526A/N: I did not expect the response to this story that it got. Now you've all made it to if I screw up, you'll form a mob with pitchforks and torches. I also made an oopsie last chapter. Not in the story itself, but in regards to something I find equally important.
Beta: ncpfan.
Like usual, he's the beta for the story. I forgot this in the previous chapter, and only realized it afterward... and I'm a tad lazy to go back and fix it at the moment. (probably not at the time of this chapter is posted though.)
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Naruto frowned as he sat on the swing outside of the academy, he had nothing better to do. If he was honest he did expect Mikoto to be waiting outside the academy when it was over, but at the same time he knew that she wouldn't waste her time with him. No one ever did.
"Naruto-kun, what are you doing?" asked a familiar feminine voice causing Naruto to look at its source and saw it was Mikoto who was out of her long-skirt, shirt and apron. She was now wearing black shinobi pants, heeled sandals and a black halter top.
"Just sitting," answered Naruto truthfully, though quite surprised that she even came. It was a happy surprise though.
Mikoto smiled kindly as she brushed her hand through his hair gently, "I prepared a few things for us to do, but is the-"
"Kaa-san, why are you with the dobe?" stated a familiar voice causing Naruto to grimace, knowing who it was and just didn't want to fight with the brat. Especially not in front of Mikoto, he didn't want to anger her if he started a fight with her son after all.
Mikoto looked over at her son and looked at him, "Why I'm with him isn't your concern, Sochi. Shouldn't you be heading home before Itachi heads off with his squad, if you're quick enough he might spare a few minutes to help train you." If anything could get rid of this sickening piece of shit that was her son, it was bringing up her elder son. It took all her power to restrain herself from lashing out and striking Sasuke at insulting her little spiral. 'How dare he...' she thought irritably wanting to be rid of the little shit quickly.
"Let's go home together and leave the los-" He didn't finish as a fist hit him square in the mouth, sending him onto the ground causing him to scream out in pain.
Mikoto wiped the blood and saliva off her hand onto her pants before picking up the crying body of her son, "Insult Naruto-kun again and I'll kill you. I don't remember raising an arrogant little shit copy of Fugaku. I brought you into this world, sochi-kun... and I will take you out of it if you can't be nice to Naruto-kun. Do you understand me?" She stated icily as her stared into her son's eyes with her own narrowed and filled with venom, "Do you?!" she growled angrily after not receiving an answer from Sasuke after several seconds.
"Y-yes," stammered the boy before he was dropped onto the ground.
"Then go home, have someone look at your mouth and do whatever you want afterward," said Mikoto in a more kind tone as her entire attitude changed. She turned to Naruto, "Now as I was saying Naruto-kun, is there anywhere you'd like to go before we go to the things I prepared?" she asked looking at his cute shocked face. 'Look at that face, it's so cute,' she thought happily wanting nothing more than to grab him and hug him to death, but if she just hugged him out of nowhere or showered him too much with her love, he'd run away. It wasn't his fault, it was Konoha's fault. The stupid people in it caused him to be wary and scared of others, so she didn't mind taking baby steps.
"Uh... not really," replied Naruto staring at her in shock at the woman who just hit, threatened and essentially chased off her son... for him. He wasn't sure how to feel about it. On one hand, he was happy that Mikoto would stay with him, but at the same time he felt a bit bad about Sasuke getting beat by his own mother... even if he had it coming.
Mikoto smiled happily as she grabbed his hand, helping him off the swing, "Then let's get started."
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Two hours Later
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For the past two hours, Mikoto discovered a new emotion, one that Konoha helped bring to light for her. She discovered rage. Pure, unadulterated rage.
Throughout the two hours, all of the preparations she had in place for her little spiral were for nothing. A few stores she picked out to get him some decent clothes, threw them out, even her, the matriarch to the Uchiha clan, it was the same to some of the shinobi stores, they either threw them out or had the audacity to overcharge her for simple equipment and in shit condition. The last straw came when she decided to salvage the entire thing by taking her little spiral to a small restaurant only for them to toss them out as well and threaten Naruto. Needless to say, she was not happy.
'They're all going to pay, each and every last one of them. They ruined my day with Naruto-kun, they made him sad and they fucked up everything I wanted to do for him!' she mentally shouted as she wanted to murder a lot of people. The anger boiled in her as the mere thought of those... insects being so mean to her little spiral made her pissed off far beyond what she felt when her son insulted Naruto earlier.
