't enough. I still lost my cool and now I might lose the people I love the most," sighed Hanabi.

Akane sighed and patted Hanabi on the back.

"Hanabi, nobody's perfect. Everyone has flaws. It's what we do with them that matters. Yes, it was bad that you lost your temper, but it was for a good purpose. If you lose your temper to protect those you care about, I'd argue that's a positive flaw. Unlike the villagers who can't accept the family you've built. They are so blinded by their ignorance that they can't seem to grasp the potential consequences of one of you losing your temper for the way they treat you. That is how they are flawed. Imagine if Naruto had been the one who lost his temper instead of you. I bet the villagers would be cowering in fear instead of demanding banishment."

Hanabi laughed at this.

"I guess it is lucky I was the one to snap."

She then got sad again.

"Still, I just can't understand why they don't accept us. Without Naruto none of us would even be here. Why does it matter if he has two wives? He's not hurting anyone. He's just trying to live his life the best he can."

"People tend to reject what they can't understand," Akane advised. "Throughout life, we're told we might meet that special someone we can build both a life and a family with. Emphasis on the one."

"You can love more then one person in your life. Has no one ever heard of widows or widowers getting married?

"Perhaps, but traditionally, the law of marriage is a union between two people, and the union is between only them until death. So, while some can love again, most believe it can only happen when one of the partners has passed away!" explained Akane. "They can't comprehend a union between three people, so they reject it."

Hanabi faced her.

"You mentioned about finding the special someone to have a life with. For both Big Sister and I, Naruto is that special someone."

"I know he is honey, and I think the village does recognise that you both love him. What they don't understand is how he can love you both and how you and Hinata are willing to share him. They feel he should've only chosen one of you. To them, it is unacceptable and disgraceful. And that is why they reject it," stated Akane.

"It's also why they don't treat me and Natsuko like real members of the family," pouted Hanabi.

"That's right. Because Hinata is legally married to Naruto, that is the only union they recognise as legitimate. They find your union with Naruto disgraceful and illegitimate and so they reject it. That is why they also reject your daughter. They see her as the product of a relationship that should've never happened. To them she is what they call a 'bastard' and historically, bastards were treated less favourably than the children they recognised as legitimate. In many families the illegitimate children would have no right to inheritance and would often become servants of the house!" explained Akane. "In many cases, they were also exiled or killed so the parents could maintain social status."

"Natsuko is not a bastard," Hanabi proclaimed. "I don't care what anyone says. I am Naruto's wife, and we all recognise who as a legitimate child."

"I know you do honey," comforted Akane. "It's truly unfortunate, the villagers can't see the genuine love you all share."

"But why? Surely, we're not the only polygamous family in history," argued Hanabi.

"You're not. Problem is most relationships like yours involved wealthy people with concubines, which meant the relationship wasn't an equal partnership," stated Akane. "It was more one of master and slave. And the ones that weren't, went mostly unrecognised by the society they lived in."

"Is that why they think Naruto has let his achievements go to his head and this is him flaunting his power?" grumbled Hanabi.

"I'm afraid so," answered Akane.

"Geeze, if they just got to know us, they'd know we're all equals in our relationship," grumbled Hanabi.

"Like I said, they reject what they can't understand," repeated Akane.

"Then why do our close friends accept us?" asked Hanabi.

"Because they know Naruto, you and Hinata. They know that none of you were forced into this. They can see that this was something you chose, and they can see the love you have for each other," answered Akane. "That's why even your father was able to come around eventually. I just wish I could've been there to help you. I would've done everything I could."

Hanabi smirked.

"I wonder how quickly it would've taken you to accept us."

"Hanabi, I accepted this the moment I found out. I couldn't care less if my daughters love and live with the same man. As long as you're both happy that's all that matters."

"Yeah, right, you're only saying that because you're a figment of my imagination. You accept what I want you to," chucked Hanabi.

This time it was Akane who smirked.

"Who says I'm a figment of your imagination?"

"Well, the only other explanation is that you're a ghost," argued Hanabi.

"Who says I'm not," countered Akane. "Orochimaru's experiments have proven it's possible to revive spirits, even if it's only temporarily."

"Yeah, but you're not one of Ocochimaru's creepy techniques. And if you were able to visit the world of the living you would've visited Big Sister during her troubled times. Especially when she and Father had a mountain of issues."

"Again, how do you know I didn't," smirked Akane. "I'll have you know I visited Hinata regularly when she was young. Whenever she felt sad and she needed encouragement, I appeared before her and did everything I could to cheer her up."

"Yeah right, if that really happened, I think Big Sister would've told me," argued Hanabi.

"Not if she also thought I was just a figment of her imagination," countered Akane. "What would you have said if she came up to you and said 'Mother's spirit visited me last night'?

"I probably would've thought she was crazy," admitted Hanabi. "Imagine what Father would've said if she'd told him. It would've made her problems a million times worse."

"Agreed," sighed Akane. "If I had to choose my biggest regret, it's that I wasn't around to protect you and Hinata. We all know I was the only one who could keep your father in line. Without me, he gave into the pressure of the elders."

"Things definitely got worse for Big Sister after you passed away. It was like Father became a completely different person. I remember she would brush it off most days as she believed it was simply because he missed. I accepted that, because I missed you too, we all did."

"I know, and I'm truly sorry I wasn't around. There's nothing I can do to make up for that," said Akane sadly.

"Mother, no one blames you for that," stated Hanabi. "People pass away everyday it's a part of life. It's just unfortunate that you passed away long before you should've."

"That doesn't mean I can't have regrets. I regret not being around to help you and your sister, I regret not being there for the important moments in your life and most of all, I regret never meeting my grandchildren," Akane wept.

Hanabi looked at her mother's 'spirit' curiously. Her personality was identical to what Hanabi remembered and had said things Hanabi would've never thought of herself. Could it be true. What this really the spirit of her mother?

"Mum, can I ask you something?" asked Hanabi.

"Of course honey, ask me anything," said Akane as she wiped a tear from her face.

"If you really are the spirit of my mother, why did have you only started appearing now?" asked Hanabi.

"It's complicated, but basically, it's easiest for us to visit our loved ones during moments of extreme emotion!" explained Akane. "In these last few days, I feel you've needed me more then ever. So, I came to help you."

"Then why was Naruto never visited by his parents growing up?" queried Hanabi. "From what he's told me, he could've used their guidance a lot growing up."

"Unfortunately, it's difficult for us to visit the ones we care about if they don't know who we are or what we look like," sighed Akane. "Because Naruto didn't know Minato and Kushina were his parents, they were unable to visit him like I can visit you and Hinata. He only got to meet them because they left a piece of themselves inside the seal of the Nine Tails. If he asked for their guidance now, I have no doubt they would appear."

Hanabi decided to take this as far as she could.

"Did you know Naruto's parents?" asked Hanabi.

"Yes, they were my friends," answered Akane. "In fact, Kushina was one of my closest friends. I missed her a lot when she passed away."

"What were they like?" asked Hanabi.

This surprised Akane.

"Wouldn't you rather talk about Natsuko and her situation?"

"It's as you said, I need to have faith that Naruto and Big Sister will find her," answered Hanabi. "But I feel it might be good to talk about something else so I can take my mind of it."

Akane smiled.

"Alright, I'll tell you everything."

Outside the village, Naruto, Hinata and Kiba were closing in on Natsuko's location.

"We're getting close," stated Kiba. "Hinata try and search for them now. They should be right ahead of us."

Hinata nodded, made a hand single and activated her Byakugan. Almost immediately, she found what she was looking for.

"Found her."

"How is she?" asked Naruto.

"She's alive," answered Hinata with relief.

"And the two that took her?" asked Naruto.

With her Byakugan still active, Hinata scanned the rest of the building.

"There's three."

"Huh?" queried Naruto.

"Not including Natsuko, there are three other people at her location," answered Hinata. "But there's something about this that doesn't make sense."

"What?" asked Naruto.

"Natsuko's captors… are dead. All of them," Hinata declared.

"What? But how?" asked Kiba. "Do you think Natsuko took them out?"

"I don't know, and I don't care. All I care about right now is that she's alive," stated Naruto. "That being said, maybe she can tell us what happened. Let's pick up the pace guys, the sooner we get there the better."

Hinata and Kiba nodded, and they powered on as quickly as they could. They soon reached the abandoned building that held Natsuko. Naruto kicked down the door without checking if it was locked. What they saw inside was grim. Natsuko's abductors, Mariko and Ryuken had been impaled by long black poles and were lying lifeless on the ground in a pool of their own blood. Next to them, Natsuko lay face down on the floor unconscious with another body in front of her.

"Do you recognise this person?" asked Kiba turning over the unknown body which was revealed to be a woman with short brown hair.

"No, I've never seen her before," answered Naruto.

"Neither have I," added Hinata.

"Let's just hope Natusko can tell us what happened," said Naruto going over to his daughter. "Are you sure she's alive?"

Hinata reactivated her Byakugan.

"Yes, she's alive. And weirdly unharmed."

This didn't make any sense. Why did they bring Natsuko here? Why was everyone else dead? And why had they done nothing to hurt her? None of this made sense.

"Guys, what the hell is going on?" asked Kiba.

"Your guess is as good as mine," answered Naruto placing a hand on Natsuko's back and rubbing it. "Natsuko, honey, are you ok?"

Natsuko groaned as she began to stir. She lifted her head and blinked a few times.

"Dad? Aunty? Uncle Kiba?" she queried.

"We're here Natsuko, you're safe," comforted Naruto.

Tears built up in Natsuko's eyes who then lunged into her fathers' arms and cried into his shoulder.

Chapter Text

Natsuko cried into Naruto's shoulder for a good five minutes before she spoke.

"I was so scared."

"I know honey. I'm so sorry this happened. I should've been there for you," said Naruto full of guilt.

"It's ok, you were just trying to help Mum right?" asked Natsuko releasing Naruto from her hold and wiping her eyes on her sleeve.

"Yes, but if she were here right now, she'd also express how I should've stayed with the kids," sighed Naruto. "I should've at least left a clone at home to protect you and let me know you were in danger. That would've prevented all of this."

Naruto crossed his arms and sighed again.

"Why do I never think of precautions before disaster strikes and how did both your mother and aunt fall in love with such an idiot?"

Natsuko hugged her father again.

"It's because you're a loveable idiot."

"Took the words right out of my mouth," said Hinata.

Natsuko let go of her father again.

"Aunty, you're here to? What happened to Brother? Is he ok?"

"He's fine honey, he's in the hospital and we've been told his injuries are only minor," interjected Naruto.

"What about Miss Kurenai and the others?" asked Natsuko.

"Everyone's fine honey don't worry about them, just focus on yourself for now," advised Naruto ruffling her hair.

"And Mum?" asked Natsuko ignoring the advice.

"After we got word of your abduction, they agreed to postpone the trail till we found you," answered Naruto. "She's still in holding, but she hasn't been sentenced yet."

"Thank goodness," cried Natsuko.

Naruto helped Natsuko to her feet, while Hinata gave her a quick medical checkup. As predicted, she barely had a scratch on her. There was nearly no evidence of physical injury.

"Natsuko, what happened here?" asked Naruto gently.

Natsuko told them everything. How she had awoken tied to a chair and found herself a prisoner of Mariko and Ryuken. She then explained how they had scolded her for what she'd done to their son and how they had planned to torture her for retribution.

"Those bastards," growled Naruto.

He knew he shouldn't speak ill of the dead, but he had a lot of trouble feeling sympathy for them.

"They didn't get a chance to do everything," added Natsuko. "As soon as they said they were going to torture me until I begged for death, the other lady turned up and killed them."

"But why?" asked Hinata.

"Apparently, she was the one who hired them to abduct me," answered Natsuko. "Her only condition was that they bring me to her alive. She decided to get rid of them after they broke the deal."

None of this made sense. Everything Natsuko told them only generated more questions.

The grownups turned and stared at the unknown body. What purpose did she have for abducting Natsuko? Usually if a Hyuga child was abducted their eyes would be stolen for the Byakugan, but Natsuko's eyes were completely intact.

"Natsuko, who was this woman?" asked Naruto.

"I don't know, the most she told me about her was her name," answered Natsuko. "Kaguya."

The adults froze. What did this mean? Kakuya was gone, defeated during the last war. Surely there wasn't a way for her to come back. And if she had, why was this woman claiming to be Kaguya now dead?

"Does that name mean something Dad?" asked Natsuko. "The very mention of it made my blood run cold."

"I tell you later honey," answered Naruto. "Did she at least tell you why she brought you here?"

"She said she wanted to use me for an experiment. An experiment of revenge against the man who foiled her plans. She also said the best way to get revenge was to turn the man's daughter into his enemy!" Natsuko explained. "Was she an old enemy of yours?"

Naruto looked back at the corpse.

"If she is who she claims to be, then she's actually an enemy of the entire world!"

"Well, whatever her plan was it failed, because I would never hurt you Dad," Natsuko proclaimed. "Though, what she said next still gives me chills. How I have the same eyes as Mum and Aunty and that you would die while looking into the eyes of the women you love the most."

"Whoever this lady was, she sounds crazy," Kiba interjected.

"What happened next?" asked Hinata.

"I don't know, I was knocked unconscious after that and then I woke up when you got here," answered Natsuko. "I have no idea what she did to me."

"By the looks of it she didn't do anything," stated Kiba. "There's no evidence of injury, or experimentation. Whatever she did, it either killed her, or she died before she could do anything."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Naruto interjected. "Whatever this is, I have a feeling there's something we're not seeing."

"Naruto, the woman's dead, whatever this is it's over," argued Kiba.

Naruto ignored him and faced Natsuko.

"Natsuko did you feel any different when we found you?" asked Naruto. "Were you in any pain?"

"No more then when I woke up this morning," Natsuko answered while scratching her cheek.

As she lowered her hand, Naruto noticed something odd.

"What was that?"

"What was what?" asked Natsuko.

"Honey, show me your hands," Naruto requested. "Palms out if possible."

Natsuko presented her hands. It was then that Naruto saw what was different. In the centre of her right hand, there was a small black tattoo in the shape of a diamond.

"What is that?" asked Naruto.

Natsuko looked at her hands and gasped.

"I don't know I've never seen it before."

Hinata and Kiba stepped forward for a better look.

"Are you telling me, she was dragged all the way out here just to be given a tattoo?" asked Kiba. "And how does that kill a person?"

"I don't think this is a tattoo Kiba," stated Naruto observing Natsuko's hand. "I have a feeling this is a part of her skin, and it can't be removed."

"Then what is it?" queried Kiba.

"I'm not sure, but I have a bad feeling about what it means," answered Naruto before turning to face his wife. "Hinata, has anything changed in her body structure?"

Not the last time I checked, but I'll have another look to see if there's something I missed," stated Hinata.

She made a hand signal and activated her Byakugan.

"Looks normal. No changes in her body structure, chakra level or chakra flow."

Naruto sighed.

"I still have a bad feeling over what this means. Maybe someone at the village can tell us. Come on Natsuko let's take you home."

Natsuko nodded. She wasn't overly eager to go back to the village with her mother on trial, but she knew it was way better than staying here.

"Naruto wait," Kiba interjected. "What about the bodies? We're going to have to report this to the Hokage."

"We can do that later," countered Naruto. "Right now, my only priority is getting my daughter home and finding out what's been done to her."

"I agree, I also want to let Hanabi know that her daughter's ok," added Hinata.

"Fine, but if we get in trouble for this, you're taking the fall," said Kiba.

"That's fine," said Naruto who then turned to Natsuko. "Can you walk on your own, or would you like some help?"

"I'm fine Dad, I can walk on my own, but…" Natsuko was nervous to ask this next question.

"What is it honey?" asked Naruto.

"Can you stay close to me?" she asked nervously.

"Natsuko, I'm not letting you out of my sight until we get home," said Naruto with a smile and thumbs up.

"Thanks Dad," cried Natsuko with a happy tear.

They all took of back to the Leaf Village.

No one said anything on the trip back. Things weren't going well for the Uzumaki's. They just hoped things would get better soon.

When they returned to the entrance of the village, there was a small group of people waiting for them. This included Kakashi, some of their friends and too every one's surprise Hanabi. She was still cuffed and was being guarded by two members of the Konoha Police Force, this was likely to ensure she didn't have another rampage.

Natsuko ran straight to her mother.

"Mum."

Hanabi knelt as Natsuko wrapped her arms around her neck.

"Hey, no contact with the prisoner," lectured one of the officers.

"Leave them," ordered Kakashi. "They've both been through a lot today."

The officers stepped back.

"I'm so sorry about all of this Mum," cried Natsuko.

"Don't be, this wasn't you're fought," stated Hanabi.

Naruto then asked the question everyone was thinking.

"Sensei, how did you?"

"I managed to convince the authorities to let her out for Natsuko's return," answered Kakashi. "Unfortunately, she'll have to be returned to holding once this is over. It was the best I could do given the circumstances."

"That's ok Lord Sixth. It's more then I deserve," Hanabi added.

Kakashi sympathetically nodded before facing Naruto.

"What happened?"

"I'm sorry, Sensei, but if it's alright with you. I'd like to take Natsuko to the hospital before I tell you what we found," answered Naruto.

"That's fine," said Kakashi. "Could you at least tell me what happened to her captors?"

"They're dead," answered Naruto.

"What? But how?" asked Kakashi. "You didn't kill them, did you?"

"No, they were dead when we arrived," answered Naruto. "According to Natsuko, they were killed by an accomplice who hired them to abduct her. The accomplice was also dead upon arrival. Unfortunately, we couldn't determine her cause of death."

"So, there weren't two abductors, there were three," mused Kakashi scratching his chin.

"Yes, but that's not what troubles me about this," stated Naruto. "It was the name Natsuko claims the accomplice went by."

"What was it?" asked Kakashi.

"I'd rather not say here," answered Naruto. "I fear doing so could cause a panic."

This surprised Kakashi. What name could be so fearful that Naruto would refuse to say it in public. Nevertheless, Kakashi relented upon seeing the serious look in Naruto's eyes.

"Very well, we can talk about it in my office later. In the meantime, why don't you take Natsuko to the hospital for an examination. "

"Yes Sensei. Thank you," said Naruto bowing. "What about the bodies that were found at the scene?"

"Don't worry about that," stated Kakashi. "If Kiba's up to it, I'll get him to lead a search and retrieval team to bring them back to the village. Maybe then we can find out more about this mystery accomplice."

"And Mariko and Ryuken's son?" queried Naruto. "Someone's going to have to tell him what happened."

"Again, don't worry about it," repeated Kakashi. "I'll send someone to give him the news about his parents passing."

Kakashi gave a heavy sigh.

"I have a feeling this will make his stay in the mental hospital permanent."

Naruto gave a sad nod. While he had been angry at Idasa for bullying Natsuko, he also knew Idasa was a victim of his parents' influence. And now he was paying for their mistakes.

"Hopefully, we can all heal from this one day," said Naruto.

He waved Kakashi goodbye and headed over to Natsuko whose arms were still wrapped around her mother's neck.

"Natsuko, I'm sorry, but it's time to go to the hospital," said Naruto.

Natsuko let go of Hanabi and faced him.

"I understand, I just wish I could stay with Mum a little longer."

"So do I," sighed Naruto. "Sorry, I had to cut it short."

Natsuko walked over and took her father's hand.

"Take care of her Naruto," requested Hanabi.

"I will, I promise."

"I'm coming with you," added Sakura. "I've already been assigned as the doctor doing her examination."

"Thank you, Sakura," said Naruto.

"Anytime," Sakura returned.

Hanabi was escorted back to holding by the police while Naruto, Hinata and Natsuko headed to the hospital.

"Is Brother still here?" asked Natsuko.

"Yes, I've been told they want to keep him over night for observation," said Sakura looking over a clipboard. "Now, we've set aside an exam room, so we can give you a… where'd she go?"

Natsuko was no longer with them, she had dashed to the reception desk. They overheard her asking which room Boruto was in and she took off as soon as she received an answer.

"Hey, get back here," demanded Sakura.

"Leave her be, we've got plenty of time to give her a checkup," argued Naruto.

"And can you blame her for wanting to see if her brother's ok?" asked Hinata.

Sakura sighed and scratched her eyes.

"Consider yourself lucky I still feel guilty about how I reacted when your relationship became public. I wouldn't allow this otherwise."

Natsuko sprinted through the hospital until she found the room designated for her brother. She entered without knocking.

"Brother?"

She saw her brother sitting awake in bed. What was surprising however was that Mirai Sarutobi was there as well.

"Natsuko your back," grinned Boruto.

He tried to get out and greet her, but he winced in pain and lay back down.

"Take it easy Boruto," ordered Mirai. "I know your injuries are only minor, but you're still hurt and you need to rest."

"Yeah, yeah I know," groaned Boruto.

Natsuko approached the bed.

"Brother, are you ok?"

"I've been better," smirked Boruto.

"Um, Mirai I don't mean to be rude, but why are you here?" asked Natsuko.

"I just figured Boruto could use some company," she answered. "He was worried about you and with his parents out looking for you, I thought it might be good for someone to stay and support him."

Hearing how much her family had worried for her made her tear up again. She ran forward and wrapped her arms around Boruto.

"Natsuko be careful, I'm hurt," winced Boruto.

"I know, I'm just so happy you're alright," she cried.

Mirai smiled at them before getting up

"I'll leave you to alone," she got up and approached the door. "Get some rest Boruto it'll make you feel better."

"Will do," said Boruto giving a thumbs up while Natsuko still crushed him in her arms.

Mirai smiled again before shutting the door behind her.

She'd always admired Boruto's strength and restraint against the villagers who hated him and his family. Mirai knew he hated them in return, which only made his restraint more admirable, even if it was something his parents had taught him. If the village had treated her and her mother like the village had treated Boruto's family, she would've likely done something very bad in retaliation. Mirai was forever grateful it had never come to that and like her mother before her, she would do everything she could to support the Uzumaki family.

Unknown to everyone however, Mirai didn't just visit Boruto to provide emotional support.

"If only he were older, things between us could be different," thought Mirai before leaving to visit her mother.

Back in Boruto's room, Natsuko was still crying tears of joy.

"I'm so sorry Big Brother. You only got hurt because of me."

"Hey, this isn't your fault," countered Boruto patting her back.

Natsuko let him go and wiped the tears from her face.

"Yes, it is. You only got hurt because they were after me."

"They shouldn't have come after you at all," argued Boruto sitting up.

Natsuko was about to speak, but Boruto kept going.

"They came after you because they wanted revenge for what you did to their son right?"

Natsuko nodded as another tear fell down her cheek.

"Then clearly, they learnt nothing. If they had, they would've seen how they were at fault for what you did."

"I tried telling them that, but they just said I was making excuses," argued Natsuko.

"That's only because their close-minded fools," countered Boruto. "Just like most people in this rotten village. They were the ones making excuses."

Boruto turned to the widow and glared at the village.

"In their eyes, they don't view you as a person. They also think their son was justified in bullying and mistreating you. I'm guessing they again insisted they only taught their son the truth and called you a mistake that should've never been born?"

"Yes, that's exactly what they said," answered Natsuko.

"Then trust me Sis, you aren't the problem they are," declared Boruto. "I'll never understand why most of the villagers think it's ok to mistreat you, just because your mother is Dad's second wife. There is no good excuse for treating you like a mistake that needs to be corrected. Your mother was right, the only freaks in the village are people like them."

"She only said that because she was possessed by The Ghost," argued Natsuko.

"Doesn't make it any less true," countered Boruto. "If you ask me Aunty was completely justified in what she did."

Natsuko was getting scared. She had never seen her brother so angry.

"Brother, calm down. If you get too angry, The Ghost might come after you."

This snapped Boruto back to reality, who started breathing heavily to calm down.

"That's right, just deep breaths," Natsuko encouraged.

Boruto took one last breath.

"Sorry about that. I'm just so angry right now," he admitted.

"I might not show it, but so am I," cried Natsuko. "After everything Dad did for them, how can they hate him just because he practices something a little strange."

"I honestly don't know. There were times I had doubts about Dad's heroics," admitted Boruto. "But even those who hate him admit the last war ended because of him. It must be true, but if so, they should just let him live his life how he sees fit."

"Agreed," said Natsuko.

"And I hate to admit it, but I've been mad with Dad at times," said Boruto. "I've been angry that he forces us to live in a village that hates and rejects us."

"Brother, we've had this conversation before," stated Natsuko.

"I know, I know, I just…"

"It's uncool right?" asked Natsuko.

"Really, uncool," sighed Boruto. "But I've gone over it in my head so many times and I know our parents are right. Why would another village accept us, if our own doesn't? This really was the best decision they could make. I mean sure they have friends in other villages, they might even get support from some of the Kage."

"Like Uncle Gaara?" asked Natsuko.

"Exactly, but again, that might not do much to change public opinion," sighed Boruto.

"Not only that, all our parents' closest friends live in this village and they've been nothing but loving and supportive of us," added Natsuko. "And not just their best friends but…"

"But our best friends as well," said Boruto helping her finish her sentence. "I'd hate to have to leave them behind and start over in another village. And considering how hard it was for us to make friends in this village. Imagine how hard it would be in another village."

"And yet, even if we could find the courage to leave everything and everyone behind, there's now an even bigger reason we can't leave," cried Natsuko. "My mother."

"What are you talking about? Your mother would come with us," argued Boruto.

"No, she wouldn't, she couldn't," Natsuko cried. "Let's face it Brother, she's going to prison and there's nothing we can do about it."

"Hey, you don't know that. Last I heard they haven't reached a verdict," argued Boruto.

"It doesn't matter. Ever since she revealed she was Dad's second wife, they've been looking for an excuse to get rid of her," Natsuko cried. "Her getting possessed by The Ghost has given them the excuse they need. Even if we could prove this wasn't her fault, they would still demand she be looked away for the rest of her life and I have a feeling the courts would agree. So, we can't leave the village Brother, I refuse to leave her behind."

Boruto knew there was nothing he could say to cheer her up. She was convinced that her mother was going to prison. Boruto remembered how much she used to smile, even when the situation was bad. Unfortunately, recent events seemed to have taken that ability away. Now he could only see a waterfall of tears streaming down her face. Why? Why did the village think it was ok to treat them like this?

In the doorway, Naruto, Hinata and Sakura were listening in and were nearly brought to tears themselves. How had it gotten this bad for the children? Why had Naruto let it get this bad for his children? All Naruto had wanted was to have a loving family with his wives and kids, regardless of what the village thought of them. Now here they were, the family was forcibly split up and the kids were likely permanently traumatised. Naruto had never felt like a bigger failure in his life. What kind of husband and father was he?

He had to make this right, but he didn't know how.

Chapter Text

As Naruto continued to watch his daughter cry, he was thinking of ways he could make this right. Ways he could make life better for his wives and children. Unfortunately, he came up with nothing and with Hanabi's situation getting worse with every passing day, he feared there wasn't anything he could do to make the situation better for his family. They were all in pain because of this, but his daughters was by far the worst. She didn't deserve to grow up with her mother unfairly imprisoned. Then there was Boruto. Like Naruto he had done his best to put on a brave face for this, but now he had been hospitalised all because of the hatred the village held for them. Naruto was starting to believe Boruto's hatred for the villagers was justified. He was starting to hate them as well.

Naruto knew there was only one thing he could do in this situation. Be the father his children deserved.

He entered the room.

"Natsuko honey," he called.

Hearing her father's voice Natsuko wiped the tears from her face and did her best to calm down. She turned to her father, still red in the face with leaking eyes.

"Yes, Dad?"

"I know you're worried about Boruto, but you need to go have a checkup to make sure you're alright," advised Naruto.

"Ok Dad," said Natsuko trying her best to ensure more tears didn't fall from her eyes. "But what about Brother, I don't want to leave him all alone."

"That's ok, I'll stay with your brother," Hinata offered.

"No," Naruto interjected. "I will."

"But dear, I think Natsuko could really use her father right now," argued Hinata.

"I know, but I have a few important things I need to discuss with Boruto," stated Naruto.

Truth was, he felt so guilty about the current situation that he felt he didn't deserve to be in Natsuko's presence.

Hearing the seriousness in her father's tone Natsuko spoke up.

"That's ok Dad, if you have something important to tell Brother, you should tell him sooner rather than later. You can go with me right Aunty?"

Hinata had a feeling that it was really important to Naruto to talk to Boruto right now. She also saw a great look of guilt in his eyes whenever he looked at Natsuko. She decided that maybe it was best that she be the one to take Natsuko to her checkup.

"Of course sweetie, I'll help you with whatever you need," said Hinata before facing Naruto. "Just promise you'll come to see us right after you're done."

"I promise," said Naruto.

Natsuko took Hinata's hand and left with Sakura to go have a checkup.

Naruto pulled up a seat next to Boruto.

"Well Dad, you kept your promise and brought Natsuko home," grinned Boruto.

Naruto ignored his praise and said, "I'm so sorry."

"Huh?" asked Boruto.

"I'm sorry Boruto, for everything," said Naruto. "I've failed you, Natsuko and your mothers. I'm a terrible husband and father."

Boruto had not expected the conversation to go this direction.

"I tried my best to make it work. I thought if we didn't cause any problems within the village, people would accept us overtime," admitted Naruto. "But I was wrong, by trying to keep the piece all I did was create more problems for my family. And now look at us."

"Dad this isn't your fault," argued Boruto. "It's the village and The Ghost's."

"It doesn't matter. I could have done more, I know I could've," stated Naruto.

Naruto then started shedding tears, something Boruto had never seen before.

"I should've fought harder whenever people were cruel to you and Natsuko, but I didn't because I didn't want people to think I was a monster, like they did when I was a kid. I didn't want them to think I was a dictator who would hurt anyone that disagreed with me. But I am a monster. Not to the village, but to the people I'm supposed to love the most."

The more his father spoke the more shocked Boruto became. While it was true he had sometimes resented his father for forcing them to stay in the Leaf Village, he had never outright hated him. His hatred was directed at the village, because he knew they were the real problem. On the outside things were tough, but when all five of them were home together, they were a normal loving family. And now here his father was taking the blame for everything. Boruto understood why his father felt responsible, but felt Naruto was being too hard on himself.

"You, just wanted to live a peaceful life, right?" asked Boruto. "With all of us inside the village?"

"Yes, but our lives have been anything but peaceful," admitted Naruto. "And it's my fault, I'm the reason we stayed this long."

"I thought staying was a joint decision between you, Mum and Aunty?" asked Boruto.

"It was, but that's only because your mother and aunt didn't want me to give up my dream of being Hokage because of them," stated Naruto. "They too believed the village would come around if we gave them time."

Naruto then let out a small chuckle.

"Your Aunt especially still wants me to be Hokage, because it's the only way she can legally become my wife as well. I guess we all stayed around for selfish reasons."

"Yeah, so the blame falls on all three of you," chuckled Boruto trying to make light of the situation.

Naruto's head sank further down.

"I've told you why I want to be Hokage right?"

"Only a thousand times Dad," answered Boruto. "Its because you knew doing so would get you the respect and acknowledgement you were always lacking as a child."

Naruto managed another small chuckle.

"That's how it started and after I gained people who I loved and wanted to protect, I only wanted the position more. I wanted to become a shinobi strong enough to protect them. And I did it. I became a strong Shinobi, completed various tough missions, saved the entire village from destruction and eventually, I saved the whole world. I had become what I'd always wanted. A shinobi everyone loved, admired and respected and above all else, I was one who was strong enough to protect those close to me. At that point everyone thought me becoming Hokage was a sure thing. Before long, I had something even greater, a woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with."

"Mum?" asked Boruto.

"That's right, I had it all, but then I got even more. Even after everything I'd gained, I never would've expected another woman would develop feelings for me as great as your mother's. I was even more surprised when both your aunty and your mum wanted all three of us to be in a relationship."

"I thought you said they didn't give you any say in the matter?" queried Boruto.

"They didn't, but what can I say, it didn't take long for me to love your aunt just as much as your mother. I also wanted all three of us to be together," Naruto clarified. "I knew the village might take issue with our relationship, which is why we kept it secret at first. As far as the village knew, your mother and I were the only ones in a relationship."

"But then Aunty got pregnant right?" asked Boruto.

"That's right. We knew things were going to be complicated, especially considering your mother was the one I was married to. We spent a long time discussing what we should do," sighed Naruto. "We thought about keeping your aunt hidden until the baby came, then telling everyone Natsuko was your mother's child. Unfortunately, we felt people would get suspicious if we kept your aunt hidden for nine months and the word would get out eventually. We knew the Hokage could've helped with our secret, but that still meant there was a chance of the truth getting out, even if it was minimal. We then thought that maybe we should just say that your aunt had agreed to be a surrogate for us, so people wouldn't question her pregnancy."

"That seems like a reasonable solution," stated Boruto.

"I know, but we knew it would make your aunt sad if she couldn't publicly acknowledge Natsuko as her daughter, which felt unfair to her," said Naruto. "From here, we came up with the only fair solution. Tell the truth and face the consequences. We all knew the village might take issue with this, but I convinced your mother and aunt that the village would come around. I argued that after everything I've done for them, how could they hate us just because we decided to practice polygamy. Your mother and aunt agreed, and they too believed things would get better over time. Truthfully, the one we were most worried about telling was your grandfather."

"Yeah, I don't think anyone loves and supports us more than Grandpa," winced Boruto remembering how much of a doter his grandfather was.

"Don't get me wrong, he was still angry with us, particularly me, but he soon came around," chucked Naruto. "I just wish the rest of the village had."

"Why do you think its such a hard thing for them to accept?" asked Boruto.

"For the same reason I've always told you," answered Naruto. "They see it as an old-fashioned practice only performed by dictators, which isn't a good look for a village trying to maintain peace in the world. Especially if the person practicing the act is their leader."

"That's why you weren't allowed to become Hokage right?" asked Boruto.

"Yes, because despite everything I've done, me being a polygamist isn't a good image for them," answered Naruto.

"I think that's dumb, you're a loving father to your family, the only difference is you have an extra wife," stated Boruto. "If anything, that shows you have plenty of love to share."

"They don't see it that way," Naruto sighed. "In their eyes, by having two wives I view your mother and aunt more as slaves then partners."

"But you don't right?" asked Boruto.

"Of course not, they are my wives and I've never thought of them as anything else," Naruto answered. "Unfortunately, I can't force them to see things from my perspective and because of this, we may never have their acceptance, and I might never be able to achieve my dream of being Hokage."

"Seems like a stupid reason to deny someone their dream," spat Boruto.

"Honestly, I don't think it is my dream anymore," Naruto stated.

Boruto stared at him with the widest eyes possible.

"You're kidding right?" he chuckled. "Classic Dad, using humour to make light of a bad situation. Not your dream anymore? Yeah right, you've always referred to it as your biggest dream. Great Dad."

"I'm not joking," sighed Naruto.

"Y, you're not?" stammered Boruto.

"I wanted to become Hokage, because it was the greatest representation of respect and acknowledgement within the village. That is what I always wanted as a child, which is why I fought so hard to gain respect and acceptance and become a shinobi strong enough to protect and lead the Leaf Village!" explained Naruto. "But things are different now."

"How so?" asked Boruto.

"Back then I wanted acceptance because I had nothing. I had nothing to lose and everything to gain," answered Naruto. "Now… there's so much I could lose. It was one thing to want to be Hokage to gain acceptance and respect for myself, but what's the point if the village doesn't accept the people I care about the most? Furthermore, why should I defend a village that treat my children and the women I love like trash?"

"You said you'd continue to protect the village to show you were better than them," argued Boruto.

"Better for who? For them?" queried Naruto. "What about being better for my family? That's who I should be protecting not the people who hate us. I'm always putting the villages wellbeing over that of my family. How could I have been so stupid and selfish?"

"That's not true Dad," argued Boruto. "You've always stood up for us when the village mistreated us."

"I know, but I should've done more. I should've let people know there would be consequences for those who continued to hurt my family," countered Naruto. "But I didn't, because I'm still so afraid of rejection, afraid the world will see me as a monster and now I've subjected you all to a life you don't deserve. I'm nothing but a coward."

Naruto was not expecting what came next. Boruto punched him in the face. He also winced in pain upon doing so.

"Boruto, careful you're hurt," advised Naruto ignoring the pain on his face.

"Don't ever say that again," ordered Boruto. "You're not a coward. Could you have done more? Sure, but you didn't because you thought that's what was best for all of us. And I know both Mum and Aunty did as well. They would tell me the same thing you did, that we needed to show we were better than them. And we did. Despite the hate they showed us, we chose to not solve our problems with violence… Well, mostly considering the incidents with Natsuko, but that's besides the point. And any issue we have caused occurred only because the village chose to reject and hate us. You, Mum, Aunty and Natsuko proved yourself to be better people, by not hating them in return."

"But you hate them, right?" asked Naruto. "Don't lie, I've seen the way you look at the villagers."

"You're right, I do hate the village for how they treat us, and I'll admit that makes me least cool in our family," admitted Boruto. "I still think I'm cooler than them though, because I don't hurt others just because I don't like them."

"That I agree with," said Naruto ruffling his son's hair. "Still, I'm starting to see the village like you do. A city full of rotten and cruel people."

This surprised Boruto. Despite everything, Naruto had always tried his best to be positive about the Leaf Village and what it represents. The same was true for Hinata and Hanabi.

"You don't really believe that do you Dad?"

"Honestly, I don't know what to believe anymore," admitted Naruto. "I believed that if I worked hard like I did when I was a child the village would accept us again. I also believed that despite the way I was treated as a child, the villagers were good people at heart, but now I'm not so sure anymore. They rejected me because of the fox, my actions helped me gain their acceptance, and now, they reject me again, just because I made one decision they didn't like. And now, your aunt is paying the price for their cruelty. We tried to explain how it wasn't her fault, but they refused to listen. They don't care if she's guilty or innocent. They just want her to be punished, because they feel she deserves it. They want us all punished as they view our practices as foul."

"I wish there was a way we could prove the ghost was real," sighed Boruto.

"So do I son," said Naruto.

"You'll figure something out, right?" asked Boruto. "Mum always told me that no matter how bad a situation got, you always found a solution."

"Normally that would be true, unfortunately, I can't fight this like I normally would," admitted Naruto. "If I wanted to, I could break your aunt out, fight off anyone who stood in my way and leave the village with all of you. Unfortunately, doing that would make us wanted fugitives and that's no way to live. We must be the bigger people, right?"

"Right," sighed Boruto.

"I hate to admit it, but your aunt's fate is in the hands of the court," admitted Naruto. "And based on what I saw today, I think they've already made their decision."

Boruto didn't even need to ask. He to knew what decision had been made.

"Listen, you should get some rest," advised Naruto. "Sakura told me you should be fine to leave tomorrow. When the trail continues your coming with your mother and I to support your aunt."

"I am?" asked Boruto.

"We kept you and Natsuko away from the trail because we all knew the village would refuse to believe the evidence of your aunt's innocence. We didn't want you guys, particularly Natsuko seeing Hanabi being trashed on, accused and prosecuted for something that wasn't her fault. Seeing her mother go to prison would hurt Natsuko more than anything had before. We knew she'd have to face it eventually, but we felt keeping her away for as long as we could to lessen the pain. Even your aunt agreed with this," stated Naruto. "Like many of our decisions it hasn't worked as expected. Our home was attacked and Natsuko was taken because I wasn't around to protect her. And we were fools to think keeping Natsuko away would lesson the pain. If anything, not being around to support her mother during her time of need has only caused her more pain."

"It did, trust me," sighed Boruto.

"I take full responsibility for that, and I will do whatever I can to make it up to her," declared Naruto. "Until then, your mother and I have decided that whatever judgement your aunt faces, we should face it as a family, all of us."

"Might want to check with Aunty first if it's ok to bring Natsuko to the trail," advised Boruto.

"Don't worry I will," promised Naruto. "But after today, she'll want assurance that Natsuko's safe. And the safest she can be is with me. I have a feeling she'll also agree that its best for us to face the village's judgement as a family. Because that's what we are and there's nothing the village can say to change that."

"When do you think the trial will continue?" asked Boruto.

"I don't know," answered Naruto. "The judge only postponed it until we found Natsuko. Now that she's back I wouldn't be surprised if they decide to continue it tomorrow. The entire village wants this trial to be over, and the judge had clearly made his decision today, he just didn't have a chance to make it official."

"At this point it's just a formality," sighed Boruto. "Well, if there's any silver lining at least it'll be over quickly."

Naruto nodded and stood up.

"Listen, you should get some rest, you've been through a lot today. I'm going to check on your sister, then I have to go see the Hokage about today."

"Alright Dad, see you tomorrow," said Boruto lying down.

Naruto nodded gave his son another pat on the head and left. He walked back to the front desk to see which room Natsuko was in but thankfully found Sakura and Hinata waiting. Surprisingly Hiashi was also there.

"How is she?" asked Naruto.

"Not much to say," answered Sakura looking over her clipboard. "To repeat what Hinata said, she's almost completely unharmed. The only evidence of injury we could find was a bit of bruising from where she'd been slapped. Natsuko claims they held a kunai to her face, but they didn't leave a visible injury."

"I've heard that multiple times now and it this situation is still just as confusing than ever," sighed Naruto.

"Well, it's about to get a lot more confusing," added Sakura.

"How so?" asked Naruto.

"I took a blood sample from Natsuko and noticed something very… strange," answered Sakura looking over her notes.

"Strange how?" Naruto queried.

"It's happening very slowly, but Natsuko's DNA seems to be… changing," said Sakura.

Naruto and Hinata looked at each other. What did this mean?

"Do you think this has anything to do with that strange tattoo that appeared on her hand?" asked Naruto.

"I don't know Naruto," sighed Sakura. "This is beyond my area of expertise. I wish I could tell you more, but this is the best I can do."

"That's ok, we're just happy you were able to help us," stated Hinata.

"Still, I want her to come in for a few more checkups to see if the change in her DNA continues," Sakura requested. "It won't tell us what this means, but it should at least let us know if this is permanent or not."

"Alright," said Naruto. "Though I think we should take her to someone who might be able to give us more information."

"Who did you have in mind?" asked Hinata.

"You know who I'm referring to," answered Naruto.

Despite not saying the name, both Sakura and Hinata knew who Naruto meant.

"Naruto are you insane?" asked Sakura. "Are you telling me you want to take Natsuko to see Orochimaru."

"I know his experiments are widely considered unethical, but considering all the work he's done in genetics, he might be the only one who can tell us what's happening to Natsuko," stated Naruto.

"Yeah, but after everything he's done I'm amazed you would want him anywhere near you're daughter," said Sakura.

"Normally I wouldn't, but I don't think we have any other options," argued Naruto. "Besides both he and the sound village are constantly monitored by Leaf Shinobi and he hasn't stepped out of line since the war."

"I guess, but still, that's a big risk to take, especially for your daughter, he'll probably want to keep Natsuko in the Sound Village permanently, if he finds her blood work fascinating enough" countered Sakura.

"I think it's a risk worth taking," said Naruto. "He's no fool. Unlike the rest of the village, he knows better then to make me angry."

Sakura turned to Hinata.

"Please tell me you're not ok with this?"

"This isn't up to me. While I love Natsuko, she isn't my daughter. This is for Naruto and Hanabi to decide," stated Hinata. "If they both feel this is the best course of action, I'll support them."

"Which is why I'm going to talk to Hanabi about this the moment the trail is over," added Naruto. "If she agrees I'll take Natsuko to see Orochimaru as soon as possible."

"If you say so," Sakura sighed. "But you'll never see me taking Metal to see him."

"I also feel this is the best course of action," interjected Hiashi. "If we want to find out what's happened to Natsuko, taking her to see Orochimaru might be the best solution. Just promise me you'll keep her safe."

"I will Lord Hiashi, I promise," stated Naruto. "Also, I don't mean to be rude, but what are you doing here?"

"What do you think I'm doing here?" asked Hiashi sternly. "I came to see if my grandkids were ok."

"Oh right," said Naruto scratching his head. "I've told Boruto to get some rest, so maybe its best we don't bother him."

Naruto then turned to Sakura.

"Would it be ok if we visited Natsuko?"

"Unfortunately, no," answered Sakura. "I went to check on her after I'd gotten the results of her tests back and she'd already fallen asleep. Can't say I'm surprised, she's had a stressful day. Probably for the best anyway. What she needs right now is rest and we wanted to keep her overnight for observation."

"Alight, we'll come by first thing in the morning," Naruto decided. "Thanks again Sakura."

"No worries, Naruto, it's my pleasure," said Sakura before walking away.

"Listen, I have to go see Lord Sixth to tell him more about what we found," said Naruto to Hinata.

"Alright, I'll see you at home," Hinata stated.

"Hold on," Hiashi interjected. "I think you may have forgotten that you're home is a little… destroyed."

"Oh yeah," Naruto remembered.

"With all that's happened today I guess we forgot," Hinata stated.

"Understandable," Hiashi nodded. "Why don't you both come stay with me tonight."

"Are you sure Father?" asked Hinata.

"Of course. I'll say it as many times as I must. Despite the negative view the Hyuga elders have towards your relationship, all of you will always be welcome in my home, as you are my family," Hiashi clarified.

Hinata looked at Naruto and he nodded in agreement.

"Alright, thank you father," she turned to Naruto. "I'll see you later tonight."

Naruto shook his head and declared, "Sorry, but I'm not coming home tonight. After I'm finished with Lord Sixth, I'll be coming back to keep an eye on Boruto and Natsuko."

"Naruto that's not necessary," Hinata insisted. "The hospital has plenty of security and Sakura already promised she'd keep a close eye on them."

"I understand, but I'd feel better if I was here for them tonight," stated Naruto. "That way, I can make sure no more harm comes to them."

Hinata was about to argue further, when Hiashi put a hand on her shoulder.

"Leave him be."

"But father, they might be continuing the trial tomorrow and he needs to rest," insisted Hinata.

"I agree, but sometimes sacrifices must be made to help all the people we care about," argued Hiashi. "Right, now when you look at Naruto, what do you see?"

Hinata looked at Naruto and read the emotions on his face.

"A father whose only priority right now is his kids," she answered.