"Miko-chan, are you okay?" asked Naruto seeing Mikoto lost in her own thoughts with a deep frown. It was a rather normal day for him everything considered. Though he only got threatened once, so it was better than normal in his opinion. He didn't like that Mikoto seemed heartbroken every time they kicked them out of the stores... well he wasn't going to shop at those stores even if they let him in, in the future. It seemed fair seeing as she seemed so happy for whatever she had planned for them and they made her upset.
Mikoto knelt down, smiled a bit and answered, "I'm fine, Naruto-kun." It was a blatant lie, but this was her problem to deal with and she didn't want or need him to worry about it. On another level, she was thrilled, her little spiral shortened her name and used the -chan honorific. Her entire day was a failure but at least something good happened.
"We can eat at Ichiraku," said Naruto knowing the one place he ate often and never chased him away.
'The place Kushina always ate...' thought Mikoto knowing the place well enough. It seemed fitting that Kushina's son ate at the place that his mother loved. "Sure," replied Mikoto nodding as she grabbed his hand and walked to the ramen stand with him.
It took them ten minutes to walk to the stand but they arrived and sat next to each other at the stand. "Ah, Naruto... oh you brought a friend," said the stand owner looking at the blond and Mikoto, surprised to find someone with him. "Who's your friend?"
"Mikoto-chan's great," praised Naruto happily knowing she tried her best and that she seemed to actually enjoy being with him. It had only been a day, but he didn't feel like he had before meeting her, he hadn't felt the desire to kill himself since she appeared.
Mikoto smiled at Naruto and felt relieved at his praise even if all her plans went to shit due to Konoha. "I'm not that great, Naruto-kun," she said as she knew she had yet to do anything substantial for her little spiral.
The stand owner chuckled and said, "Well what would you two like?"
"Two Miso and beef," stated Naruto happily, ready for food.
"A large miso," replied Mikoto wondering where Naruto was going to be putting his food, she didn't think he'd be able to eat that much.
The two ate their ramen once it came and Mikoto just listened as he talked to the stand owner and his daughter as they ate. She was okay sitting on the sidelines for the moment as she was interested in seeing people who didn't treat Naruto badly.
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An hour later
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Mikoto stared at two towers of ramen bowls and found that her little spiral was indeed something special... especially his stomach from what she was seeing. She had never seen anyone eat as much as him. "I'm full," said Naruto finishing another bowl and put it next to the two towers, effectively starting a third.
"You look like you enjoyed yourself, Naruto-kun," stated Mikoto happily as she enjoyed seeing him happy, "But what about the bill?" she questioned deciding to tease him a bit knowing that all the ramen he ate wouldn't make a cheap bill.
"Uh... how much is it?" asked Naruto looking at Teuchi, whom she learned his name from Naruto's conversation with the man and his daughter, Ayame. Ayame handed Naruto the bill, but before he could read it, Mikoto plucked it from his hand, "Hey..." he said scowling at her.
Mikoto stuck her tongue out at him then replied, "I'll pay for it, Naruto-kun. No need to worry, and don't hey me, you just need to be quicker." She pulled out her wallet and paid the bill for the two of them. Unlike other women she didn't see a point in using a purse, even after retiring from being a shinobi she didn't use one. All she ever used were pockets in her clothing and it was quicker than digging through a purse, in her opinion.
"A-arigatou... Miko-chan," said Naruto blushing a little and looking off to the side, embarrassed. He found it a bit embarrassing that she was the one paying when he was the one who ate the most, not to mention he wasn't used to someone being as nice as she was being... and well he liked seeing her smile.
Naruto turned a darker shade of red when he felt Mikoto hug him, "Aw, it's okay Naruto-kun. It's the least I could do after a bad day," replied Mikoto unable to resist the urge in her to hug her adorable spiral. "Now how about we go home?" she offered deciding to bring out her final surprise for the blond.
"S-sure," stammered Naruto still suffering under her hug, he liked it, but that didn't mean he was used to such a thing, especially when it just comes out of nowhere. "See ya later, nee-chan, Jiji," added Naruto as he stood up with Mikoto.
"Goodbye Naruto, and be careful," said Teuchi as he went to work dismantling Naruto's towers of bowls.
Mikoto and Naruto walked away and Ayame asked, "Is Naruto going to be okay with her?" She was worried about the little bundle of sunshine, sometimes people got close to him just to harm him, or to take advantage of him.