"Precisely," stated Hiashi. "While helping Hanabi is important, right now, Naruto feels his main priority is his children. If Hanabi were here, I'm sure she'd be grateful for Naruto wanting to stay and protect her daughter. Just as I'm sure you're grateful that he wants to stay behind to protect your son. Please, let him do what he feels he must as their father"

Despite Hiashi initially being against their relationship, Hinata knew every word he spoke was the truth. And Hiashi was definitely right about one thing, Hinata was truly grateful that Naruto wanted to stay behind to ensure their son was safe.

"Alright Father," Hinata conceded before facing Naruto. "Would you like me to stay until you get back?"

"No that's ok," stated Naruto. "As you said, this hospital has plenty of security and I won't be gone for long. Go home with your father, at least one of us should be rested enough to properly support Hanabi."

"Alright honey, I'll come by first thing in the morning," said Hinata.

She walked over and gave him a kiss on the cheek before leaving with her father. Naruto left soon after to have his conversation with Kakashi.

The Shinobi's on guard duty had been ordered to let him through, allowing Naruto to get to Kakashi's office without interruption. Naruto arrived at the door to Kakashi's office and knocked.

"Enter," said a voice from inside.

Naruto entered and found Kakashi at his desk.

"Thank you for coming," said Kakashi. "How are your kids?"

"They're fine, both have minor injuries and are likely going to be discharged tomorrow," answered Naruto. "That being said, I've decided to stay at the hospital tonight to keep an eye on them, so I'd prefer we keep this short."

"Of course," said Kakashi. "I was going to keep this short anyway, because I'm afraid I have some bad news."

"What?" asked Naruto.

"As I'm sure you could see the judge had already reached a verdict in the trail. He just wasn't able to make it official, before the incident at you're home occurred. Now that Natsuko's returned they want to continue the trial first thing tomorrow, so it can be finished," Kakashi answered.

"I had a feeling this would happen," Naruto sighed. "I just hope Boruto and Natsuko are discharged before the trial begins. I want all of us there to support Hanabi as a family."

"That shouldn't be a problem and if it is, I'll do everything I can to postpone the trial," said Kakashi. "Now, if its alright with you, I'd like to get down to business. What did you discover on your mission that you felt couldn't be discussed in public?"

Naruto told Kakashi everything. How all the culprits were dead upon arrival, the mysterious mark that had appeared on Natsuko's hand and most importantly of all, the name of the unknown third member. Unsurprisingly, Kakashi was shocked by what he heard. He was even more shocked by what Natsuko had been told by her captor and what Sakura had described about Natsuko's blood work. Unfortunately, even Kakashi didn't have an answer for what this might mean, but both he and Naruto had a feeling the answer would be revealed to them in near future. They also had a feeling this would lead to trouble in the future.

The next day, the final court hearing that would determine Hanabi's fate was about to begin. The entire Uzumaki family was present. Both Natsuko and Boruto had been discharged from the hospital, but Sakura reinforced that she wanted to see Natsuko again in a few days so she could continue to monitor her bloodwork.

Natsuko was nervous about what was to come and was gripping her father's arm very tightly. Naruto was looking drowsy due to staying up all night, but was still determined to support Hanabi, regardless of the outcome. Boruto and Hinata felt the same.

Before long, a handcuffed Hanabi came into the room escorted by two Konaha police officers. She was surprised to see Naruto had brought their daughter, but she didn't say anything. She was glad he had. Hopefully she'd get to speak to her daughter one last time before going to prison. The officers sat her down in the defendant's seat.

It was at this point the judge decided to get things going so he could put an end to this. The judge banged his gavel.

"We will now hear the final case of Hanabi Uzumaki vs The Village Hidden in the Leaves," called the judge. "Prosecution you have the floor."

The prosecutor stood.

"Your honour, we both know nothing needs to be said. It was clear you had made your decision about this yesterday, but you were interrupted before you could make the decision official. Everyone knows this hearing is just a formality, so I have no further questions."

"You may be right, but I'm am still going to offer the defence a chance to speak if they have anything else they wish to add," the judge stated. "Hanabi Uzumaki, is there anything you'd like to say."

Hanabi shook her head.

"No, your honour, I've presented all I have, if that isn't enough to convince you of my innocence, then I'm prepared to face the consequences."

"Very well," the judge sighed.

The judge still felt this ruling was wrong, but the law was the law and their was nothing he could do.

"Hanabi Uzumaki, I hereby declare you…"

The judge trailed off as the doors to the room burst open and a voice yelled "WAIT!"

"Oh, now what," growled the prosecutor through gritted teeth.

The entire courtroom turned to see a preteen girl standing at the entrance.

"Class Rep," said Boruto recognising her as Sumire from the academy.

She looked different however, her long purple hair had been let down from its usual braided double ponytail and she wasn't dressed in her usual attire. She looked more like she was ready to go on a shinobi mission.

"You know her?" Hinata asked.

"Yeah, she's our class representative at the academy. Sumire Kakei," answered Boruto.

Before another word could be uttered, Sumire dashed to the head of the front of the room.

"This needs to stop, she's innocent," pleaded Sumire.

"Little girl, while I'm sure the Uzumaki Family appreciates your support, this is a serious matter and we have no time for needless interruptions," spat the prosecutor.

"Overruled," said the Judge who was curious by what Sumire had to say. "Why do you believe Hanabi Uzumaki to be innocent?"

"Because The Ghost Boruto speaks of is real and I can prove it," Sumire answered.

"Oh really? And how are you going to prove this mysterious invisible ghost that only Boruto Uzumaki can see is real?" spat the prosecutor.

"Because I'm the one controlling it," answer Sumire. "I'm the one responsible for the incidents."

The whole room went silent.

Chapter Text

The court remained silent for an entire minute while everyone tried to comprehend what Sumire had just said. How was this girl who had seemingly had nothing to do with the situation involved? Had Boruto been telling the truth about The Ghost and what did Sumire mean by her being the one controlling it?

"Young lady, could you please explain what you mean? asked the judge.

"I'm known as Sumire Kakei, but that's just a name I was given to infiltrate the village," Sumire continued. "My Father was Tanuki Shigaraki, a devote member of Danzo Shimura's foundation and one of his most dedicated followers."

This caused murmuring among the crowd. They had all thought Danzo's foundation was extinct.

"A likely story," spat the prosecutor. "I'm sure if we dig into this girl we'll find a connection between her and the defendant's family, and this'll all end up being another lie they've come up with to try and convince us Hanabi Uzumaki is innocent."

"Hold on," interjected Kakashi standing up. "Your honour I'm familiar with the man she speaks of."

"Is that so?" the judge asked curiously. "What can you tell us about him."

"For one, I can confirm that he was indeed a member of Danzo's foundation and it's also true that he was among his most devoted followers," answered Kakashi. "Is this girl his daughter? That I can't answer, but if what she says is true, it's definitely worth investigating as it might allow us to shed some light on what's been causing these incidents. With your permission your honour, I'd like to request a continuance so we can investigate this further."

"Objection," shouted the prosecutor.

"Overruled," countered the judge. "Lord Sixth do you really think this is worth pursuing?"

"Yes, because I feel pursuing the truth is the most important factor in deciding judgement," argued Kakashi.

"Agreed," sighed the judge. "While I, like many here wish for this trial to end, I can't reach a conclusion until I look at all the facts. Continuance granted."

The judge banged his gavel. The Uzumaki's breathed a sigh of relief knowing that in addition to Hanabi's trail being continued, they may soon have concrete evidence that proved her innocence.

The trial was delayed another week while Kakashi and a few others looked into Sumire's claims about her being The Ghosts controller and her connection to Tanuki Shigaraki. The more they found the more they knew her claims were true. They managed to find what he had been working on, and they immediately saw how it would've caused the violent incidents across the village. They also discovered that Tanuki had a wife, making Sumire's claims of being their child more plausible. This was only confirmed further when Sumire provided her original birth certificate showing her birth name of Sumire Shigaraki and having Tanuki and his wife listed as her parents.

Before the final trial was to begin, Kakashi shared his findings with Naruto. With this new evidence, both were certain Hanabi would be found innocent.

The day of the final trial came, and the defence came prepared with all the gathered evidence.

"The court will now call forth The Sixth Hokage of the Leaf Village, Kakashi Hatake," called the judge.

Kakashi stood, approached and sat next to the judge.

"What can you tell us about Miss Sumire Kakei?" the judge asked.

"We confirmed she's telling the truth, including with regards to her parents," answered Kakashi. "Her father Tanuki Shigaraki was a researcher in Danzo's Foundation."

"And what was he researching," the judge queried.

"His research related to the forbidden technology of the Hashirama Cell," answered Kakashi.

Hearing the name of Konoha's first Hokage caused further murmuring in the crowd. After it died down Kakashi continued.

"From what we were able to find, the purpose of his research was in the field of military weaponry, however it wasn't for murder, but for collecting an opponent's Chakra. From here I've concluded, Tanuki has used his daughter to bring an heirloom of the foundation into the village. The Gozu Tennou. This is a project Tanuki continued even after Danzo's."

"I see," the judged mused. "And where is this Tanuki Shigaraki?"

"That I can't answer," stated Kakashi. "For that you will have to ask Sumire. What I can tell you is that Lady Tsunade and I did our best to hide the identities of those associated with the foundation, to help them live without scrutiny. I know both the names and locations of every former member. Well, all except Tanuki Shigaraki and his family. They have long since disappeared."

"Thank you Lord Sixth, you may return to your seat," the judge ordered.

"But I still have a lot I can tell you about the Gozu Tennou," Kakashi argued.

"I'm sure you do, but right now, there's someone else I'd like to hear from," stated the judge.

Kakashi knew who he was referring to.

"Yes you're honour."

He returned to his seat.

"The court now calls for Sumire Kakei to the stand," the judge ordered.

The doors opened on cue and Sumire was led inside by two guard shinobi. Because Sumire had confessed to being responsible for the incidents, she too had been put in holding and was being led to the front in hand cuffs.

"Your honour, I'd like to request the removal of her handcuffs," stated Kakashi. "She's only a child and came out of her own free will. Furthermore, we have more than enough power to stop her if she decides to retaliate."

"Very well. Remove the cuffs," the judged ordered.

One of the guards used a key to unlock and remove Sumire's handcuffs who then took her seat on the stand.

"Young Lady, can you please state your name for the court," the judge requested.

"I'd like to say my name is Sumire Kakei, but truthfully she doesn't exist," she answered. "It was just a name that was given to me when the time came to infiltrate the village. For my entire life I lived in hiding. Even when I entered the village I mostly kept to myself. I came here for only one purpose. To destroy the Leaf."

The room gasped.

"Interesting, and what made this your desire?" the judge asked.

"To fulfill my father's dying wish," answered Sumire. "Revenge is the only reason I exist. My father tirelessly served the Leaf Village during the last war. When the war ended he was treated like a dangerous criminal and banished from the Leaf Village due to his association with the foundation."

The more she spoke the more sympathy the judge felt.

Sumire continued.

"Fuelled by his hatred of the Leaf Village, my father raised me as a tool to wreak vengeance on the village. It hasn't been an easy life. The only moments of tranquillity I had was when my mother would brush my hair in the evenings. Unfortunately, she eventually died from fear and anxiety. I eventually forgot my mother's voice. After that, I had no one but my father, a man who believed the Leaf understood nothing and supported a cowardly existence. He rejected their very existence. He wanted me to avenge the foundation in his place"

"What does this have to do with the incidents around the village?" asked the Judge.

"Before he died, my father perfected the Gozu Tennou," answered Sumire. "He then entrusted it to me, to do what he couldn't."

"Destroy, the Leaf?" asked the judge.

"Yes, and as I'm sure Lord Sixth has already figured out, the Gozu Tennou is imbedded within my own body," Sumire stood and turned around.

Wearing the same outfit from before that didn't have a back, Sumire pulled her hair to the side, revealing a large red mark on her back. It seemed to be only partially complete however, as it had a few pointed bits on one side, but not the other.

"This is the Gozu Tennou, my father's legacy."

All those who had been researching the project recognised the mark instantly.

"And what does it do? What is its purpose," the judge asked.

"As Lord Sixth said. Its initial purpose isn't to murder. The rampages were just distractions I created to absorb the victim's chakra. It's final purpose is to bring forth a creature known as Nue."

As Sumire spoke these words, the mark on her back glowed and a small creature, with a white head, brown body with a matching tale and yellow legs with black stripes emerged.

Many shinobi in the room were ready to charge, but Kakashi ordered them to stand down.

Sumire turned and picked the creature up.

"This is Nue, the creature my father hoped would fulfill his dream of destroying the Leaf Village."

"I don't to be rude, but that creature doesn't seem to be much of a threat," the judge observed.

"That's because he's not complete," stated Sumire.

She turned back around and moved her hair.

"See these points, they represent the Chakra I've collected! Only once they are complete can Nue be fully formed. At full power Nue, could've extracted chakra from the entire village and after he'd absorbed enough, he would explode, and my father's dream would become a reality. My original plan was to have Nue go on a rampage across the village. Eventually, he would destroy everyone in the vicinity. Admittedly, I didn't want it to come to that, because I consider Nue more like a child I raised as opposed to the ultimate weapon of revenge. However, I decided I could go along with the mission provided I died along with him"

The caused panicked discussion in the room. The judge however remained calm and continued his questioning.

"Why did you agree to do this?"

"Because to me, this was war," Sumire answered turning around and sitting. "Implanting the Gozu Tennou on my body was my father's final act. Doing so led to his death. I entered a contract with Nue and became a beacon of his revolution."

At that moment, most of the room didn't see a criminal. Just a child wanting to fulfill her father's dying wish.

"Your honour I have a question I would like to ask," Kakashi requested.

"Proceed," the judge granted.

"Why did you only target those who were experiencing strong negative emotion?"

Sumire's faced went gloomy.

"Because I've been harbouring my own troubles for as long as I could remember. It was easiest for me to infect and drain someone with a similar mindset. It was the quickest way for me to gather enough Chakra to awaken Nue in his complete form."

Hearing this the Uzumaki's understood why it had been so easy for her to infect Hanabi and send her on a rampage. Hanabi had been angry at the village for so long it had made her a prime target.

"Are you able to show us an example of this power?" asked Kakashi.

"I could, but unfortunately none of you will be able to see it," Sumire made a few hand signs.

Boruto was able to see the odd purple shadow he saw at each incident.

"All except Boruto, who for reason's I can't explain can see it."

Much of the crowd turned to Boruto but went silent when they saw something strange.

"What's wrong with his eye?" asked the judge.

"I'm not sure, but I'm looking into it," answered Kakashi. "Whatever it is, it allows Boruto to see the energy of the Gozu Tennou's Chakra."

"The kid's half Hyuga right?" the judge queried. "Maybe it's his Byakugan."

"No," stated Hinata making Boruto look at her. "It might be a Kekkei Genkai, but its definitely not the Byakugan. Furthermore, it has different abilities to the Byakugan."

Hinata turned to Sumire.

"Are you still using your ability?"

Sumire nodded.

Hinata activated her Byakugan to show the room how the abilities differed in appearance and to also see if she could see what Boruto saw.

"No, I can't see the Gozu Tennou," she confirmed.

"How strange," the judge mused. "Lord Sixth are you sure you don't know what ability Boruto has?"

"Unfortunately, no," answered Kakashi. "After his aunt was arrested I took Boruto to see a few specialists in eye related Kekkei Genkai. Unfortunately, they all said his eyes seem no different to the average Leaf Villiger. I intend to find the answer, but for now, it at least explains why Boruto can see the Gozu Tennou's Chakra, while everyone else can't."

"Indeed," the judge agreed. "Well keep looking, I guess. Hopefully you'll find the answer eventually. Is there anything else we need to discuss for this trial?"

"I have one more question for Miss Sumire your honour," Kakashi requested.

"Granted."

"Why, did you come forward and confess? With the entire village focused on this trail and healing from Hanabi Uzumaki's rampage, you were given the best opportunity to gather the remaining Chakra you needed. What compelled you to tell the truth.

Sumire looked over at the Uzumaki family with an expression of extreme guilt.

"Because I realised that I was hurting a family not to dissimilar from my own," she answered.

"Explain?" asked the judge.

Sumire gestured to Naruto.

"Like my father, this man served this village with complete loyalty. Without him we wouldn't have won the last war. What makes him different to my father is that instead of being exiled, his efforts were rewarded. That is, until they weren't."

No one said anything, but the whole room knew what she meant.

"Unlike my father, Naruto Uzumaki was never a part of the Danzo Foundation and was able to live a few happy years in the peaceful world he help create, but like my father, that peace came to an end because he practiced something the village opposed. Let's be honest, Naruto Uzumaki's contributions to peace in the last war far exceed my fathers and Naruto's 'crimes' if you can call them that, aren't nearly as bad. My father was part of a foundation that performed immoral experiments on many Leaf citizens. All Naruto did was have enough love in his heart for two women. Two women I might add who continually state that they weren't forced into this. They chose it and it's something they all wanted. And yet, you reject them because you view polygamy as disgraceful and foul, even though none of you would be here without Naruto."

The audience were again silent as they knew the words she spoke were true.

Sumire continued.

"Both my family and the Uzumaki are treated like criminals by a village who should view them as heroes. Thankfully you couldn't force Naruto out like you did my father, because he could take you all on single handedly. Which leads me to why I've come forward to confess my crimes. I retuned to this village to enact the revenge my father desired, but in the process, I hurt a family this village hates nearly as much as my own. Not only that, but my actions have also reignited the village's desire to have them banished from the village like mine was. How can I call myself a beacon in a revolution, if I'm willing to help this village hurt a family the same way mine was."

Despite the pain she had caused them, the Uzumaki's were truly touched by Sumire's words. They were also grateful they had helped her see the error of her ways.

Sumire wasn't finished.

"After realizing this, I finally remembered my mother's voice. This isn't the life she wanted for me and that this life should end with my generation. Until her death, she prayed for my happiness and hoped my life would be different. I feel it can be. I've loved my time at the academy. I've loved studying, training, making friends and I've never had so much fun in my life. This is not just the life my mother wants for me, but I know it's the life I want as well. So, I've come forth today, not just to help the Uzumaki's, but to also fulfill my mother's dying wish and have a better life then my parents did. That is all you're honour, I hope it is enough to clear Hanabi Uzumaki of any wrongdoing."

The room was still speechless. Sumire had shown true kindness, bravery and hope for her generation's future.

Kakashi decided to break the silence.

"Your honour, with your permission, I'd like to head to your champers and show you the evidence we've gathered. Hopefully, it'll help you find the most lawful and just decision."

"Agreed. We'll call a recess for the next hour, while Lord Sixth and I look over the evidence," the judge banged his gavel.

Things were looking up for the Uzumaki's. They weren't out of trouble yet, but they were confident that the new evidence would save Hanabi from prison. Right now, Natsuko wanted nothing more than to run into her mother's arms. Thankfully, Naruto and Hinata were able to convince her that she needed to wait for the judge to return and make his final decision.

The hour passed by quickly and they were back in the courtroom to hear the judge's decision.

The judge banged his gavel.

"Hanabi Uzumaki, please rise for sentencing."

Hanabi stood and faced her fate head on.

"In light of this new evidence and the testimonies from Lord Sixth and Sumire Kakei, I hereby find you… not guilty on all charges," the judge declared banging his gavel.

The Uzumaki's breathed a sigh of relief, thankfully their dilemma was finally over. There were many in the crowd however, who felt she was getting of to easy.

The police officers undid Hanabi's handcuff now that she was a free woman. As planned Natsuko ran into her mother's arms once the cuffs were gone. She buried her head in Hanabi's shoulder's and cried harder than she ever had in her life.

"Hey, come on Natsuko, I know you're happy I'm free, but you're a big girl and big girls don't cry," stated Hanabi patting her daughters head."

Natsuko said nothing as she continued to cry into her mother's shoulder. Hanabi decided her daughter had earnt this, so she held her close and let tears fall from her face as well.

In the distance, Hanabi saw the spirit of her mother Akane again, who seemed just as happy as she was to be holding Natsuko in her arms. Akane nodded before disappearing.

Naruto, Hinata and Boruto came over.

"Thank you for supporting me through this," cried Hanabi hugging her daughter tightly.

"That's what good husbands do," Naruto chucked hugging his wife and kissing her.

"And I couldn't call myself the Super Sister if I abandoned you when you needed me most," laughed Hinata joining.

Then to everyone's surprise, Boruto also wrapped his arms around Hanabi. This surprised everyone as Boruto wasn't known to be publicly affectionate.

"What's this Boruto?" chucked Naruto. "I thought public affection was too uncool for you?"

"What can I say, I thought she was going to be taken away from us," answered Boruto. "And besides, she's my mum to… right?"

"Of course," said Hanabi holding him close.

"Don't forget who your real mother is," laughed Hinata patting him on the head.

The family reunion was interrupted when the judge banged his gavel.

"I hate to interrupt, but there's still one more matter we need to discuss," he said. "The fate of Sumire Kakei."

"Yes, your honour," said Naruto.

The family broke apart except for Natsuko who refused to let go of her mother.

"You're free to go if you wish," the judge offered.

"That's ok you're honour, after everything she's done for us, I feel we should show her our support in her own trial," stated Naruto before turning to his wives. "Is that ok?"

Both Hinata and Hanabi nodded. Even Boruto wanted to stay around, because despite everything she'd done, he still considered her a friend, and she was the reason their family had been reunited.

Sumire couldn't believe what she was hearing. Despite all the pain she'd caused them, the Uzumaki's still wanted to support her.

"Very well, we shall now call the case of Sumire Kakei against the Leaf Village," the Judge declared.

Sumire now sat in the defendant chair, like Hanabi had.

"Miss Kakei, is there anything you would like to say in your defence," the judge asked.

"No your honour," Sumire admitted. "I may have been acting on my fathers orders, but I chose to follow them. I take full responsibility for the damage I caused and am willing to accept whatever punishment is decided."

"I see," he sighed. "Is there anyone else who would like to speak on Sumire Kakei's behalf?"

Kakashi stood and spoke

"Actually, your honour there is. I'd like to call Sai Yamanaka to the stand."

As Kakashi said these words, Sai stood and revealed himself to the crowd.

"Very well, approach," the judge allowed.

Sai walked forward and sat in the witness chair next to the judge.

"Please state your name and occupation," the judge ordered.

"Sai Yamanaka, Jonin Shinobi of the Leaf Village, former ANBU and former member of Danzo's foundation."

This caused another audible gasp from the crowd.

"I know what you're thinking, upon first glance I don't look like a Yamanaka," Sai admitted.

The Yamanaka Clan were known for their blonde hair and blue eyes, while Sai had eyes and hair that were both jet black.

"That's because I married into the clan through my marriage to Ino Yamanaka," Sai continued. "I took her last name because I didn't have one. Truthfully I didn't have a name at all. I was orphaned as a child and placed in Danzo's Foundation. Sai was the codename I was given and for the longest time it was my only identify. Like her father I was also a strong supporter of the foundation, having been raised by their ideals. For a long time I walked a similar path. What makes us different is I was liberated before it was too late. When they were a man down I was placed on the now disbanded Team Kakashi."

"So, you're a former teammate of Naruto Uzumaki?" the judge asked.

"Correct, by joining his team I was gained something I never had before… friends," Sai stated. "Through them, I learnt I could not only walk a different path, but I could also choose my own. This allowed me to leave the foundation and have the life I have today. I have a wife and a son that I love more then anything and I've never been happier. So please your honour, don't let this be the end of Sumire Kakei's life. Let it lead to her new beginning. Until now she was a child following the orders and ideals of another. Give her a chance to lead a life away from the foundation. Give her a chance to live her own life like I did."

"While I understand she was just following orders, we can't just forgive everything she's done," the judge stated.

"I'm not asking you to, I'm just asking you to give her a chance to prove herself," Sai requested.

The judge scratched his chin.

"Lord Sixth, how dangerous is the Gozu Tennou in its current state?"

"From the information I've gathered, it's level of danger is up to the user," stated Kakashi. "It should only do as ordered by Sumire."

"So, in other words, it's only a danger to us if Miss Kakei is?" asked the judge.

"Correct," answered Kakashi.

"Well, I was going to suggest the Gozu Tennou be exterminated but based on Miss Kakei's earlier testimony that is not something she would allow," the judge turned to Sumire. "Is that correct?"

"Yes, do what you want to me, but I beg you not to harm Nue," pleaded Sumire.

"Furthermore, your honour," Kakashi interjected. "We believe that aside from eliminating the Gozu Tennou directly, the only alternative would be to exterminate the host. Which I'm hoping is not something we have to resort to."

"I concur Lord Sixth," the judge agreed.

The judge then looked at Sumire while a lot of thoughts went through his head. All things considered, she was just a child following her fathers orders and if Sai had been given the chance to live a life away from the foundation, perhaps Sumire deserved one as well. And if the Gozu Tennou's danger level was decided by the user, maybe it was best she didn't view the village as her enemy.

"Thankyou Sai Yamanaka, you may return to your seat," the judge ordered.

Sai returned to his seat and the judge continued.

"Lord Sixth, what was the extent of the damage from the incidents caused by Sumire Kakei?"

"No deaths and no permanent injuries," Kakashi answered.

"Very well. In light of all this evidence and the testimony of both Sai Yamanaka and Kakashi Hatake, I have come to the following decision. Sumire Kakei, I am sentencing you to probation. For the next two years you will be closely monitored by the village and future transgressions will result in immediate prison time. That being said, you are allowed to continue your life as you see fit. You can return to the academy and become a Leaf Shinobi or you can walk a different path. The choice is yours."

The judge banged his gavel and the case was over.

Sumire couldn't believe her luck. Despite everything she'd been done, she'd been given the chance to live a life of her choosing. In that moment, she swore she would never waste this opportunity.

Many were not happy with this decision. Not only had Hanabi gotten off without punishment from her rampage, but now the culprit behind the rampage was getting off with just probation.

Outside the courtroom, the Uzumaki family were overjoyed the trial was over and they were all free. From the corner of his eye Boruto saw that Sumire was staring at them with extreme guilt. He walked over to her.

"Are you ok Class Rep?"

"Yes, I'm just glad you guys are ok," she answered.

"Well listen, I just want to thank you for what you did," said Boruto. "Without you my aunt would've gone to prison."

Sumire looked at him confused.

"But, I'm the reason she nearly went to prison."

"I know, but the fact that you came forward to help her means everything to us," stated Boruto.

Sumire was left speechless by this. How could Boruto so easily forgive her when she was the one that nearly tore his family.

"Listen, why don't you come over for dinner tonight?" asked Boruto. "My Mum's a great cook and I'm sure she'll want to show her gratitude for helping my aunt."

Sumire couldn't believe what she was hearing. Not only had Boruto forgiven her, but he was now inviting her to his home as a thank you.

She shook her head and said, "I'm sorry I can't."

Sumire sped off down the street.

"Class Rep wait," Boruto was about to go over her but stopped when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Let her go son," Naruto advised. "She needs to forgive herself before she can accept forgiveness from us. Besides we couldn't really have her over even if she accepted."

"Oh yeah our house is still a little… destroyed," groaned Boruto.

"Yeah, sorry about that, with all the stress of the trial I forgot to call a carpenter," said Naruto.

"I get that, but I don't know how much more of Grandpa I can take," sighed Boruto. "He's been way more doting since the trail started. And I have a feeling he's only going to be even force now that Aunty's free."

"Hey, come on, you know he was just trying to help you and Natsuko through this," chucked Naruto patting him on the head.

"I know, but I really think we need to talk to Grandpa about boundaries," sighed Boruto. "Especially when we're in public."

"You didn't seem to mind showing your Aunt affection when she was found not guilty," teased Naruto.

"Cut me some slack I was emotional," countered Boruto.

"Well, your grandfather's been emotional through all this so what's wrong with him showing a little affection?" asked Naruto.

Boruto knew he had lost this argument.

"Alright, I won't complain about Grandpa being affectionate," grumbled Boruto.

"Good," chucked Naruto. "Now let's go. After everything we've been through I think we could all use a night together as a family."

"That we agree on," smiled Boruto. "And considering Grandpa's a member of this family it's only fair we include him as well.

"Good to hear," said Naruto and they went back to the others.

For the next few hours, Sumire wondered around the village lost in thought. Sure she was free, but she had a feeling her life would never be peaceful. She knew the entire trial had been televised and so the whole village likely knew what she had done. She had a feeling she'd been hated now. Whether she would be hated as much as the Uzumaki's she didn't know, but she was certain she would be hated for what she'd done. She then wondered what she'd be more hated for. Attempting to infiltrate and destroy the village or coming forward and ensuring Hanabi Uzumaki would be declared innocent. While she knew one crime was far worse than the other, she had a feeling she'd be hated for both equally.

Eventually, she sat down on a bench. She felt that despite being free in the legal sense, her social life as she knew it was over. How could any of the people who had considered her a friend forgive her for what she had done? She had betrayed the village and was by all accounts a terrorist. Had her mission been successful all of them would likely be dead. How could anyone consider her a friend when she had once been willing to kill them all.

She looked up to see if anyone was staring at her, but unlike with the Uzumaki's no one was even giving her the time of day.

"They should know by now what I've done and yet they seem to hate me less then the Uzumaki's," Sumire thought.

Thinking of the Uzumaki's made her realise something. They had more right to hate her then anyone and yet, they seemed to have forgiven her immediately. Not only had they stayed behind to support her in her own sentencing, but Boruto had openly expressed his gratitude and forgiveness.

"Why? Why were they so quick to forgive?" thought Sumire.

Sure, she may have been the reason Hanabi was declared innocent, but how did that forgive the fact that she was the reason Hanabi had been on trial in the first place? Were they really that grateful she had come to help in their time of need? She knew this was a question only they could answer. Hopefully she'd get the chance to ask.

Either way, the Uzumaki's forgiveness gave her hope. If the people who deserved to hate her the most could forgive her, maybe everyone else could as well. Sumire didn't know how considering what she had planned to do, but then she realised something else. The village had given her a chance to live a life of her choosing. In return, she needed to give them a chance as well to forgive and accept her for who she is, regardless of what she'd done. For the first time in hours, Sumire smiled as she hoped for a bright future in the Village Hidden in the Leaves. She also let go of all the hate she had felt for the village for how they had treated her family/

Out of nowhere Sumire felt a strange senation on her back. She immediately knew what was happening, the Gozu Tennou was disappearing. Sumire started to panic as she feared Nue would disappear for good, but then she felt a similar sensation on her hand. She looked down and saw a similar symbol appear on her hand. She knew what this meant, Nue was still with her and would stay with her for the rest of her life.

Sumire smiled again. Her life wasn't over it was just beginning.

Chapter Text

Later that night Boruto lay awake in a futon on the floor of his mother's former bedroom. His sister was sleeping in a futon next to him, while his parents slept in another room. He wondered what would happen now that his family was free and the terror of The Ghost was over. Would they return to the academy or would his parents continue to homeschool him and Natsuko to avoid further scrutiny from the public. He then wondered if that would even allow them to become Shinobi. Maybe Kakashi would allow them to take a special final exam that would allow them to graduate to the rank of Genin. All Boruto knew was that his family's future had never felt more uncertain.

What was truly keeping Boruto up however was his eye. Now that the incident of The Ghost was over, would he ever experience his unknown Kekkei Genkai again, or would he go the rest of his life never knowing what it meant. Boruto placed a hand on his eye and asked himself the same question over and over again.

"What purpose does my eye serve?"

His thoughts were broken when a voice said, "Brother, are you awake."

Boruto turned to his side to see Natsuko awake and staring at him.

"Yeah, I couldn't sleep."

"Well, after everything we've been through, we all have a lot to think about," stated Natsuko.

"I guess, but you'd think now that it's all over we'd be able to sleep peacefully," argued Boruto.

"I guess, but can I confess something?" asked Natsuko.

"Sure," said Boruto.

"I'm afraid to close my eyes," Natsuko confessed. "I'm afraid that if I close them, I'll wake up in that courtroom again and have to watch my mum go to prison."

Boruto understood what she meant.

"Listen to me, that's not going to happen. This is not some hopeful dream you're having. Your Mum's sleeping in the next room with mine and our dad. When you wake up in the morning the'll be there."

Natsuko nodded her head as a tear fell down her face.

"Ok, I'll just need to focus on the fact that its over and tomorrow is a new day."

"Well, its not all over," admitted Boruto. "We still don't know what that weird mark on your hand means."

"I'm sure it's nothing," argued Natsuko looking at the strange black tattoo on her hand. "My captor probably just gave me this in a silly attempt to scare dad. Miss Sakura said she wants to see me again in a few days. I'm sure she'll tell me it's just a tattoo and I'll have it removed as soon as possible."

While Boruto admired her optimism, he had a feeling the mark was a lot more than a simple tattoo.

"Look we should try to get some sleep," Boruto advised. "After everything we've been through we'll need our rest."

"Alright. Good night Brother," said Natsuko rolling over and shutting her eyes.

"Good night," Boruto sighed.

As Boruto drifted of to sleep his questions about his eye lingered in his mind.

Boruto then had the most bizarre dream of his life. He found himself a dimly lit room he didn't recognise.

"Where am I?" he wondered aloud.

"I am speaking to you through your dream," said a voice.

Boruto turned and saw a man he didn't recognise. He was tall dressed in white with matching white hair.

"My dream? Who are you?"

"Boruto Uzumaki," he continued. "Your eye is the star of hope, against the destruction that will eventually come to pass."

"Huh?" Boruto queried.

The man then pointed at him.

"The power of hope that slumbers dead within you, will shoulder the fate of the world. Your eye will probably guide you, to the light which will dispel darkness."

Before Boruto could ask anymore questions the man disappeared as he felt something shake him awake.

"Brother," called Natsuko's voice.

"Hmm?" groaned Boruto groggily.

"My mum just came in to say breakfast is ready," stated Natsuko.

"Oh, ok," said Boruto opening his eyes.

Natsuko gasped.

"Brother, your eye. Its doing that strange thing again."

Boruto then realised that he was seeing the world, in the same way he had whenever the Gozu Tennou was present. He blinked his eyes and his vision returned to normal.

"Star of hope against destruction?" whispered Boruto placing a hand over his eye.

"What was that?" asked Natsuko.

"Nothing, I tell you later," answered Boruto. "Let's go have breakfast, I'm starving. And who are you to say someone has weird eyes?"

"You know what I mean," Natsuko sighed, as she followed her brother to the dining room.

They arrived to find their parents and grandfather already seated and went to join them.

They ate in silence for a few minutes. After everything that had transpired, no one wanted to say anything in case it caused an argument.

Hiashi finally broke the silence.

"Listen up everyone, I have some great news."

They all stopped eating and looked at him.

"After the trail ended yesterday, I contacted my own personal contractors and they've agreed to fix the damage done to your home," announced Hiashi. "They've agreed to start immediately and will be done within a few days. In the meantime, you are welcome to continue your stay with me."

"Father, thank you," said Hinata. "I hope we didn't cause you any trouble."

"It's no problem. This company as a long history with the Hyuga Clan and they were happy to help," Hiashi clarified.

"Either way, we're really grateful for your help," added Naruto. "We'll pay you what's owed when they're done."

"Don't trouble yourself," said Hiashi. "Think of this as a welcome home gift for Hanabi. I feel after everything you've been through, you shouldn't have to burden yourself with home repairs."

"Well, we really appreciate it Father," added Hanabi.

"Its no trouble at all. I do have some bad news however," Hiashi sighed.

"What is it? Is something wrong?" asked Naruto.

"Fixing your home means my grandkids are going to leave me," Hiashi cried.

The whole table laughed as they felt they should've known what the bad news was going to be.

"Please don't cry Grandpa," said Natsuko placing a hand on his shoulder. "We'll try and visit more often from now on."

"You have no idea how much that means to me," said Hiashi wiping a tear from his eye.

Feeling the conversation was getting too sappy, Boruto decided to change the subject.

"So Dad, do we have any plans for today?"

"Actually yes, your mothers and I need to go see Lord Sixth to discuss a few things," Naruto answered.

"What things?" Natsuko queried.

"I just need to discuss a few things with him regarding Natsuko's abduction. We haven't had the chance with the trail going on," stated Naruto.

"We were also going to ask him about getting the two of you back into the academy," added Hinata.

"But only if that's what you want," Hanabi interjected. "If you guys don't want to return to the academy we'll understand."

Boruto and Natsuko looked at each other and they immediately knew what they wanted.

"I'm fine to return to the academy," stated Boruto. "No offence, but I prefer learning with my friends then being homeschooled."

"I feel the same," added Natsuko.

"Very well, we'll ask him about it when we get to his offers," stated Naruto.

"But that means you'll only have today off before its time to return," added Hanabi.

By chance it was Sunday meaning they would be starting a new week at the academy the next day.

"That's fine, after all we've been through I don't think the academy will be very stressful at all," declared Boruto.

"Don't be so sure, they could surprise you," Naruto chucked.

Hiashi then reached into his pocket and pulled out a large stack of cash.

"Listen, I have some business I need to deal with today, so how about the two of you go out and have some fun today," he pushed the cash to his children. "Do whatever you want it's my treat."

"Wow, thanks grandpa," said Boruto greedily taking the cash.

"Father, you can't keep spoiling them," lectured Hinata.

"I'm their Grandfather, I'm allowed to spoil them," Hiashi countered.

Everyone laughed as they knew their was no good counter argument for that.

After breakfast was done the parents bid their kids goodbye and headed of to the Hokage's Office. Boruto and Natsuko then got prepared to head out as well.

"So, what do you want to do first?" asked Boruto sitting and putting on his shoes. "I thought it might be nice to invite some of our friends since they have no classes today.:"

"Actually Brother, I'm going to stay behind," stated Natsuko.

"Huh, why? Are you afraid you'll get abducted again?"

"No, but it's related to that," she admitted. "I was abducted because I wasn't strong enough to defend myself and then I made our parents worry about me."

"That's only because those jerks took advantage of the situation. I'm positive our parents will never let that happen again. And our parents are always going to worry about us. There's nothing we can do to change that."

"I know, but our parents can't always be there for us. They can't stay with me all the time. They'll still have their own duties to fulfill as Shinobi of the Leaf," stated Natsuko.

"Well, what about asking Grandpa for a bodyguard?" Boruto suggested. "I'm sure there's plenty of Hyuga's who'd be willing to protect you."

"I don't doubt that but… I feel this is something I need to do myself," stated Natsuko. "I was so scared that day Brother, more scared than I've even been in my life. I NEVER want to go through that again."

"What are you going to do?" asked Boruto.

"I'm going to ask Grandpa to train me again," answered Natsuko. "I want him to teach me everything there is to know about the Hyuga techniques. With his help, I know I can become strong enough to defend myself in any situation."

Boruto stood and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"If that's what you want to do, I say go for it."

"Thank you brother," she smiled.

"I'd stay and train with you but you know what Grandpa would say," sighed Boruto.

They said the next bit together.

"I've already taught you everything you can learn about the gentle fist."

"I can't help but feel sour sometimes that you inherited the Byakugan and I didn't," sighed Boruto.

"Well, you might unlock it eventually. Anything's possible," suggested Natsuko.

"I guess," Boruto sighed. "Anyway, I'm gonna go have some fun."

"Have a good day Brother," stated Natsuko.

"I will, but before I go," Boruto pulled out the cash their grandfather had given him and divided it evenly. "I think you should take half of this."

"Are you sure. Grandpa gave us this money to have fun today," stated Natsuko.

"Exactly, it's for both of us, so you should take half of it," Boruto offered. "He said to spend it on whatever we want, so I want to give you half."

"Wow, thank you brother," said Natsuko taking her half and pocketing it.

"No problem, good luck with Grandpa, I'll see you tonight," stated Boruto heading for the gate.

"Bye Brother," said Natsuko while waving.

Once her brother left the compound, Natsuko made her way to her grandfather's office. Despite knowing that her grandfather would do anything for her, she found herself hesitant to knock on his door. She paced in front of the door for a few minutes trying to figure out the best way to ask her grandfather to teach her more advanced Hyuga techniques.

Her pacing stopped when she heard, "Natsuko, if there's something you'd like to ask me, come inside and ask."

Natsuko hung her head in shame. Her grandfather had likely heard her pacing outside and used his Byakugan to see what was going on. She decided she might as well get it over with and entered her father's office. Hiashi had turned away from his desk, so he could face her.

Natsuko sat down and said, "Sorry Grandpa, I knew you were busy and I didn't want to interrupt you until I knew exactly what I wanted to say."

"I'm may be busy, but I'm never too busy to spend time with my grandkids," Hiashi clarified. "Now, how can I help you."

Natsuko nervously bowed before her grandfather.

"Grandfather, I've come here to request more training. I know you've already taught me a lot, but I want to learn everything I can. I know it won't be easy, but I promise I'm willing to put in the work. I also don't want you to go easy on me. I want you to push me as hard as you did for Mum and Aunty when they were young. I want to get stronger, strong enough that no one can ever abduct me again. Strong enough that my parents won't have to worry about me every time I'm in a dangerous situation. But more then anything, I want to be strong enough that I never have to feel the fear I felt the day I was abducted. Please train me Grandpa, I beg you.

Natsuko felt her grandfather's hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see him smiling down at her.

"There's no need to beg, if you wanted me to train you, you only had to ask."

"So, you mean you'll…"

"Yes, I'll teach you more about the ways of the Hyuga," Hiashi confirmed. "In fact, why don't we start now."

"But, don't you have work to do?" asked Natsuko.

"Like I said, I'm never to busy to spend time with my grandkids," said Hiashi. "Speaking of which, where's your brother?"

"He didn't see much point in staying behind, so he decided to make the most of today," answered Natsuko.

"I understand," Hiashi sighed. "Not a day goes by where I wish I could teach him as much as I can teach you."

"I think he feels the same Grandpa," said Natsuko.

"Well, there's no use dwelling on it," Hiashi sighed. "Boruto will just have to find a different teacher."

"Don't worry Grandpa, I'm sure one day Brother will find a teacher that can help him be the best ninja possible," argued Natsuko.

"I know, I just wish that could be me," Hiashi sighed. "Anyway, we better get started. Are you ready?"

"Always Grandpa."

Meanwhile, Boruto wondered the street trying wondering how he should spend his day. He thought about going to see Shikadai but had a feeling he'd still be asleep this early in the morning. Metal was also an option, but Boruto had a feeling he'd be off doing some extreme training with his father. He decided it might be worth going to find them anyway, as they might want to celebrate with him.

Before he could do anything he heard a voice call his name.

"Boruto, hey Boruto."

He turned and saw Mirai Sarutobi land in front of him.

"Hey Mirai what's up?" he asked. "Aren't you on patrol?"

"I am, but I'm allowed to take breaks and I was hoping to run into you anyway," answered Mirai.

"You were, why?" asked Boruto.

"Why else, to see how you're doing now that the trail's over," said Mirai. "You and your family must be overjoyed."

"We are, but if you wanted to congratulate us you could've just come seen us at the Hyuga compound. Where staying with my grandfather till our house is fixed," stated Boruto. "Why did you want to come see me specifically?"

Mirai blushed as she tried to think of an answer that wouldn't give away her true intentions.

"Um, did I say run into you? I meant run into your family."

"Well, if you want to go see my parents all three of them are going to be at the Hokage's office for most of the day. I wouldn't bother Natsuko though she's training with my grandfather right now," stated Boruto.

"I see, well maybe I'll just wait till your home is fixed," stated Mirai. "My own mother will probably want to come by for a visit anyway."

"Sounds good," said Boruto. "Did you need anything else."

Mirai blushed and said, "Nothing that can't wait and I'd better get back to patrol before my captain finds me slacking off."

"Well, have a good day," said Boruto waving goodbye.

"You to," said Mirai.

One thought went through Mirai's head as she watched Boruto walk away.

"Why? Why weren't we born the same year. It's not fair."

At the Hokage's office, Naruto, Hinata and Hanabi were ready to discuss the details of Natsuko's recent abduction and what had happened. They all stood before Kakashi who was sitting at his desk.

"So, shall we get right down to business?" Kakashi asked.

"Actually Sensei, there's something else I'd like to ask first," answered Naruto. "It'll be quick I promise."

"Alright, what is it?" asked Kakashi.

"I know we pulled both Boruto and Natsuko from the academy because of the trail, but we were hoping they can reenrol now that its over," requested Naruto. "We made sure they kept up with their studies through home schooling."

"Shouldn't be an issue. They'll just have to take a short exam to prove their knowledge is at the same level as the rest of the class," stated Kakashi.

"They'll be fine then," said Naruto. "Unlike me, Boruto is actually every good at taking tests."

"Very good, I'll get that sorted once this meeting is over," said Kakashi. "In the meantime, we need to discuss what we know about Natsuko's kidnappers."

"Alright," said Naruto who then turned to his wives. "Here's everything Sensei and I discussed after Hinata, Kiba and I got back from the mission."

Flashback

In the same office a little over a week ago, Kakashi and Naruto were discussing the events of the rescue mission.

"What did you discover on your mission that you felt couldn't be discussed in public?" Kakashi asked.

"Well, as I already said. There weren't two abductors, there were three. And all of them were dead upon arrival," answered Naruto.

"Yes, Kiba has since retrieved the bodies and brought them back for examination," stated Kakashi. "From what I've been told, both Ryuken and Mariko appear to have died due to impalement. And if I remember correctly, Natsuko told you they were killed by their unknown accomplice."

"That's right," Naruto confirmed.

"Unfortunately, we don't have an answer for how this accomplice was killed and we have no information regarding her true identity," added Kakashi. "According to the medical examiner, she had no physical injuries that would've resulted in death and by all accounts just dropped dead on the spot without reason or cause."

"So she shouldn't be dead?" asked Naruto.

"She really shouldn't be," answered Kakashi. "Did any of them harm Natsuko in anyway?"

"That's where this situation gets even more confusing," stated Naruto. "According to both Hinata and Sakura, she had no serious injuries, aside from minor bruising on her face from being slapped. What was most concerning was what had happened to Natsuko's hand."

"Her hand?" queried Kakashi.

"Yes, when we found Natsuko she had a small black mark on her hand in the shape of a diamond!" explained Naruto. "Kiba suggested it might just be a tattoo, but I have a feeling there's more to it than that."

"It does seem a bit strange to abduct someone just to give them a tattoo," mused Kakashi.

"My suspicions increased when Sakura told me the results of Natsuko's blood work," stated Naruto. "Apparently Natsuko's DNA is slowly changing."

Kakashi sat up in his chair.

"Do you believe this is because of the mark on her hand?"

"I can't say for certain, but I'm guessing yes," answered Naruto. "More then anything though, I think this all relates back to the name the unknown accomplice went by."

"What was her name?" asked Kakashi. "I asked Kiba if he knew and he said it was best if I asked you. What name could possibly be of so much concern?"

"According to Natsuko, the accomplices name was… Kaguya," stated Naruto.

Kakashi's eyes went wide.

"That's impossible, she was taken out in the last war."

"I know, but this can't just be a coincidence, right?" Naruto asked. "There must be some connection between them."

"Naruto, I've learnt that it's never a good idea to write something off as a coincidence," Kakashi answered. "So, I agree. There must be a connection between Kaguya and this mystery women. What though I can't say."

"There's something else about this that troubles me Sensei," added Naruto. "It's what Natsuko was told before being knocked unconscious by the mystery accomplice. Apparently, her goal was to use Natsuko as a weapon for revenge against me, because what better way to get revenge then by turning my daughter into my enemy."

"I'm even more certain there has to be a connection between Kaguya and this woman," Kakashi interjected. "Was anything else said?"

"Only that Natsuko has her mother's eyes and that I would die looking into the eyes of the two women I love the most. Which must be referring to Hinata and Hanabi," answered Naruto.

"I'd say that's a definite," stated Kakashi.

"Sensei, you don't need to have an answer for what this means. I already know everything I need to," said Naruto. "That this'll lead to trouble in the future."

"I agree, so the real question is, how do we deal with this? You do realise I'm going to have to report this to the other village leaders?" asked Kakashi.

"Do what you feel is right, I won't stop you," stated Naruto. "Just be warned though, if anyone even lays a finger on Natsuko because they think she's a threat, they'll live to regret it."

This surprised Kakashi. For the last decade, he'd done his best to resolve all issues with the village non-violently.

"Such actions could further hurt your reputation in the village," warned Kakashi.

"I don't care, I've been patient. I'm done waiting for the village's acceptance. I'm going to do what I should've done from the beginning, put my family first. From now on they are my FIRST and ONLY priority," declared Naruto. "I'm done forgiving the villagers for their actions. And if they have a problem with it, they'll be answering to me."

Kakashi looked at Naruto seriously.

"Reacting in such a way, will likely make becoming Hokage impossible."

"Sensei, I'm caring less about becoming Hokage with every passing day," stated Naruto.

Kakashi empathised with Naruto. Why would someone want to lead and protect a village that treated their family so poorly? It was one thing to want the position to gain acceptance for one self, but it became more complicated when an entire family was involved.

"I understand," Kakashi sighed. "Here's what I'll do. I'm obligated to tell the other leaders what I know, but what they do with this information is up to them. I'll also let them know that you're not going to be as lenient with the villagers as you once were. If they decide to make this information public and it negatively affects, you're family, they will be held responsible for how you retaliate."

"What do you think they'll do?" asked Naruto.

"Personally, I think they'll stay quiet out of fear, because we all know what you're capable of," answered Kakashi.

"Good," growled Naruto.

"There is only one more question I have about this. Are you going to do anything in response to this information?" Kakashi asked.

"Yes, Sakura couldn't tell me more about Natsuko's changing DNA, so I want to find someone who can. With your permission, I'd like to take Natsuko to the Sound Village and ask Orochimaru if he can tell us more," Naruto requested.

"After everything you're daughter's been through, are you sure you want to take her to such a nightmarish place?" asked Kakashi.

"What other choice to I have?" asked Naruto. "Orochimaru might be the only one who can tell us what's happening to Natsuko.

"Unfortunately, I agree," Kakashi sighed.

"I don't want to do this right now though," Naruto clarified. "I'll only take Natsuko to see Orochimaru if her mother agrees. We decided a long time ago that all decisions regarding the children, must be agreed upon by both biological parents. As Hanabi is Natsuko's mother, I want her permission first. So, this won't be done till after the trial is complete."

"Very well, we can discuss it later. In the meantime, this has given me an idea. I think I'll send the body of the unknown accomplice to Ocochimaru to see if he can tell us anything new," Kakashi decided.

"You think he'll be able to find the connection between this woman and Kaguya?" asked Naruto.

"That's what I'm hoping," confirmed Kakashi.

"Well, let's hope he can give us the answers we seek," said Naruto.

Flashback End

Back in the present, Naruto and Kakashi were finishing their story to Hinata and Hanabi.

"And that's all, after that I asked if I could leave so I could return to the hospital and keep an eye on Boruto and Natsuko," stated Naruto.

"Wow, so things are a lot more serious than we thought?" asked Hanabi.

"Yes, and unfortunately, the more I think about it, the more questions I have," answered Naruto.

"Thankfully, the village has agreed to stay quiet," Kakashi interjected. "As predicted, they've been scared into silence."

"Well, it means less trouble for us for a while," sighed Hinata.

Naruto then hung his head in shame.

"I'm sorry, Hinata, Hanabi."

"What for?" asked Hinata.

"The way I've been acting lately doesn't seem much like the kind, forgiving man you both fell in love with," stated Naruto.

"Its ok Naruto. Everyone has their breaking point," stated Hanabi. "And I'm obviously speaking from experience."

They all chucked at this.

"Also, we know your anger comes from your love for us and the kids," added Hinata. "And if I'm honest, I've been slowly losing my love for the Leaf Village over the years."

"So have I," said Hanabi sadly.

Kakashi had a feeling the Leaf Village might soon lose three powerful shinobi. The more hate the village gave them, the lest inclined they would be to fight for them. Wanting to avoid this becoming the topic of conversation, he decided to get them back on track.

"So Naruto, do you still wish to take Natsuko to the Sound Village to see Orochimaru?"

"As I told you last time, it isn't only my decision to make. The decision has to be made by both parents," answered Naruto turning to Hanabi.

Hanabi looked at Naruto, then at Hinata, then back to Naruto. Knowing they would support any decision she made, she gave them her answer.

"Could we leave it for a little while?"

"I know its not my place to say, but it might be better to figure out what happened sooner rather than later," Kakashi interjected.

"I know, but I can tell, this is the most happy Natsuko has been in weeks and I don't want to take that from her yet," argued Hanabi.

"She's right," added Hinata. "She wasn't able to give a genuine smile until Hanabi had been found innocent."

"Exactly, so while I know it's important to learn what happened as soon as possible. I just want to let her enjoy being a kid for a while," stated Hanabi. "Besides didn't Sakura want her to come in for another check-up?"

"That's right and it might be best to see if her DNA is still changing before we make any big decisions," Naruto argued.

"Then that's my answer," Hanabi declared. "I want to leave it for a few weeks before we take Natsuko to see Orochimaru."

"As Natsuko's father, I support your decision," said Naruto who then turned to Kakashi. "Sensei, do you have any objections?"

"Technically yes, but this is your decision to make as a parent, so I'll allow it," Kakashi sighed. "Besides, based on how you plan to treat Shinobi who oppose you, I know I couldn't stop you even if I wanted to."

"You don't need to worry about that Sensei," stated Naruto. "You've been nothing but kind and supportive to our family, so you have nothing to fear from me."

"Good to hear," sighed Kakashi. "Look, I have to get back to work and I'm sure the three of you wish to spend time with your kids, so let's end the meeting here and if there's anything we need to follow up on, I'll let you know."

"Yes Sensei, and thanks again for everything," said Naruto.

"Don't mention is."

They bowed to Kakashi and left his office.

They walked back to the Hyuga compound together. People still starred and whispered, but after everything the Uzumaki's had been through, they cared very little about the opinions on the public. They walked in silence for a while until they passed Thunder Burger and saw Boruto inside eating with, Denkei, Shikadai, Metal and Inojin.

"Looks, like Boruto didn't waste anytime spending Father's money," Hinata laughed.

"Wait, where's Natsuko?" asked Hanabi as they walked past the restaurant. "After everything she's been through, he better not have left her behind."

"Don't be silly," chucked Naruto. "For all his faults Boruto would never do that. Besides they don't have to spend every second of everyday together. They're allowed time apart."

"I guess, and Natsuko mentioned she was getting along well with some of the girls from the academy," added Hanabi.

"Which ones?" asked Hinata.

"Well, there's Cho-Cho of course and two other girls who I think are called Wasabi and Tsubaki," answered Hanabi.

"Well, maybe she's spending time with them," Hinata suggested.

"Probably, and besides it might do her good to have a girls day out before returning to the academy," stated Hanabi.

They walked in silence for a few more minutes before Hanabi spoke up.

"I'm glad things will finally get back to normal around here."

"Yeah, unfortunately normal still isn't good for us," Naruto sighed.

"I just hope the kids will be ok back at the academy," Hinata added. "I fear the trial might have made them complete outcasts."

"I don't think we have to worry about that," argued Naruto. "Their friends were very supportive of us during the trial. And don't forget what we just saw. They're hanging out like nothing ever happened. But if Boruto and Natsuko are abandoned by their friends upon returning, all it will prove is that they weren't true friends. And it's their loss if they don't want Boruto and Natsuko as allies."

"They're not the only ones who have to worry about rejection from the academy student," sighed Hanabi. "I was going to apply to be a jonin sensei for one of the graduating teams. I have a feeling any team I'm assigned to will immediately request a new sensei. And if they don't their parents certainly will."

"If the graduates don't want you for a teacher, they can suck it up," spat Naruto. "Because we all know you'd be a great teacher and team leader. And if the parents have a problem with it, they can take it up with me."

Naruto looked very angry as he cracked his knuckles. His expression then changed to one of guilt.

"What's wrong Naruto?" Hinata asked.

"Am I still the man you both fell in love with," asked Naruto.

"Huh?" they both asked.

"You both fell for me, because I was someone who never gave up, no matter how bad things got. Someone who would forgive others even if they didn't deserve it," Naruto stated. "Now look at me. Every day I'm slowly giving up on my dream and am willing to inflict violence on those who anger me. What am I becoming?"

They both grabbed Naruto's arm and rested a head on his shoulder. The public was disgusted by this gestured.

"Naruto, you've always gone above and beyond to defend those you care about," stated Hinata. "Even more so when someone you love gets hurt. That hasn't changed. You haven't changed."

"And to be fair Naruto, you've always had a bit of a temper," Hanabi joked.

They all laughed at this.

"But what about me giving up on my dream?" asked Naruto.

"Like we said Naruto, you're not the only one who is losing love for this village," sighed Hinata.

"And besides sometimes dreams change," added Hanabi. "Don't forget what you said to us all those years ago when we first came out to the public."

Naruto thought back to what he said when he was first told he might never become Hokage.

"I have a new dream now. To be with the women I love and to be a father to my children," he repeated.

"Exactly," said Hanabi.

"To us, you never gave up on your dream, it simply evolved into something else, and you've been dedicating yourself to it for the last decade," added Hinata. "And we're eternally grateful to your dedication to us and our children."

Naruto smiled.

"You two really are the best."

"Only because we're married to the best," stated Hinata.

They walked back to the compound arm in arm with each other, not letting go till they reached their destination. As they entered, they heard noise coming from the courtyard. They went to investigate out of curiosity.

What they saw surprised them. Natsuko was in an intense sparing session with her grandfather.

She charged at him and did her best to land a hit, but every attack she threw was easily blocked by Hiashi. Hiashi then struck her, causing her to fly across the courtyard. Natsuko managed to land on her feet.

"Natsuko, I told you to focus. You need to stop focusing on your fists and start focusing on your target," lectured Hiashi. "Furthermore, your attacks are sloppy and you're leaving yourself wide open."

Natsuko was about to charge again but stopped when Hanabi spoke.

"HEY, WHAT'S GOING ON HERE."

Both Natsuko and Hiashi stopped dead in their tracks.

"Oh dear," sighed Hiashi knowing he was in trouble.

Hanabi approached her father furious.

"I thought we talked about this Dad, no intense training until after she graduates."

"I know, but…"

"No buts, you promised you weren't going to be as tough on our kids as you were with us."

"Hanabi's right," said Hinata. "I hate to do this, but if you continue to break promises, we won't let you see your grandkids anymore."

"No, not that, anything but that," begged Hiashi.

"Mum, Aunty wait," interjected Natsuko. "Please don't get mad at Grandpa, I asked him to do this. I wanted him to help me become as strong as possible and to push me as much as possible."

"Honey, I can understand the want to get strong, but we don't want you to feel the same pressure we did growing up," said Hanabi.

"I know, but… but…"

Naruto walked forward and put a hand on his daughter's shoulder.

"What is it honey? Why do you want Grandpa to push you to be as strong as possible?" he asked gently. "Please tell me, I promise I won't get mad."

Natsuko took a deep breath and said, "That day I was taken, was the most horrifying day of my life. And I felt it was my fault. If I was stronger, it would've never happened. I know you'll tell me it wasn't my fault, but I don't care. I want to get stronger, so it can never happen again. But also, I know you guys were all probably even more scarred than I was."

All the adults were nearly in tears from her words.

Natsuko continued.

"So, more then anything I want to get stronger, so you won't have to worry anymore. I know you can't always be around to protect me, because not only do you have to go away on missions, but one day, I'll be going on missions as well and I don't think I'll be able to focus if I know you'll be spending every second worrying about me until I come home. So, please, let Grandpa help me get stronger, so you won't have to worry while I'm away."

Naruto pulled Natsuko into a hug.

"Sweetie, I appreciate the gesture, but we're always going to worry about you, no matter how strong you get."

"But, why?" asked Natsuko. "If I'm strong enough to defend myself, you won't have to worry about me."

"It may seem that way, but that's not how it works," added Hanabi. "We're you're parents, so we'll always worry about you."

"But I guess, we might worry less if we know you can take care of yourself. And I have a feeling you'll worry less if you feel strong enough to protect yourself" said Naruto releasing Natsuko. "What's the harm in a little intense training if it helps lesson the worry."

"So, you'll let Grandpa train me?" asked Natsuko.

"I have no objections," stated Naruto.

Natsuko looked at her mother for the same approval.

"Oh, alright, if you think this will help you, we'll let you train more with Grandpa," sighed Hanabi, before turning to her father. "But next time, I want you to ask before making a decision like this."

"I can agree to that," stated Hiashi. "Admittedly, I got a little excited from Natsuko wanting to train with me, but I'm not going to apologise for wanting to make my grandkids happy."

"We don't expect you to father," sighed Hinata.

Hanabi then had an idea.

"Father, why don't you take a break?" Hanabi requested. "I'm actually curious to see how far Natsuko has come and if you push yourself to much you'll throw your back out again."

"Very well," said Hiashi standing down.

"Mum, does that mean…"

"Yup, I'll be your next opponent," Hanabi stated taking a fighting stance.

Natsuko jumped with glee. It had been a long time since she had trained with her mother and she was eager to show her what she was made of.

As Hanabi and Natsuko sparred, Naruto, Hinata and Hiashi watched from the sidelines and smiled.

"I hope Boruto doesn't feel left out from this," stated Hinata. "Maybe you should offer to train him a little more."

"Maybe, but I think it would be better if he came to me first," suggested Naruto.

Hinata looked at him curiously.

"Think about it, I can't force him to get stronger, he has to want to get stronger," Naruto argued. "Natsuko's desire to get stronger, led her to asking your father for help, if I'm to train Boruto I want him to do the same. If he wants my help, he only has to ask."

"But what if he doesn't want help?" asked Hinata. "What if he wants to get stronger on his own?"

"Then that's his decision to make. I can't choose a path for him. He needs to choose his own path just like we did," stated Naruto.

"I guess that makes sense," said Hinata resting her head on his shoulder. "Still, Natsuko's found her mentor to help her on her journey, I hope Boruto can find the mentor he needs to help him on his."

"So, do I honey," said Naruto running a hand through her head. "So do I."

Chapter Text

A new day had dawned in the Leaf Village. Boruto and Natsuko were at the entrance of the Hyuga Compound putting on their shoes. Both were eager to return to the academy and resume their journey as Leaf Shinobi.

"I think today's going to be a good day Brother," said Natsuko putting her final shoe on.

"If you say so, let's just hope people aren't too angry about your mother's rampage," stated Boruto.

"They shouldn't be," stated Natsuko. "If they watched the trial, they'll know it wasn't my mum's fault."

"I guess," sighed Boruto standing up and shouldering his backpack. "Either way, if they hate us for it, that's their problem."

They headed for the gate, but turned around when they heard their three parents say, "Have a good day you two."

"We will, bye Mum, bye Dad, bye Aunty," waved Natsuko. "Tell grandpa, I'll come home right after school to continue training."

"We will and I'm sure he'll be counting down the minutes till he can see you again," Hanabi chuckled.

"Speaking of homes, when is ours going to be fixed?" asked Boruto.

"Your grandfather said it should be done by Wednesday," answered Hinata. "Hopefully, we'll be able to move back in that evening."

"Sounds great, no offence Natsuko, I'm looking forward to having my own room again," stated Boruto.

"You and me both," chucked Natsuko.

"Alright you two, enough joking around," Naruto interjected. "If you don't get moving you're going to be late."

They waved to their parents again and headed to the academy. Wanting to see their friends again, they decided to race each other there. Before they knew it, they were through the school gates and at the entrance of their classroom. Both were puffing upon arrival.

Before either of them could speak someone exclaimed.

"Guys, Boruto and Natsuko are back."

Many of their classmates came to greet them. Having such a warm welcome convinced the siblings, that their fellow students accepted them regardless of the damage Hanabi had caused.

"You told me you'd earnt the right to be here, so I'm glad you're sticking to that commitment," Metal commented patting Boruto on the back.

"Things haven't been the same without you," commented Denki.

"Honestly, I'm amazed you decided to come back at all," added Shikadai. "Might be less of a drag to just be homeschooled at this point."

Meanwhile, Natsuko was in a group hug with the girls.

"I knew your mum was innocent I just knew it," exclaimed a girl called Namida. "I'm so glad you're both ok."

"So am I, though if I'm honest, some of those jerks your mum hurt got what they deserved," stated another girl named Wasabi.

"I guess, but I'm grateful I was able to stop her before she took things to far," stated Natsuko.

Natsuko suddenly felt a large arm wrap around her neck.

"Either way, today is a day to celebrate," exclaimed Cho-Cho. "I had a feeling you'd be back today, so I took precautions and brought an extra bag of potato chips just for you. Let's eat them together at lunch."

This was surprising. Despite being a polite and cheerful girl, Cho-Cho was a true Akimichi and normally refused to share her food with anyone. She must've truly considered today to be special.

"Um sure," smiled Natsuko awkwardly taking the bag.

"Um Natsuko," said a voice.

She turned to see Inojin.

"Oh, hey Inojin, you need something?" asked Natsuko.

"No, not really, I just wanted to tell you I'm glad things worked out for your family and it's good to see you and Boruto back," said Inojin, before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a folded piece of paper. "I also wanted to give you this."

"What is it?" Natsuko queried.

"Just a welcome back gift," Inojin answered.

Natsuko opened the paper to see a hand drawn picture of what appeared to be her entire family, huddled together and smiling.

"Inojin, is this…"

"You bet, I made it myself," he said. "Just thought you'd like to see a happy picture of your family after everything you'd been through."

"I love it, thank you," she said giving him a hug.

Unknown to Natsuko, this caused Inojin to blush.

"No worries," he stammered. "Any way, I'd better go say high to Boruto."

Natsuko let him go, allowing Inojin to join the boys.

"Girls did you see what I saw," smirked Cho-Cho.

"Oh, definitely," said Wasabi.

"Huh, what are you talking about?" asked Natsuko facing them.

"Coming to see if you're ok and making you a homemade present? If I didn't know any better, I'd say Inojin likes you," stated Cho-Cho.

"What? Come on that's ridiculous," blushed Natsuko.

"You wouldn't be saying that if you saw the look on his face after you hugged him," Wasabi interjected.

"Yes, it's just like a fairly tail," interjected Namida. "Unable to express his affection through words, Inojin expresses it through gifts."

"Girls, it's not like that, Inojin and I are just friends," Natsuko protested.

Back with the boys, Boruto was still happily catching up with his friends, before asking a question that had been on his mind all morning.

"So, have any of you heard what's happening to the Class Rep?"

All the boys went silent.

"We don't know," said Shikadai, breaking the silence.

"I heard she might transfer to a different school," added Inojin.

"What, why?" demanded Boruto. "She only got probation. That shouldn't disqualify her from returning to the academy."

"There's more to it than that Boruto," interjected Denki. "She might not want to come back."

"But why?" asked Boruto.

"Hard to say," answered Shikadai. "It might be out of guilt for what she's done, or simply because she still has resentment for the village."

"Maybe we should go look for her," Boruto suggested. "Let her know that no matter what she'll be a part of our class."

"It's not that simple," stated Denki. "We can't force her to come back. It's a decision she has to make."

Before Boruto could say anything else they heard someone say, "Attention everyone."

Everyone turned to see Shino standing in the doorway. They all hurried to their seats so class could start. Boruto resigned himself to the fact that he'd have to wait till after class to talk to Sumire.

"Good morning class, as you all know it's been an… interesting few weeks for the village," stated Shino walking to his desk. "Here's hoping we can put that all behind us and continue life as usual. Before we begin, I have a few announcements. First, I'd like to welcome Boruto and Natsuko back to class. Normally I'd have to assign you extra homework so you can catch up with the other students, but your parents have assured me that you kept up with your studies while you were away, so hopefully that won't be necessary. Finally, there's one more student, I'd like to welcome back. I hope you all can welcome her back as well."

Shino turned his attention to the entrance. Everyone else looked as well, as a familiar purple haired girl walked into the classroom.

Sumire stood before them, looking incredibly nervous.

She took a deep breath and said, "I'm back, everyone."

Everyone in the classroom was silent, until Natsuko rose from her seat and charged at her. At first everyone feared she was going to attack Sumire for what she did to Hanabi. Sumire herself braced for what was coming. To everyone's surprise Natsuko didn't attack Sumire, she hugged her.

"Thank you," cried Natsuko. "Thank you for saving my mum."

"But, I was the reason she got arrested," stammered Sumire.

"I know, but you only did what you did for your family right?" asked Natsuko. "I can't fault you for that. And if you hadn't come forward when you had, my mother would be in prison. For that, I am eternally grateful."

Sumire couldn't believe it. It was one thing for Boruto to forgive her, but Natsuko had every right to hate her. And yet here Natsuko was, openly thanking Sumire for her actions.

This gave the rest of the class the courage they needed to rise from their seats and welcome her back. No-one seemed mad at her for her actions. In fact, most acted like nothing had even happened and Sumire had simply taken a small break from school.

While grateful for the warm welcome, Sumire was also confused. Despite openly conspiring to destroy the village, they welcomed her back with open arms and yet most of the village rejected the Uzumaki's just because they were polygamists, which didn't hurt anyone. Thinking of the Uzumaki's made Sumire scan the room for Boruto. She found him still sitting at his desk with a big grin on his face. When her gaze met his, he simply nodded, indicating that the gratitude he showed her the other day remained.

"Alright class," Shino interrupted. "I know you're all excited to have your friends back, but it's time to start the morning lesson. You can all catch up during lunch or after school."

Everyone nodded and hurried back to their seats.

The morning went like any other at the academy. For Sumire however she spent much of her time gazing over to the Uzumaki siblings. She still couldn't comprehend how they had been so quick to forgive her, when she had nearly torn their family apart. By all accounts what she had done was way worse than what other villagers had done to them. Sure, they had also tried to break the family up by trying to convince Naruto to leave Hanabi, but what was different is that she could've succeeded. If she hadn't come forward, Hanabi would be in prison, and the family would be forcibly broken up. So why were they so quick to forgive, just because she had come forward at the right moment.

She felt it wasn't because they were used to the abuse. They clearly held resentment for the other villagers. Boruto in particular wasn't shy about voicing his hatred to those who were cruel to them. And yet he had been the first to express his forgiveness.

Although she had already been told why they had forgiven her, Sumire wanted to know more.

At lunch time, Boruto was sitting on the roof with Natsuko, Shikadai, Denki, Metal and Inojin.

"So, you're really going to see Grandpa every day after school," Boruto queried.

"Yup," Natsuko nodded. "If I want to get stronger I need to train as much as possible."

"My dad would appreciate your attitude," chucked Metal.

Everyone laughed at this.

"Man, Natsuko's really getting serious about getting stronger," thought Boruto. "And with Grandpa helping her, she'll get super strong in no time. I need to find someone to help me train so I don't fall behind, but who should I ask?"

Before Boruto could ponder this question further, the door to the roof opened and Sumire entered.

"Um, hi guys," she said nervously.

"Hey Class Rep, what's up?" Boruto asked.

"Well, actually Boruto, I was wondering if I could talk to you," she requested. "Alone if that's ok?"

"Yeah, no problem," said Boruto standing.

They walked inside together and found somewhere secluded where no one could hear them.

"What's going on?" Boruto queried.

"Why did you and Natsuko forgive me so quickly," she asked.

Before Boruto could answer she continued.

"I know you said it's because without me she would've gone to prison, but that doesn't change the fact, that I'm the reason she went on a rampage and got arrested. I caused you and your family so much pain and yet you act like it's no big deal."

Boruto put a hand on her shoulder, which caused her to blush.

"Do you remember what Natsuko told you at the start of class?"

"That I did what I did for my family, and she can't fault me for that?" Sumire queried.

"Exactly, my family's the same," stated Boruto. "We'd do anything to help each other. That's how we managed to stay close despite all the hatred the village has for us. We support each other when times are tough."

"I guess, but… If I hadn't abandoned my mission, you guys would be in even more pain right now," Sumire stated.

"Class Rep, I can't speak for my entire family, but do you want to know the true reason I forgave you so quickly?" asked Boruto.

"Yes, of course," Sumire exclaimed.

"You're right, you did cause my family a lot of pain and had you succeeded you would've hurt us more than any other villager," stated Boruto. "What's different though is that you weren't seeking to hurt us directly."

This statement puzzled Sumire.

"Your true target was the village for what they'd done to your family right?"

Sumire nodded.

"My aunt's possession and rampage could've happened to anyone. You only targeted her, because at the time she felt a lot of negative emotions for the village. Emotions she only had because the village is so cruel to our family. So, in my eyes the villagers are just as much at fault as you are, maybe even more as they are the reason my aunt became your target. So, I repeat I forgave you because you were aiming to hurt the village as a whole, not us specifically."

"I guess, but that still doesn't change the fact, that I did hurt your family," sighed Sumire. "And I only stopped because I realised, I was hurting a family not to different from my own."

"That's another reason why I'm able to forgive you," added Boruto. "After the trial my family and I discussed what you said. How you came forward because you saw similarities between our family's. And how you felt you were no better than the villigers by hurting us. I can understand that. There have been so many times where I've wanted to hurt this village for how they treat my family. And had my dad asked me to, I probably would've. Just like how you started this mission on your father's wishes."

Sumire hung her head in shame.

"But that's how our families differ," added Boruto. "Despite the hardships we face, my parents have always taught Natsuko and I to forgive. Unlike your father who focused on revenge. Despite this, our similarities have now benefited us both."

"How do you mean?" asked Sumire.

"You came forward because you saw similarities between our families and my family likes to think that because of this, we're the ones who were able to help you walk a different path. One free of revenge and one that is chosen by you, not your father," stated Boruto. "So, we're not only grateful for your help, we're also grateful we were able to help you walk your own path. That's how we see it anyway."

"Well, when you put it that way, I guess it's not too hard to believe you were able to forgive me," Sumire chuckled. "So, you all really forgive me?"

"We do and that's the truth," declared Boruto.

A tear rolled down Sumire's cheek. "Thank you, Boruto."

"Don't mention it," Boruto grinned giving her a thumbs up. "And my offer to have dinner with my family is still open if you ever change your mind. You'll just have to wait till our house is fixed."

"I'll keep that in mind," giggled Sumire.

"Anyway, if it's all right with you, I want to go finish my lunch before the next class begins," said Boruto.

"Of course, have a good day Boruto," said Sumire.

"You too, Class Rep," Boruto gave her another thumbs up before walking off.

Sumire stared at Boruto with admiration as she watched him return to his friends.

"Boruto," she said too softly for anyone to hear.

The next few days were peaceful for the Uzumaki family. As predicted, their home repairs were done by Wednesday and they celebrated the return home with a big family dinner, which caused the entire family to crash from a food coma. Things were looking up for them, but there was one thing that remained on Boruto's mind. Who could he ask to mentor him? His mother and aunt weren't an option. If his grandfather couldn't teach him anything new, they couldn't either. There was also his father, but Boruto felt that would be unfair to Natsuko, if he was having one on one training sessions with Naruto and she wasn't. Not only that, Boruto wasn't sure what else Naruto could teach him. He already knew both of Naruto's signature techniques, The Shadow Clone Jutsu and the Rasengan, and most of Naruto's other techniques were way beyond what Boruto could learn. Especially those that related to the nine-tailed fox. He'd already asked Naruto to try and teach him the Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu, but Naruto had sadly told him, that wasn't a case of skill, but more chakra reserves. No matter how skilled Boruto became he would never have the same amount of Chakra Naruto did, due to Naruto being the jinchuriki of the nine tailed fox. Even if Boruto could figure out how to summon more clones, he'd never be able to summon as many as his father.

Boruto knew of one other thing his father could teach him, but based on a conversation they had had a few years prior Boruto already knew the answer would be no.

Flashback.

Shortly after Naruto had taught Boruto the Rasengan, he had decided to show Boruto how the technique could be improved.

First was by showing him how big it could get. He held a gigantic Rasengan above his head, while his son looked in awe.

"Woah, that's so cool," Boruto exclaimed before grumbling. "I'm guessing this is also something I can't learn because I don't have enough chakra."

"Unfortunately, no," Naruto chucked before making the attack disappear. "But I do know of another technique you might be able to learn."

Naruto held out his hand and started generating another attack. At first it appeared like a regular rasengan, before glowing brightly and transforming into what looked like a large shuriken.

"What is that?" asked Boruto wide eyed.

"This son, is the Wind Release: Rasenshuriken," stated Naruto proudly.

"What does it do?" queried Boruto.

"Exactly what the name suggests, I don't strike an opponent with it directly, I throw it like a shuriken!" Naruto explained.

"Cool. Can you show me what happens when it hits its target?" Boruto requested.

"Not right now," Naruto sighed before making the attack disappear. "When it hits something, it causes a huge explosion that creates a lot of damage. I know we're in the training grounds, but I don't think Lord Sixth would appreciate me causing unnecessary damage or using such a dangerous technique so close to the village. Don't forget we're trying to avoid causing trouble."

"Well, that sucks," pouted Boruto. "So, can you teach it to me?"

Naruto shook his head.

"Why not?" asked Boruto.

"This technique isn't like a regular Rasengan. It's far more powerful and dangerous and not just to our enemies, but to the user as well!" explained Naruto. "If used incorrectly, it could cause permanent damage to the user. So, I don't think I can teach you this Jutsu until you prove you can use it responsibly."

Boruto crossed his arms and sighed.

"If you think that's annoying you're really going to hate what I have to say next," chucked Naruto. "Before I could use this technique to its fullest potential, there was something else I had to master first."

"What?" asked Boruto.

"Something known as Senjutsu or Sage Mode," answered Naruto. "Something I learned due to my contract with the toads."

Naruto closed his eyes and made a hand symbol. The features on his face began to change. He gained orange marks on the side of his eyes and when he open them his eyes had become orange and toad like.

"That's it?" asked a confused Boruto.

"It might not look like much, but I can do a lot in this form," said Naruto before walking over to a nearby tree.

Naruto grabbed the body of the tree and pulled it out like it was nothing.

Even Naruto couldn't believe how wide Boruto's eyes were.

"I can do a lot more then that," smirked Naruto. "In this form I can lift giant statues. It's also what allowed me to master the Rasenshuriken."

"Let me guess, you're not going to teach me how to do that either?" Boruto queried.

Naruto shook his head as he deactivated the mode.

"Unfortunately, it's not for me to teach. If you want to learn this, you're going to have to visit the toads in their world."

"And I'd have to enter into a contract with them first, right?" asked Boruto.

"That's correct," said Naruto walking back over.

"Well, can you help me with that?" asked Boruto.

"I will on one condition," answered Naruto.

"Name it."

"I want you to learn the value of hard work first," Naruto stated.

"Value of hard work?" asked a confused Boruto.

Naruto nodded and said, "Son, one could argue you're a lot like me. Both in terms of appearance and personality. But there's one important difference between us. When I was young, I struggled so much to learn basic Jutsu, that many thought I would amount to nothing. I didn't start coming into my own until after I graduated. I'm what many would call a late bloomer. On the other hand, I've noticed you're able to learn stuff really quickly, so much so that you can be considered a prodigy. That's something you likely get from my father and your Uncle Neji."

Naruto chucked at this.

"What's your point?" asked Boruto.

"I've noticed, that because things come so easily to you, you tend to take shortcuts in your lessons. That isn't always a bad thing, but in the case of learning Sage Mode I feel it is. This ability isn't something you can take shortcuts for and rush through. It requires a lot of patience and dedication, something I feel you have yet to learn."

Boruto looked confused by his father's statement.

"I'm not trying to be mean, I just think you need to show a little more patience before you take on a Jutsu like this. So, before I start helping you on your journey to learn Sage Mode, I want you to learn the value of hard work."

Present Day.

That condition had remained on Boruto's mind ever since.

He'd tried to learn how to work hard, but his father was right, things still came so easily to him that it was the one skill he hadn't been able to learn. And so, Boruto kept asking himself the same question. How could he learn the value of hard work when things came to him so easily.

Then Boruto remembered something he had heard earlier that day.

Denki had asked Metal how much he trained everyday, and Metal gave the following answer.

"I train with my dad every day after school until its time to go home for dinner. I then do my homework right after, go to bed and then my dad and I start up again early the next morning and train for a few hours before school."

While Shikadai had expressed that Metal's daily life sounded like a giant drag, Denki and many others admired Metal for his dedication to training.

Boruto then recalled how Metal's father Rock Lee, was considered the hardest working Leaf Shinobi. This had occurred due to Rock Lee's lack of talent for ninjutsu and genjutsu. This had led him to dedicate his life to mastering taijutsu, which he accomplished through extremely tough training. Maybe Rock Lee and Metal could help Boruto learn the value of hard work.

It was a long shot, but Boruto felt it was worth persuing. He was just glad he and Metal had made up.

Boruto headed for the front door.

"Where are you going?" asked Hinata from the kitchen.

"I'm going to see Metal to see if he can help me with something," answered Boruto putting his shoes on.

He was out the door before Hinata could enquire further.

Boruto rushed to the Lee residence and knocked on the door. Sakura answered.

"Good afternoon Boruto, good to see you again."

"You too Miss Sakura. Is Metal home?" asked Boruto.

"No sorry, he's gone off to train with his father," answered Sakura. "They should be at one of the training grounds if you want to find them."

Boruto, slapped himself in the forehead for not realising that himself.

"Thanks Miss Sakura," he said before rushing off again.

Sakura smiled as Boruto disappeared into the distance. She too was happy that Boruto and Metal had made up after years of hostility.

Boruto rushed through the village trying to locate Metal and his father. He soon found them at a nearby training area. They were in the middle of an intense taijutsu session. Boruto landed near them, and they stopped once they noticed his presence.

"Well, this is a surprise. Do you need something young Boruto?" asked Rock Lee curiously.

"Actually yes," stated Boruto before stammering. "I was wondering… if you could… train me."

Before Lee could answer, Metal started laughing.

"No offence Boruto, but I don't think you could handle training with my dad."

"Metal don't be mean," Lee lectured. "I thought you two had made up."

"We have, I just think our training might be a little too much for Boruto to handle," stated Metal.

"Perhaps, but every shinobi has the right to prove their youthfulness," declared Lee proudly.

Metal rolled his eyes and turned to Boruto.

"Why would you even want to train with us, all we do it Taijutsu training and extreme workouts. Considering how easy things come to you, I figured you'd find our training a waste of time."

"Well, this might sound weird, but I was actually wondering if you guys could teach me how to work hard," answered Boruto.

"Hmm," Lee mused scratching his chin. "I can't teach anyone jutsu, but teaching someone how to work hard, that I can do. According to my mentor Might Gai, I might not be a genius in the traditional sense, but I am a genius at hard work. But pray tell Boruto, like my former teammate, your late Uncle Neji, you are a genius in the traditional sense. Why do you feel the need to learn from the great and youthful Rock Lee?"

"I feel if I tell you, you won't agree to train me," Boruto sighed.

Lee stepped forward and placed a hand on Boruto's shoulder.

"Young Boruto, one of the biggest lessons to learn from youthfulness is how to be honest with both you and your teachers. If you want me to train you, you'll need to be honest."

Boruto sighed and told them what his father had told him in the past. How Naruto would only teach Boruto the Rasenshuriken if he learned Sage Mode from the toads and how Naruto would only allow that if he learnt the value of hard work.

"Hmm, so you wish to learn hard work so your father will teach you more advanced Jutsu?" Lee mused, again scratching his chin.

Boruto just knew he was going to say no.

"Alright, I accept," Lee declared.

"You do," Metal and Boruto both said.

"Of course. While one could argue young Boruto is asking for help for selfish means, I'd argue that it shows he is willing to put in the work to achieve his goals. And if teaching Bortuo the ways of youthfulness will help, I'm happy to assist."

Lee once again put a hand on Boruto's shoulder.

"Boruto Uzumaki from this day forward you are a student of the hard working and youthful Rock Lee."

Before Boruto could express his gratitude, Metal intervened.

"Dad, could I talk to you for a minute."

Metal dragged his father away until they were out of earshot of Boruto. For the next few minutes, they discussed they talked amongst themselves. Boruto tried to move forward to hear what they were saying, but after Metal turned his head and glared at him he stepped back. After ten minutes, they came back.

"Alright, you can train with us, but we have conditions," stated Lee. "We're going to have to lower our level of training for a while so you can keep up. We want to make sure you're not wasting our time."

"Ok?"

"First, you have too do exactly as we say," stated Metal.

"I figured that went without saying," said Boruto.

"Second, keep the complaining to a minimum," stated Metal. "You agreed to this, so we expect you to be willing to put in the effort."

"I wouldn't be asking for your help if I wasn't," stated Boruto.

"And thirdly…"

Metal paused for dramatic effect.

"If you want to train like us you have to dress like us."

"Wait, you mean…"

"That's right, you'll need to wear the uniform passed down by my mentor Might Gai," stated Lee reaching into a bag and pulling out a green jump suit. "Lucky for you I always carry a spare."

"You can't be serious?" groaned Boruto. "Do I really have to wear that."

"Rule number one Boruto," stated Metal.

"Alight fine," sighed Boruto.

He walked forward and took the uniform from Lee. He looked at it with annoyance.

"Any chance you have this in black?"

Both Lee and Metal shook their heads.

"Red?" asked Boruto.

"Nope, this one was a gift from my mum," answered Metal. "I wanted a uniform that combined both their styles, which is how I got this. That's the only colour we have."

Boruto sighed and folded the uniform in his arms.

"Why do you wear this exactly?"

"Because it's breathable, retains moisture and offers complete freedom of movement," answered Lee. "In other words, it allows the wearer to reach their full potential."

"If you say so," said an unconvinced Bortuo. "So, shall we begin?"

"Unfortunately, it's getting to the time where Metal and I call it quits for the day, so we'll have to start later," stated Lee.

"But we expect you to be here first thing tomorrow morning for early training," added Metal.

"Alright, I'll be there," said Boruto.

"Very good, meet us here at five-thirty," stated Lee.

"Wait, five-thirty in the morning?" asked Boruto.

"Off course, we have to start early to get in as much training as possible!" explained Lee. "Because tomorrow will be your first day, we felt you should sleep in for a bit."

"Also, since we don't have class tomorrow, we can train all day," added Metal.

"All day?" exclaimed Boruto.

"Boruto you're in violation of rule one and two," Metal warned.

"Alright, alright, I'll be here at five-thirty tomorrow," conceded Boruto. "When will training start after that?"

"Four thirty," answered Lee.

"Figures," grumbled Boruto. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"I'm starting to think this was a bad idea," he thought to himself.

Boruto turned and headed home.

"I bet he'll quit after a day," declared Metal shaking his head.

"Don't be so sure Metal," Lee countered. "Boruto is a lot like his father and when Naruto puts his mind to something he sticks to it. I have a feeling Boruto is the same."

Chapter Text

The next morning, Boruto groaned as he awoke to his alarm. As agreed, he was meeting with Rock and Metal Lee for early morning training. He got up and got dressed in the green jump suit they'd given him the day before.

"This is so dumb, why did I agree to this," he groaned looking at himself in the mirror. "Just remember why you're doing this. And you never know, maybe learning how to work hard will benefit in other ways."

Boruto headed to the kitchen, got a snack on the fridge then left a note for his parents to find.

Meanwhile, Naruto was groggily coming down the stairs.

"What did I do to deserve early morning patrol," he groaned. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say Sensei's punishing me. Then again, he probably is."

Naruto suddenly felt wide awake when he saw Boruto putting on his shoes at the front door before leaving.

"Where's he going? And why is he dressed like Bushy Brow?"

Naruto headed to the kitchen to get some food as well and then noticed the note on the fridge.

It read: 'Gone to train with Metal and his dad, I'll be home later. Sincerely, Boruto Uzumaki.'

This was the last thing Naruto expected to see today. Why was Boruto training with the Lee's? And why on the weekend?

Naruto knew he'd have to wait for an answer. Nevertheless, he left a note for Hinata and Hanabi, asking one of them to check on Boruto.

Boruto made his way to the training grounds and found Metal and Lee waiting for him. Unlike Boruto who looked drowsy, the Lee's looked wide awake.

"So, you actually decided to turn up?" Metal smirked. "I honestly thought you'd chicken out."

"Well, you said I have to do everything you say if I want to be trained and I can't get stronger if I don't make the commitment," stated Boruto.

"Exactly right Boruto," Lee interjected. "You've taken your first step on the path to youthfulness. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks," groaned Boruto slapping himself on the face in an attempt to wake up. "So, shall we start."

"Yes, we don't have a moment to lose," exclaimed Lee.

"Great, what do we do first?" asked Boruto.

"Metal and I start everyday with a nice long walk around the village," Lee answered.

"Really?" Boruto queried. "But I thought your training was supposed to be tough?"

"You didn't let us finish," interjected Metal. "We walk around the village on our hands."

"Wait what?" Boruto queried.

"Yep, come along young Boruto, the day won't last forever," said Lee getting on his hands.

"Try and keep up," added Metal getting on his own hands. "And remember keep the complaining to a minimum."

Boruto sighed, "Well, this is what I asked for. At least my arms will get a good workout."

He got on his own hands and struggled to keep himself steady.

"That's the way, now follow us Boruto. Before long you'll feel the power of youth flowing through you," exclaimed Lee before leading them out of the training grounds.

Metal followed no problem, but Boruto was struggling. Unsurprisingly, walking on your hands was very hard. Both Lee and Metal had to wait for him at the exit to the training grounds.

"Are you sure this is a good idea Dad? He's only going to slow us down," stated Metal.

"Perhaps, but everyone has to start somewhere," Lee argued. "Speaking of which, we're going to take it slow today so Boruto can keep up and before you complain, don't forget I also had to take it slow for you when you started training."

"Yeah ok," Metal conceded.

"Chin up son, I have a feeling that before long Boruto will find the spark of youthfulness and we'll be back to the intense training you love," stated Lee.

"Assuming he doesn't quit that is," argued Metal.

"Like I said yesterday, the Uzumaki's don't give up easily," countered Lee.

Lee and Metal led the way through the village while Boruto followed as fast as he could. After a while the young Uzumaki was starting to get the hang of it. Metal had to admit he was impressed. Boruto kept to his word and hadn't complained once and was even managing to follow them at a decent pace. They'd only had to stop a few times to allow him to catch up. Metal was starting to see just how serious Boruto had been about learning to work hard.

Meanwhile, Naruto was on patrol with a few other shinobi when he saw three spandex clad people walking on their hands in the distance. Naruto recognised his son immediately.

"How about that, he really is training with the Lee's. I wonder what bought this on? Is he feeling guilty about what happened to Natsuko? I think I need to have a talk with him when I get home."

As Boruto continued to follow the Lee's through the village, the sun rose and the rest of the village started to stir.

As soon as soon as the villagers saw Boruto, the same judgemental stares and hateful comments about his family continued. Thankfully, Boruto didn't notice them, mainly because he was to focused on keeping himself up.

The Lee's on the other hand did notice the villigers.

"Metal, I think we should move a little closer to Boruto," Lee whispered.

"Why?" whispered Metal.

"I think the villagers are still a little angry with Boruto's aunt," Lee stated.

Metal sighed and nodded.

"Alright."

They backed up until they were just in front of Boruto.

"Still, they should get over it, they proved she wasn't at fault," grumbled Metal.

The stares remained as they continued their 'walk'. Thankfully, no one seemed willing to approach them. This was likely because they feared Naruto's wrath or because Boruto was currently with a well-known and powerful shinobi who was an open supporter of the Uzumaki family. Whatever the reason, it allowed them to continue their 'walk' in piece. For now.

Out of nowhere Boruto felt someone push him over. Lee jumped up and caught him before he hit the ground. It was at this point, Lee discovered the attacker was a young boy.

"That's for what your aunt tried to do to my parents,' he exclaimed.

Before anything else could be said the boy's mother ran forward and grabbed her son.

"I'm so sorry about this," she said before leading him away.

"It's ok," said Boruto softly.

Lee placed Boruto on the ground.

"You ok?"

"Yeah, let's keep going," answered Boruto getting back on his hands.

"Well, if you insist," said Lee getting on his hands and the 'walk' continued.

This made Metal feel more guilty about his actions over the past few years. He'd forgotten that Boruto and his family had enough problems with the village and he'd made it worse by abandoning Boruto as a friend. And all because he was jealous of Boruto's talent. At that moment, he swore he would never be that petty ever again.

They powered on and Boruto was looking more drained by the minute.

"Keep it up Boruto, not much further to go," called Lee.

"You said that an hour ago," groaned Boruto silently not wanting to complain.

As they were nearing the end of their 'walk', Lee noticed a few villagers glaring at Boruto. Like before, Boruto didn't notice this as he was to focused keeping himself balanced. It wasn't long before one of the approached Boruto.

The man was about to throw a kick at Boruto's hands that would cause him to trip, before Lee jumped up and demanded, "What do you think you're doing?"

This shocked Boruto who then lost balance. Thankfully, Lee again caught him and placed him down gently.

"What do you care?" the man spat. "After what this freaks family did to our village they should've been exiled from the village."

"Those freaks, as you call them are human beings," Lee angrily state. "I'm not sure if I can say the same about you."

Metal and Boruto could believe what they were seeing Lee wasn't one to get angry or throw insults, so seeing him openly berating someone was a rare sight to see.

"At least I haven't violated my marriage vows like his parents did. How is he even related to that lady who attacked us, I can't even remember which 'wife' is the mother to which child."

"Not that it's any of your business, but that was his aunt," stated Lee.

"Whatever, all that matters that she should be behind bars and yet she's walking around free like nothing happened," the man argued.

"Clearly you didn't watch the trail," countered Lee. "If you had, you'd know it wasn't her fault which was why she was found innocent."

Before the man could speak again Lee gave the following threat, "If you don't leave right now, there will be consequences."

The man knew he didn't stand a chance against Rock Lee and backed off defeated. Lee only turned back to the boys when the man and his friends were out of sight.

Both boys looked stunned.

"Dad, I've never seen you so angry," stated Metal. "I thought you weren't one to hold a grudge?"

"I'm not, but I am someone who defends those he cares about, which included Boruto and the entire Uzumaki family," declared Lee.

"Thank you Mr Lee," said Boruto.

"No problem young Boruto, now let's keep going boys, the day won't last forever," stated Lee.

After a few more minutes of 'walking', the made it back to the training grounds. At this point Boruto's face was read and sweat was pouring off his body. When he finally reached the end, he dropped to the ground puffing for air.

"You ok?" asked Lee.

To out of breath to answer, Boruto lifted an arm and gave a thumbs up.

"Good, we'll take a five-minute break before we continue," Lee declared.

Metal then retrieved a water bottle from a nearby bag and handed it to Boruto.

"Here, you're going to want to stay hydrated."

Boruto took and bottle and drank like he hadn't had any water in a year.

After the five-minute break was over, Boruto was horrified to learn they now had to do a hundred push-ups. Boruto kept to his word though and did them without complain. They followed this up with a hundred sit ups. Not wanting to push Boruto to hard on his first day, Lee decided to make this task a little easier, by standing on Boruto's feet. With their morning warmup done, Lee announced it was time to start Taijutsu training. Metal of course was excited by this, but Boruto was now so saw, he feared he wouldn't have the strength to throw a punch.

Thankfully, Boruto somehow found the strength to keep going and they trained in Taijutsu for the next few hours. Metal had once again been instructed to go easy on Boruto as it was his first day and his skills in Taijutsu wasn't nearly as high as Metal's was.

Their training was eventually interrupted when they heard someone say, "Um, excuse me."

They turned and saw Hinata who was holding three packed lunches.

"Mum," puffed Boruto. "What are you doing here."

"I saw the note you left on the fridge, so I thought I'd bring you all some lunch," answered Hinata.

"Wow, thankyou Hinata that's very thoughtful," Lee stated. "You can't train on an empty stomach."

"Yeah, you're cooking is the best Miss Hinata,' added Metal. "Please don't tell my mum I said that."

They all laughed at this.

"You know boys, I think now's a good time for a lunch break," declared Lee. "We'll continue after we've eaten."

Hinata handed out the lunches. When she got to her son, she asked if she could talk to him, so they walked out of earshot of the Lee's.

"Um, Boruto, if you don't mind me asking, what made you want to train with the Lee's?"

Boruto looked away not sure how to answer this question.

"Could I tell you later tonight? I'd prefer to tell you, Dad and Aunty all at once."

"Alright, I can wait till tonight," said Hinata. "Good luck today, but don't push yourself too far. You don't want to overdo it."

"To late for that," sighed Boruto.

Hinata understood what Boruto meant as he was still very read and his whole body was covered in sweat.

After Hinata left the training continued. Despite being exhausted, Boruto kept to his word and did everything they asked and never complained once. Lee however knew they had asked a little much of Boruto, because by the end of the day he'd passed out from exhaustion.

Lee and Metal were on their way to the Uzumaki home, with Lee carrying an unconscious Boruto on his back.

"I gotta say I'm impressed," stated Metal looking at Boruto. "I honestly didn't think he'd last the day."

"Well, it would appear young Boruto is truly committed to the path of youthfulness," said a happy Lee. "It's just a shame it took him this long to start."

"I guess, what if he doesn't turn up tomorrow?" asked Metal. "After what we put him through today, I wouldn't be surprised if he sleeps through the next few days."

"If that happens, I think we should give him a pass," Lee answered. "Boruto proved his commitment, and he kept his word on the rules of our training. I think he's earnt some lenience."

"Even I can't argue with that," said Metal.

They reached the Uzumaki home and Metal knocked on the door. Hinata answered. She immediately grew concerned when she saw Boruto.

"Oh my God, Boruto, are you ok."

"He's fine Hinata, he's just exhausted," answered Lee comfortingly.

The noise brought Naruto and Hanabi to the door.

"Sorry about these guys," said Lee. "I might've pushed him a little too hard today."

"That's ok, I think Boruto was aware of the intensity of your training, I'm just amazed he accepted it," stated Naruto.

"Not only that, he did everything we asked of him without complete," Metal added.

"Really, wow," said Naruto.

He'd never seen Boruto train so hard.

Lee turned to Metal and said, "Metal I think I need to have a quick talk with Boruto's parent's would you mind heading home and telling your mother I'll be home soon?"

Metal nodded and took off home.

Lee turned back to the Uzumaki's.

"May I come in, Boruto's had a long day, and I want to make sure he gets good rest."

They nodded and welcomed Lee inside.

Hanabi removed Boruto's shoes and placed them with the others. As they walked through the kitchen, Natsuko was horrified to see her brother unconscious. Thankfully, she calmed down upon hearing he was fine.

When they got to Boruto's room, Hinata pulled back his blanket allowing Lee to place him on the bed. Hinata then tucked her son in and kissed him on the cheek.

"You have a strong and youthful boy there Naruto," declared Lee. "Smart and talented to."

"You can say that again," said Naruto proudly.

They left Boruto's room and shut the door.

"I hope he wasn't too much trouble Lee," said Naruto as they entered the hallway.

"Not at all, as Metal said, he didn't complain at all today," Lee stated.

"Now that's surprising, Boruto usually gets annoyed when we push him too much," chuckled Naruto. "Guess, recent events have convinced him to work harder."

Hinata then asked Lee the question that was still on her mind.

"Lee, do you know why Boruto wants to train with you?"

"He didn't tell you?" asked a surprised Lee.

"No, I asked when I came to bring you lunch, but he wanted to wait till after to tell us," answered Hinata. "Unfortunately, he can't tell us now."

"Huh, I thought he'd at least tell Naruto," stated Lee.

"Why's that?" asked Naruto.

Lee then told them what Boruto was seeking to learn from him and why.

The next morning Boruto awoke to an even earlier alarm. He'd made sure to set it before leaving yesterday. He had no idea how he had gotten home, but he correctly assumed Lee had brought him home.

As predicted, Boruto was incredibly sore from yesterday's training. Nevertheless, Boruto arose from his bed to ensure he kept to his agreement with the Lee's. Boruto was about to leave his room when he saw something hanging on his closet.

It was another jumpsuit that read: 'Dear Boruto,

After Mr Lee brought you home last night, he left behind an extra uniform as your one from yesterday will be dirty.'

Boruto look down and saw he was still wearing the jumpsuit from yesterday. He continued to read.

'If you decide to continue your training with the Lee's, please put your current uniform with the laundry before you leave and I'll wash it for you.

Have a good day.

Love Mum.

P.S. I left some left over dinner from last night in the fridge if you want something to eat.'

Boruto then remembered he still hadn't told his parents why he was training with the Lee's. He didn't have time to worry about that now, because if he didn't get moving he'd be late. Boruto changed into the new uniform, put his dirty one in the laundry, ate some leftovers from the fridge and left the house.

As Boruto headed to the training grounds, he remembered that he and Metal also had school today. He had a feeling on school days they would have early morning training, go to the academy and then continue training in the afternoon. Boruto now believed he wouldn't get to tell his parents why he was training with the Lee's until he went home for dinner. That is of course assuming he didn't pass out from exhaustion again.

He arrived at the training grounds and once again found Lee and Metal waiting for him.

"So, you didn't quit after your first day, I'm impressed," Metal commented.

"I may take short cuts, but have you ever known me to be a quitter?" asked Boruto.

"No, I guess I haven't," Metal grinned.

"I'm impressed Boruto, you've shown true dedication to the path of youthfulness," added Lee.

"Great, so what are we going to do today?" asked Boruto. "Walk around the village on our hands again and then train until school starts?"

Lee chuckled and said: "Go home Boruto you've done enough for now."

"What? But, I did everything you said and I did so without complaint," Boruto exclaimed. "I'm ready I swear."

"I never said you weren't, but let me ask you something, how sore are you today? I'm guessing you hurt more then you did yesterday?"

Boruto then remembered how much his body was hurting from yesterday's workout.

"Truthfully I'm amazed I can even stand."

"That's what I thought," Lee chucked. "Boruto another important lesson in hard work is knowing your limits. If you push yourself to hard, you're just going to end up hurting yourself, which will actually make your progress slower. The best thing you can do right now is go home, rest and give your body a chance to recover. Yesterday's training was a test of two things. The first was a test of your dedication, which you proved by showing up yesterday, training all day with us and then appearing today to continue. The second test was to determine your skill level. As I'm sure you can guess, your strength and fighting ability aren't quite at the same level as Metal's, which is nothing to be ashamed of, because everyone has to start somewhere, but it also means you can't yet push yourself to the same degree, you have to start smaller and work your way up. You've proven you're willing to do that, but for now I think its best you have a rest before you continue."

"Ok, so how's the training going to work for the time being?" asked Boruto.

"Except for days where you don't have school, you don't have to train with us in the morning, only in the afternoon after school lets out. On weekends, I still want you to come for early morning training, but you can go home once I've decided you've had enough. Once I start seeing progress, I'll increase the amount of training I expect from you."

"So, you still want me to come to the training grounds after school today?" asked Boruto.

"That's correct," answered Lee.

"And no heading home first," added Metal. "We go straight from school to the training grounds."

"But for now, just go home and rest so you have more energy for this afternoon," Lee requested.

"Do I have to wear this to school?" asked Boruto grabbing the fabric of his uniform.

"No, you can wear your normal clothes to the academy, but you have to change into your training uniform as soon as it ends," answered Metal

"That seems fair," said Boruto.

He turned to leave, but turned around when he was halfway to the exit.

"Are you sure you want me to go home and rest?" asked Boruto.

"Rule number one Boruto," answered Metal.

"Right, do exactly as you say," sighed Boruto who left without another word.

Boruto had to admit he was happy about this. It meant he could sleep a little longer before he had to get up for school and he'd be able to have that talk with his parents before he left.

When he got home, he entered as quietly as possible, took of his shoes and crept back to his room.

"Boruto," called a voice causing him to stop where he stood.

Boruto turned and saw his father, mother and aunt sitting at the kitchen table.

"Is there something you would like to tell us?" asked Naruto. "Something about why you're training with the Lee's?"

"Um, well," stammered Boruto.

"Do you want to get stronger because of what happened to Natsuko?" Hanabi asked.

"Well, that's one of the reasons," answered Boruto. "What does it matter? I thought you'd be happy knowing I'm training hard to get stronger."

"Don't get me wrong I am, I'm just curious about the sudden change in dedication and training intensity," stated Naruto. "Does it have anything to do with me wanting you to learn the value of hard work?"

Boruto flinched.

"How do you?"

"Lee told me after he brought you home last night," answered Naruto.

The house was silent for a few seconds.

"I'm curious, what made you decide to train under Rock Lee?" asked Naruto.

"You, said you wanted me to learn the value of hard work, I thought Mr Lee might be the best teacher for that," answered Boruto.

"Oh, absolutely, if there's one thing Lee's always been good at, it's hard work," Naruto confirmed. "But what I'm most curious about is why you decided to seek a teacher. You've always been eager to prove yourself. I'm amazed this isn't something you'd want to learn on your own."

"Don't you think I tried?" asked Boruto.

The adults were curious about this question.

"I tried to work hard, in both school and in training," Boruto added. "But as you said, things come way to easily to me, so I always felt I wasn't learning the lesson you wanted me to learn."

"So, you decided to seek out someone who could show you a different more difficult way to train?" asked Hinata.

"I guess," Boruto answered.

"Do you think you've learnt anything yet?" asked Naruto.

"Not really. All I've learnt is that a lot of exercise leads to sore muscles."

"Yeah, it'll do that," chucked Naruto. "And I guess it was a bit of a stretch to expect you to have learnt anything after a single day. Are you planning to continue training with the Lee's?"

"Yeah, Mr Lee just wants to take it slow for now and once I make more progress the training will get more intense," answered Boruto.

"I see," Naruto mused. "Ok here's what we'll do. I'll ask Lee to keep me updated on your progress and when you're able to convince me that you've learnt the value of hard work, we can revisit making a contract with the toads. Which as you know, could lead to learning Senjutsu and maybe even the Rasenshuriken."

Boruto's eyes lit up.

"You mean it?"

"A deal's a deal and I never go back on my word," stated Naruto.

"Thanks Dad," grinned Boruto. "Listen, if its ok with you guys, I'm going back to bed until its time to get up for school."

"Of course, Lee reinforced the importance of rest, and we were about to do the same," Hinata stated.

"Ok, I'll see you guys in a few hours," said Boruto before heading to his room.

"Sleep well son," Naruto called.

They were all proud of Boruto. He was truly coming into his own.

The next few weeks were peaceful for the Uzumaki's. As peaceful as it could be anyway. Life had returned to what it had been before The Ghost had entered their lives. The kids continued their education, while the parents continued their duties as Leaf Shinobi's. Unfortunately, this also meant the bad returned, as people continued to glare and whisper about them when they were In public. Due to Hanabi's rampage, it felt even worse now. This made Naruto revisit a question he'd asked himself ever since they made their relationship public. Was staying in the village the best choice for his family? He felt he would keep asking this question for as long as the public's opinion about them remained the same.

The only thing that was different for the family was how they spent their afternoons. Every afternoon, Natsuko went to train with her grandfather, while Boruto went to train with the Lee's. The parents now had the house to themselves a lot more often, particularly when they all had days off from missions. As the kids grew, they felt less comfortable about engaging in adult quality time. They took full advantage of their kids being away.

One day in particular, where all three parents had the day off and the kids were at school, Naruto, Hinata and Hanabi were all lying together. They were puffy and sweaty from intense quality alone time and their clothes were abandoned on the floor.

"Wow, that was great you guy," said Naruto putting an arm around each of them.

"Only the best for the best husband in the world," Hinata stated cuddling close to him.

"We're both so lucky to have you, that we need to return the favour to you in any way we can," stated Hanabi also cuddling. "I think we found a good solution."

"No argument here," Naruto chucked. "Is it wrong that I'm glad the kids are away?"

"Not at all," said Hinata. "While I love our kids with all my heart, parents still deserve some alone time."

"Especially with this being harder to keep a secret as they grow older," added Hanabi.

They all laughed at this.

For the next few minutes, they lay in silence and felt eternally blessed to have each other. Before long, Naruto asked the question that kept bugging him.

"Was staying in the village the right choice?"

Both Hinata and Hanabi got up and looked at him curiously.

"What do you mean?" asked Hinata.

"I know we talked about this after Natsuko was born and I know it was a joint decision to stay, but now I'm wondering if it was the right choice," Naruto stated.

"I know what you mean," Hinata sighed.

She lay back down and rested her head on Naruto's shoulder.

"We thought things would get better for us if we were just patient."

"But it hasn't," added Hanabi resting on Naruto's other shoulder. "I think my rampage has also made things worth."

"Please don't blame yourself for that," Naruto advised. "You weren't in control and none of us blame you for what happened."

"Don't worry, I don't blame myself," said Hanabi. "As horrible as it sounds, I blame the villagers. I was only possessed by the Gozu Tennou, because their hatred for us made me hate them. They can't seem to accept their fault in my rampage."

"It's not horrible, I agree," said Hinata patting Hanabi's shoulder. "Your rampage was born out of the hate you felt from their discrimination. If anything, this should've been a lesson for them. It's a shame they failed to learn anything.

Naruto decided to get the conversation back on topic.

"We all had valid reasons' for staying," said Naruto holding them closer. "We stayed to be with our friends who have always loved and supported us for who we are and now their kids are friends with ours."

"It would be cruel to take Boruto and Natsuko away from their friends," Hinata commented.

"But it's arguably crueller to keep them in a village filled with people who hate them," argued Hanabi.

"Exactly, which is why I'm wondering if staying was wrong," added Naruto.

"Well, our friends weren't our only reason for staying," Hinata added. "Don't forget how Father would react if we took his grandkids away."

"No one would be more upset about us leaving," Hanabi chuckled.

"Yeah, but there was one more reason we decded to stay," said Naruto pulling Hanabi closer. "Staying would higher my chances of becoming Hokage, which would not only fulfill my lifelong dream, but it would also mean… I could take Hanabi as my second wife in the eyes of the law."

Hanabi came forward and kissed Naruto on the cheek.

"Nothing would mean more to me, but honestly, why do I need a silly piece of paper saying I'm your wife. The last ten years are proof I'm your wife in every way that matters."

"And like I said, I'm caring less about becoming Hokage with every passing day. You also said you've lost a lot of love for the village."

"We have," sighed Hinata.

"Hard to love a village that hates your children," added Hanabi.

"Well, if we moved away and I never became Hokage would you be ok with that?" asked Naruto. "Would you be ok with never being able to become my wife?"

"Yes, like I said, I'm your wife in every way that matters," answered Hanabi.

"If you want, Naruto and I are still willing to…" Hinata was cut off.

"NO," yelled Hanabi. "We talked about this. You are not divorcing because of me."

"Alright, we're sorry," exclaimed Naruto trying to calm her down.

"Divorced," grumbled Hanabi as she cuddled closer.

"Anyway, what do you guys think?" asked Naruto. "Should we stay in the village, or should we leave in the hopes it'll give our kids a better life."

Hinata and Hanabi looked at each other for a few seconds.

"I think you should decide," answered Hanabi.

"I agree and whatever decision you make, I'll support it," said Hinata.

"Same here," added Hanabi.

Naruto smiled and held them closer.

"I'll say this as many times as I must. You two are the best. Still, I just wish I had someone who could help me with this."

This made Hanabi think about her time in lock-up. How she had been visited by someone who came to help her when she needed it most. Hanabi knew it would sound crazy, but it was worth a shot.

"Maybe you should ask your parents!"

Naruto chucked at this.

"I'd love nothing more, but we all know that's impossible."

"Maybe not," countered Hanabi.

Both Hinata and Naruto sat up and staired at her.

"What are you talking about?" asked Naruto.

Hanabi directed her gaze to Hinata.

"Big Sister, back when you and father had a strained relationship and you were struggling to find you way in life, were you ever visited by Mum?"

This shocked Hinata.

"Hanabi, Mother passed away long before my issues with Father began. Mainly, because she was the only one who could keep him in line. More to the point, how could she have possibly visited me when I was troubled."

"Because she wasn't fully there, right?" asked Hanabi.

"Not fully there?" Hinata queired.

"When you were young did you find yourself having visions of Mum like she was only partly there. Was her body a little transparent making her seem like a ghost."

This forced Hinata to think back to moments she hadn't thought about in years.

"Now that you mention it… I remember one time I was under a lot of stress and she appeared out of nowhere. I asked why she was there, and she said, 'To do what any good mother would, comfort her child when she's sad'. It wasn't the only time it happened, she seemed to appear whenever I had a particularly bad day. And you're right, her body was always a little transparent. Like she wasn't fully there."

"Why did you never tell me about this?" asked Hanabi.

"Because I thought everyone would think I was crazy," answered Hinata. "I thought I was crazy. I'd always believed her visits were just stress induced hallucinations."

"Hanabi, why are you asking this?" Naruto queried.

Hinata wanted to know this as well.

"Because she visited me to," stated Hanabi.

"She did?" asked Hinata. "When?"

"It first happened during my rampage," answered Hanabi. "When Natsuko jumped in front of me and begged me to stop. In that moment I thought I'd failed her. Then I felt something on my shoulder. It was faint, but familiar. I looked up and there she was. She told me I hadn't failed anyone. That was the moment I was able to let go of my anger."

"Oh my god," stated Hinata. "Was that the only time you saw her?"

"No, she appeared again to comfort me while Natsuko was taken. I also assumed she was just a stress induced hallucination, but she said things that made me question that. She was just like I remembered, and she offered advice I feel only she could. I asked her if she really could visit us, why was she only doing so now."

"What did she say?" asked Naruto curiously.

"She said it's easiest for spirits to visit their loved ones during moments of extreme emotion. She felt I needed her more then ever and that's how she was able to visit. That's how I also learnt she'd visited you before, but had only been able to during your saddest moments."

Hinata couldn't believe this. After years of writing off her mother's 'visits' as hallucinations, Hinata was now wondering if her mother had actually visited her from beyond the grave. How else would Hanabi know about the visits from their mother.

"Wait a minute," Naruto interjected. "If spirits can visit their loved ones during their saddest moments, why did my parents never visit me?"

Hanabi looked down.

"Well."

"Did your mother say something to you?" asked Naruto. "Please, what did she say?"

"She said, its easier to visit if you know who your parents are and what they look like," answered Hanabi.

This hit Naruto hard.

"But… I didn't even know who my parents were until I was sixteen. Is that why they never visited?"

"That's what my Mum thinks," said Hanabi. "I asked her if she knew them. She said she did. Apparently, you mother was one of her best friends and she sees so much of your mother's personality in you. She also claims your father was one of the bravest and kindest men she'd ever met, and she also considered him a close friend. She was very saddened by their deaths, not just because the village lost the 4th Hokage and his wife, but also because she lost two of her closest friends."

Naruto sank into their mattress not sure what to do with this information.

"My mother also believes, if you asked for their guidance now, they would help," added Hanabi.

Naruto stared at her.

"She really said that?"

Hanabi nodded.

Naruto was left speechless.

"I'm sorry Naruto, I shouldn't have sprung this on you," said Hanabi.

Naruto pulled her into a tight hug.

"No, I'm glad you did. I just wish I'd heard about this sooner. This could be exactly what I need."

"What are you going to do?" asked Hinata.

"I don't know yet, but I'll think of something," he answered.

The rest of the day was uneventful. The kids came home later in the evening from their separate training, they all had dinner together and then they went to bed. During this time, Naruto kept thinking about what Hanabi had told him and what he should do. Was it to crazy to try or was it a risk worth taking?

Naruto was about to join his wives in bed when he thought of something. Spirits could only visit if you knew who they were and what they looked like. What if he went to a place where he felt closer to them?

"I'm going out for a bit," Naruto said through his bedroom door.

"Where are you going?" asked Hinata.

"To visit my parents," answered Naruto before sprinting from their home.

Hinata and Hanabi looked at each other in confusion as they wondered where their husband had gone.

Naruto headed to the building of the Hokage's office. He went to the roof, sat down and looked up at the Hokage Monument, paying particular attention to the face of his father, the Forth Hokage. Since learning the identity of his parents, this had become the place he felt closest to them.

He stared at his father's face and said, "Mum, Dad, are you there?"

There was no answer. Thankfully, Naruto didn't give up easily.

"I was told if I needed help, all I had to do was call out to you and you would visit… Please, what should I do? Should I leave the village, or should I stay? What option would be best for my family?"

There was still no answer.

"Please, I want to do what's best for them, but I don't know what to do. Are you there? If you are please answer."

Like before there was only silence.

Naruto dropped his head in sadness fearing he had been foolish to try this.

"Could you at least answer this? Am I a bad husband and father? Have I failed my wives and kids? Have I failed you?"

He was about to get up and go home when he felt something faint on his shoulder. Naruto was scared to look up. He feared the moment he did he would see nothing, and the feeling would be gone.

"Naruto, you've done no such thing."

He'd only heard this voice a few times, but it was one he would never forget.

Naruto looked up and he couldn't believe his eyes. Sitting before Naruto was a man with spiky blonde hair and blue eyes identical to his own, and a woman who had a round face like Naruto but sported a heard of long, awesome red hair. They were his parents, Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki.

"Mum? Dad?"

Naruto couldn't believe it, it was really them.

Chapter Text

Naruto was silent for the next minute. No matter how much time passed, he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Both his parents, who had died the day he was born, were sitting right in front of him.

He then remembered what Hanabi had said regarding the visit from her deceased mother. How her body was slightly transparent, and it didn't seem like she was fully there. It felt the same here. Neither Minato or Kushina seemed completely solid, and the hand Naruto had felt on his shoulder only felt half real. Were these really the spirits of his parents?

"Well, are you going to say anything or are you just going to stare at us with your mouth open," grinned Kushina.

Naruto only just realised his jaw had dropped upon seeing them. He quickly closed it.

"Sorry, I just can't believe this is actually happening."

"What? Did you think your wife was lying when she said she was visited by the ghost of her mother?" Kushina teased.

"How do you know about that?" asked Naruto.

"Um, because we're also dead so we exist in the same realm as her," answered Kushina sarcastically. "Or are you just going to write us off as hallucinations, who know everything you know?"

"That's enough Kushina," Minato interjected. "This would be hard to process for most."

"I'm sorry," answered Kushina. "But I missed out on all the moments like this, and I just want to make up for lost time when I can."

"As do I, but Naruto didn't call for us so you could tease him, he called for us to ask for help," stated Minato. "Which is another responsibility you have as a mother."

"And one I will put a hundred percent effort into," Kushina declared with a clenched fist.

Naruto smiled at this. He'd forgotten how similar he and his mother were.

"So, Naruto," said Minato. "How can we help you?"

"In a bit. I just… want this to last… a bit longer," Naruto stammered.

"We understand," Minato sadly sighed. "Talk about whatever you want, we have time."

"We have all the time in the world for you," added Kushina.

Naruto shed a tear at this.

"Oh son, please don't be sad," said Kushina comfortingly.

"I'm not… I'm just happy," stated Naruto. "I thought I'd never see you guys again. I just wish I'd known about this sooner. Based on what Hanabi told me, you wouldn't have been able to visit when I was young, but I have a feeling I could have called out to you a lot over the last few years."

"Don't feel bad Naruto, this isn't something many people discover," stated Minato.

"And the ones that do generally write it off as hallucinations," added Kushina.

"Still, why has no one talked about this?" asked Naruto. "Let the world know there's a way to contact lost loved ones."

"Sadly, in addition to people thinking the visits are hallucinations, those who have told others are written off as insane," answered Minato. "Most believe that once someone is gone, they're gone and the only way to see them again is to wait for your own time to come."

"In other words, people don't even try to communicate with the dead, because they either don't know they can, or they refuse to believe they can," stated Kushina.

"Well, I hope you guys don't mind, but from now on I'm likely going to call on you whenever I have a problem I can't solve," Naruto stated.

"Naruto, nothing would make us happier," stated Minato.

"Not to mention it'll take the pressure of your amazing wives," said Kushina before crying. "Those two are such angles and they've taken such good care of my little boy."

Naruto's head sank.

"How do you guys feel about that?"

"Feel about what?" asked Minato.

"My marriage," Naruto answered.

"Naruto you don't need our approval," Kushina sighed. "We may be your parents, but we weren't there while you were growing up. We have no right to say whether we find your wives acceptable."

"Mum, you not being around wasn't your fault and that's not what I meant," stated Naruto. "How do you feel about me having two wives?"

Minato and Kushina looked at each other. They had a feeling this was coming.

"Like we said Naruto, you don't need our approval on that," stated Minato.

"I don't care, I want to know. Do you hate what I've done?" asked Naruto. "Are you ashamed of me? Would you have accepted us if you were alive?"

Kushina took her son's hand. Like before it didn't feel complete.

"Of course we would've accepted you Naruto," she said. "And it saddens me to hear you think otherwise. You're our son and we love you."

"I'll admit, it would've been a bit of an adjustment, but it would've never changed the way we felt," added Minato. "You've suffered through so much Naruto. We were glad you found one woman to make you happy. When you found another, we were shocked, but we could see that both Hinata and Hanabi truly loved you and wanted nothing more than to make you happy."

"And we can see how happy they've made you. You love them both and that's all that matters to us," said Kushina.

"As long as you're happy that's all that matters," said Minato.

"And besides, while I wouldn't share Minato with anyone, I don't see any problem with my son having multiple wives," Kushina proclaimed. "More wives mean more grandchildren I could've smothered with love if I was alive. Speaking of which, what's the deal with only having one child with each wife? Why didn't you three give me as many grandchildren as possible?"

Naruto's head sank again.

"We talked about having more kids. We wanted more, but…"

"It's ok Naruto, you can tell us," said Minato.

"It's because we felt bad about bringing Boruto and Natsuko into a world that hates them."

"To be fair you had no idea it would be this bad," stated Kushina.

"I know, but my wives and I decided… to wait until the village accepted us before bringing more children into the world. Let them see us for who we are. A happy family, not that different from others. Once they accepted us, we would've tried for more children immediately. Unfortunately, acceptance is taking longer than expected. We feel so guilty for how this village treats our children and I predict we'd feel even worse if we brought more kids into that. Something tells me the village would hate us more if we had more kids."

Minato sighed.

"This village has been truly unfair and cruel to you Naruto. My dying wish was that you be hailed as a hero, but they were cruel to you because the nine-tails was sealed inside you. And now, even after proving yourself a true hero, the cruelty has returned all because you engage in what many consider a vile practice."

"If you ask me the two aren't even comparable," added Kushina. "So what if you practice polyamory. Regardless of your beliefs it's not nearly as bad as what the Nine Tails has done… Um, please tell Kurama I mean no offence'?

Naruto heard a voice inside his mind say, "None taken."

"He forgives you," stated Naruto.

"Thank god," sighed Kushina.

"Either way, it isn't right what the village has done," stated Minato.

"That leads me to my next question," said Naruto. "Was it wrong to stay in the village? Am I a bad father for staying and subjecting my wives and children to the same cruel treatment I suffered?"

Minato put a hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"Naruto, you didn't force them to stay. It was a decision between all three of you. Hinata and Hanabi wanted to stay, and you agreed because you knew it would make them happy."

"That's what a partnership is, making decisions together as a team," Kushina added.

"But what about the kids?" Naruto asked. "They didn't agree to this, they were too young to make that decision. And now they've suffered because of us."

"That isn't your fault Naruto," said Minato. "You, Hinata and Hanabi all hoped that the village would come around. It's a shame many of them are so closed minded."

"And we know you never set out to hurt your children. Your heart was always in the right place, and you only had good intentions," added Kushina. "And if it makes you feel better, if I was alive, I would've made sure those rotten villagers got what they deserved for hurting my grandkids."

This led Naruto to his final question.

"How can I make it stop? How can I stop the villagers from inflicting pain on my family? Should we move away? What do you think I should do?"

"Naruto, the only one who can answer that, is you," stated Minato. "We know that whatever decision you make, you're doing it for the greater good of your family."

"And whatever decision you make, make it knowing that you have our full love and support," said Kushina.

"That's what Hinata and Hanabi said," stated Naruto.

"Then believe in yourself like they do. We believe in you, because we know you'll make the right choice," said Minato.

Naruto stood up with determination. His parents followed.

"I know what I have to do."

"Good luck son, we have faith in you," said Kushina. "And never forget, we'll always love."

Mintato and Kushina disappeared.

"I love you too."

Naruto ran home with renewed determination.

The next day Naruto went to Kakashi and asked if he could arrange for him to do an interview on a talk show. Kakashi said that would be no problem and he could likely have it arranged that day. Naruto then mentioned that it might be more complicated than that as there were a few specific things this interview needed. He wanted to have this broadcasted across every village that was part of the shinobi alliance in the last war. Kakashi admitted that might take a few days as he would have to coordinate this with the other Kage's, who would then have to see what could be done with their own television stations. He also had a feeling that Naruto wanted all the villages to know he was doing the interview which would take even more time. Naruto said that would be no problem and to take as much time as needed.

A few days later Naruto was waiting to be interviewed by a local television host. As promised, word had spread to the other shinobi villages and many were tuning in to hear what the hero of the last war had to stay. Even the other four Kage had taken time out of their schedules to watch.

The woman who was conducting the interview walked onto the set and took a seat.

"Good evening, Village Hidden in the Leaves and all other villages who are tuning in for tonight's interview. As you may have heard, Naruto Uzumaki, local polygamist and disgraced hero of the last war has requested to speak to all major shinobi villages. Unfortunately, I've been unable to get an answer on what he wishes to discuss tonight, but I have a feeling it has to do with his controversial family life and how it has affected him. Now, without further ado, please welcome local polygamist and disgraced war hero, NARUTO UZUMAKI."

As Naruto walked onto the set only fait claps could be heard from the crowd, but there were many glares. He had a feeling these were from people who were still sour about Hanabi's trial. Naruto wanted to glare back, but he remained calm as he took his seat.

"So Naruto, I have to ask. What brings you here today?" asked the host.

"It's as you said, I want to discuss the controversy around my family, as I fear I have been silent for too long," said Naruto.

"I see, but what was so important that all the other villagers had to hear?"

"You'll find out later, right now I want to mainly address the Leaf Village," Naruto requested.

The host gestured to the crowd.

"Go ahead, the floor is yours."

Naruto nodded and turned to the crowd.

"Citizens of the Leaf Village, as you know, for over ten years now, I've been in a polyamorous relationship with both Hinata and Hanabi of the Hyuga Clan. Many of you haven't taken kindly to us, as you view our relationship as vile, old fashioned and something only tyrants do. You have been very vocal about this, showing cruelty not just to me, but to my wives and children. And I just have to say. YOU SHOULD ALL BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES!"

Naruto's increase in volume had caught everyone off guard. Even the viewers at home jumped.

"Regardless of what you think of our practices, why do you think you have the right to treat us like trash when we've done nothing to harm you. And don't even think of mentioning Hanabi's rampage. Anyone with half a brain would know that wasn't her fault. You call us freaks and monsters, but how are any of you any better. Especially when considering this isn't the first time many of you were unnecessarily cruel to me."

"Um, Mr Uzumaki, I don't mean to interrupt, but what do you mean by 'isn't the first time'?" asked the host.

"You know what I mean," answered Naruto turning to her. "Don't try and act like you've forgotten."

Naruto turned back to the crowd.

"Do you remember how I was treated when I was a child? Many of you called me a freak, avoided me and treated me like a monster. What's worse is you passed this onto your children who also thought I was a freak, even though they didn't have all the details. Not only was I an orphan with no parents, but your actions meant I had no friends as a child. For the first twelve years of my life, I was all alone. A fate all of you felt I deserved. And why did you believe this? Because I have the nine tailed fox sealed inside me! Which is something I never chose or even knew about until I graduated. And yet you all justified mistreating a child because of this, which is ironic because angering me often led to me losing control of the fox when I was young. Imagine what could've happened if you went too far and I lost control? By mistreating me you were putting yourselves in greater danger."

This made many watching feel extremely guilty.

Naruto continued.

"And sadly, that's not even the worst part. My father, the Forth Hokage, gave his life to save this village, by sealing the fox inside me. He then requested I be seen as a hero by this village, a message passed on by the Third Hokage. And yet, many of you refused to honour his dying wish. And don't use the excuse that you didn't know he was my father, because that doesn't change the fact that you ignored the final wish of the man who made sure you all lived to see another day."

No one had a counter argument for this, as they knew Naruto was right. Minato Namikaze had given his life to save them, and they had refused to fulfill his final wish.

"Thankfully, I was able to let that go," Naruto continued. "Because the rejection I faced from the village and the constant insistence that I wouldn't amount to anything, just made me more determined to prove you all wrong. I may have graduated dead last at the academy, but in a few short years I quickly became one of the strongest shinobi in the village. By the time I was sixteen I was the strongest as I single handedly took down a threat stronger than the entire village. And I didn't stop there. I kept training, grew even stronger and eventually learned to control the power of Kurama, the Nine-Tailed Fox."

Naruto stood up and activated his full Kurama mode. Many in the audience were scared as they feared Naruto was going to harm them.

"I think it's extremely ironic that you all once feared this power, because without it, none of you would be standing here today."

Naruto deactivated his power and sat back down.

"By the end of the war, I had achieved the acceptance I had always longed for. Furthermore, my father's dying wish was finally fulfilled as you all saw me as a hero. I was even on my way to accomplishing my biggest dream, to become Hokage. At the time this was an honour you all felt I deserved. But then it all went away because of one choice I made."

Naruto let that sink in before continuing.

"I dedicated my whole life to becoming a strong shinobi who would be accepted and respected by the entire village. And I did, but it all went away because of who I chose to marry."

"Well, to be fair Mr Uzumaki only abusive tyrants tend to have…" the host trailed of when Naruto glared at her. "Never mind, I'll let you finish."

Naruto turned back to the crowed.

"Let's face it, after the war I could've chosen nearly any woman in the entire village. They were all fawning over me as their hero. But I chose none of them. Instead, I chose the one woman who always loved and accepted me for who I was. She loved me before I was a hero, before I was even a strong shinobi."

At the Uzumaki home, Hinata shed a tear as she knew he was referring to her.

"I was ready to spend the rest of my life with her. I wanted her by my side on the last day of my life, but then the unexpected happened, I found another who loved me as unconditionally as Hinata. Her sister Hanabi. Being a little younger than us, I didn't know Hanabi as well as Hinata, but from what I've learnt, she too started to admire me from afar. She started seeing my strength and determination the day I defeated her cousin Neji in the Chuunin Exams. And like her sister before her she slowly fell in love with me too. Like Hinata, she also struggled to tell me, but for different reasons. For those who don't know Hanabi was always known for being the more outspoken of them, but she also knew Hinata had fallen for me first. So, while Hinata was initially too shy to tell me how she felt, Hanabi felt it was wrong to try and claim the person her sister loved first, so she remained quiet and tried to move on. Unfortunately, you can't help who you fall in love with."

"Um question?" the host requested.

"What?" asked Naruto.

"How exactly did the three of you get together? If you don't mind me asking."

"I don't mind because I have nothing to be ashamed of."

Naruto repeated the story of how Hanabi had come to him and Hinata to tell them how she felt, due to feeling guilty over the feelings she had for Naruto. He then told them how both he and Hanabi were surprised that not only was Hinata ok with this, but she invited Hanabi to join them.

"And you just agreed?" asked the host.

"I really didn't have much say in the matter," shrugged Naruto.

"Ok, then why was Hinata ok with this?" the host asked.

"Hinata loves her little sister dearly, I dare say even more then she loves me," answered Naruto. "She felt it was better to make her sister happy by allowing her to join, then to have Hanabi become sad by never being able to be with the man she loved. Something Hinata always feared would happen to her. From here, we all grew closer and closer."

"Didn't you say you had no say in the matter?" the host asked. "Didn't that bother you?"

"Did creep me out a bit at first, but I could tell this was something Hinata wanted so I went with it," stated Naruto. "And I'm glad I did. Over time I could tell Hanabi felt the same genuine love for me that Hinata does. Love I know I can never get from anyone else."

"What about the fact that your wives are sisters. Doesn't that gross you out a little?" asked the host.

"You'd think, but it's not like they can create deformed children together," Naruto answered. "Any children we have will be from me and one of them. Besides, don't a lot of the major clans only marry within the clan to keep the bloodline pure. I'm pretty sure Hinata and Hanabi's mother didn't have to take her husband's surname, because it was the same."

At the Uzumaki home, Hinata and Hanabi stared at each other awkwardly. They'd never stopped to think about how their parents were both full blooded Hyuga's and likely weren't too distantly related. They also wondered if they were more closely related then just being sisters. It made them gladder they had married outside the clan.

Meanwhile, at the Hyuga compound, Hiashi was also watching and thought, "We definitely have some practices that need to change."

Back in the interview Naruto thought up a clever joke.

"Maybe them being sisters is why they both fell in love with me and why I feel the exact same love from them both. It's probably just in their DNA."

In the Uzumaki home Hinata and Hanabi nodded in agreement.

"Anyway, we're getting of topic. Where was I?" mused Naruto. "Right, you can't help who you fall in love with and yet, you all hate me for it. And what I want to know is, why? Because you think it's vile and misogynistic? Something only practiced by tyrants who treat their wives like slaves? Well, I got news for you, that's not the case for us. We're all equals in our relationship and if you stopped judging us for two seconds and got to know us, you'd see that to."

"Um, well to be fair Naruto, it's also illegal," the host added.

"Only if I try to legally marry someone while already married," Naruto countered. "And believe me I tried. Hinata, Lord Sixth and I spent weeks looking through legal books trying to find a loophole that would allow me to marry Hanabi. Unfortunately, we found nothing that could help us. The only way I can take an additional wife is to be in a high position of power."

"Like being Hokage?" the host cautiously asked.

"That's right, unfortunately by then I'd been banned from becoming Hokage due to the controversy surrounding my relationship. I then got Lord Sixth to do some digging and it turns out the other village leaders banned me from becoming Hokage to ensure I could never take a second wife."

"Really? Why?"

"As I keep saying, it's a practice associated with tyranny and slavery, which isn't a very good look in today's age," Naruto answered. "As I'm sure you all know, the Leaf Village has done a lot of expanding since the war and is a lot more public than it used to be. Because of this we try to maintain a positive image with the rest of the world. Apparently having a leader who practices polyamory is a bad look. Especially when he's leading one of the five main villages."

"What do the leader's think would happen if you were Hokage?"

"They think people would be less likely to hire us for our services as Shinobi. They also feel we'd lose many of our alliances with other villages, as they'd want to save their own reputation by not associating with us."

"Well, that seems a bit unfair," the host admitted. "Aren't you the reason we have most of those alliances?"

"Yes, my efforts in the war not only saved us all, but they also strengthened our unity with the other villages," stated Naruto. "And yet, when you look at me, all you see is a freak, all because I have two wives. You don't see a hero, a leader, or a man with so much love to give he can share it with two women. All you see is a monster and a future tyrant. Despite everything I've done, you only focus on the one small detail you disagree with, which doesn't even hurt anyone. You also used the excuse that I let my accomplishments go to my head and I think I deserve multiple wives. Truth is, I don't. It just happened and I was the one it happened to. I treat both my wives equally and I always will."

"Is it really equality if you're only legally married to one?" asked the host.

"Technically no and Hinata and I were willing to divorce to ensure we were all equal partners," Naruto answered. "Unfortunately, Hanabi shut that down immediately."

"Why?"

"I have no idea you'd have to ask her," admitted Naruto.

At the Uzumaki home, Hinata decided to ask that question.

"Why are you so against Naruto and I getting divorced? It would mean we are all equals."

Hanabi looked at her seriously and said, "If our roles were reversed would you expect me to divorce Naruto?"

Hinata didn't answer, but they both knew the answer was no.

Naruto continued his rant.

"My point is, not only has your close-minded hatred forced me to give up on being Hokage, but it's also forced my wives to give up on dreams as well."

"What dreams?" asked the host.

"Well for one, since I can't become Hokage, Hanabi can't also become my wife. She says she doesn't mind, as she's just happy being with me, but I know it hurts her. But more than anything it's prevented us from expanding our family," stated Naruto.

"Expanding your family?" the host queried. "Do you mean having more kids?"

"Yes," sighed Naruto. "We all wanted more kids. Have more children to shower with love. Give Boruto and Natsuko younger siblings to play with."

"Then why didn't you?" asked the host.

"Simple," answered Naruto. "Considering all the hardships my children face, I'm sure it won't surprise you to hear we feel guilty about bringing children into a world that hates them. How could we force more children into a life like that?"

The host was speechless.

"And so, after many discussions we decided on the following," Naruto continued. "No more kids until the village came around and accepted us for who we are. A regular loving family. We believed if we continued to dedicate ourselves to the village you would quickly come around. But you never did, and because of this we never had more kids despite our desire for more. I blame all of you for this. And the hate for us has only gotten greater because you refuse to see how Hanabi was innocent in her rampage. I've decided enough is enough."

"What do you mean?"

"Because you all continue to hate us, me, my wives and my children have decided on the following. We're leaving, permanently," declared Naruto.

The entire audience gasped and the viewers at home couldn't believe what they were hearing.

"But, but, Mr Uzumaki, you're our strongest ninja. What if we one day face a threat, we can't handle without you?"

"You should've thought of that before treating my family like crap," Naruto spat.

"In my defence I've never even met your family," argued the host.

"True, but have you ever defended us against those who openly hate us?" asked Naruto.

The host said nothing.

"That's what I thought," spat Naruto before turning to the crowd. "You heard it everyone, I'm leaving the Leaf and you only have yourselves to blame."

Most villagers watching didn't know what to say. They never wanted him to leave, they just wanted him to end his vile marriage.

Like he was reading their minds, Naruto added, "Don't be too upset, think of this as good news and bad news. You've spent years trying to banish Hanabi and our daughter Natsuko. Well, good news, they're leaving. The bad news is we're all a packaged deal, meaning if one of us leaves we all leave."

Naruto stood up.

"Well, goodbye Leaf Village, good luck defending yourselves without me. And one more thing, if any of you try to harm my wives or kids before we leave, there will be consequences."

Before he left, he turned to the host.

"Thanks for having me I really appreciate it."

Naruto left without another word. The entire room was speechless. What had they done?

Meanwhile, in the village hidden in the sand, Gaara, the Fifth Kazekage was watching the broadcast from his office. His brother Kankuro was also present.

"Kankuro, gather the village leaders," ordered Gaara.

"What for?" asked Kankuro. "Are you going to invite Naruto to come live here?"

"Yes. As long as I'm Kazekage, Naruto will always have a home here," stated Gaara.

"Why do we need to consult the village leaders?" asked Kankuro.

"I need to see where they stand on having Naruto in our village," answered Gaara. "I'm sure the last thing Naruto needs is to leave one prejudice village only to start living in another."

"You think he'll be more accepted here?"

"I don't know, but I'm determined to find out," said Gaara.