Teuchi realized that his daughter wouldn't know, then shook his head and answered, "...That's right you were little when Mikoto-san was an active shinobi, so you wouldn't know. If she wanted to kill Naruto, the Hokage would likely find the boy lying dead in his bed, poisoned, with no idea who did it."
"W-what? How's that possible?" asked Ayame finding the information to be disturbing, at the very least.
Teuchi chuckled lightly as he set the bowls in the sink, "The rumors back then... They called her the Velvet Killer. It's okay as nickname's go, I suppose. Though the thing was that she is able to kill a large amount of people, without injury and without them knowing until it's too late," he stated before pausing a moment to remember something from so long ago, "Let's see... when was it... Ah, right. During the last shinobi war, one day there was something shinobi eating here were talking about. They were talking amongst themselves, I heard bits and pieces as I usually do, but they mentioned that a Uchiha Mikoto single-handedly took out a Iwa garrison, didn't even have an injury... and the best part was, she refused to be awarded for the feat and even refused to be placed in Anbu. I think that was more shocking to the shinobi than the deed itself." He shrugged as he started cleaning the dishes even as his daughter stared at him awestruck, "Not that many people remember her being a kunoichi surprisingly... she retired, became a mother and basically as far as things went, disappeared for the most part."
"...and Naruto's safe around her?" questioned Ayame worried about the blond boy immensely now.
Teuchi nodded, he had noticed the woman smiling at the blond boy and being affectionate toward him, and quite sure that Naruto was safe, "I'd say he's safer than the Hokage is at any time," he replied not exaggerating his words as he had been around when all the rumors and talk of the young woman was rampant. "You should worry about anyone who does anything bad to Naruto... ever. Also, can you bring the rest of the bowls over here, then you can go home early while I finish cleaning these and closing the stand," he added seeing that they weren't likely to get any more customers for the night.
"H-hai," muttered Ayame still in shock over what her father said.
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Uchiha District
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"I'm... going to live here?" asked Naruto not sure if he liked the idea, his run-in's with Uchiha were... less than enjoyable, except for Mikoto. The police force always went along with the villagers words, usually beating the hell out of him for something they said he did, but he never did... and the last Uchiha he met that wasn't Mikoto or Sasuke tried to roast him with a katon jutsu.
Mikoto raised an eyebrow as she looked at him, "You don't want to?" she asked wondering why he'd have a problem with it when a thought occurred to her. 'Has he met other Uchiha? Did they hurt him?! ...why does everything and everyone keep getting in my way?!' she thought as she was getting tired of this village and of her clan. All they did was get in the way or harm her little spiral and controlling her rage was not helping.
"...I'd rather not," he said stepping back a little from the front entrance of the district.
"How about the house we were in together last night?" she asked seeing as the safehouse was still a viable option, "You can live there if you like, you won't need to worry about a thing," she added knowing it would be safe for him and probably a better living space than whatever he likely had now.
Naruto tilted his head to the side thinking about it. It was a nice place and the apartment manager probably locked him out again. He was tired of going to the Hokage for help with that idiot, "Can I really? It's alright?" he asked wanting to make sure it would be alright with her. His answer came in the form in another surprise hug, just as gentle as the previous one.
"Of course it's alright besides, you promised you'd stay with me, right?" stated Mikoto as she remembered their little talk last night when he first woke up.
Naruto nodded as he remembered that he did promise her that. 'That's right. I did and Naruto doesn't go back on his word.' he thought seriously as he figured he was stuck with Mikoto now, not that it was a bad thing. She was the only one that cared about him after all, not even the Hokage or the Ichiraku's did this much for him. He blinked as they were no longer outside and they were now inside a house, he recognized it as the one house she had brought him to before, "How'd we get here?" he asked confused, could she do the thing that Jiji and the Anbu did?
"It's called shunshin, Naruto-kun," answered Mikoto reluctantly letting go of him, "It lets its user to travel to a nearby destination at a high speed, almost like we just popped up here. It's useless in a fight though, you can tell when someone will arrive with it and it takes a second for it to activate, which would give your enemy a chance to kill you. Are you interested in being a shinobi?" she asked wondering if he was taking shinobi classes to begin with, along with the regular civilian classes. She had taken him to shinobi stores originally to get some equipment and durable clothing so she could teach him to defend himself.
Naruto shook his head as he shrugged, "Not really, but I didn't have much choice in the matter. Jiji just came one day and told me he put me in the academy for the ninja classes."
'He's a jinchuuriki, it's obvious why he was forced into the classes... but no one uses my little spiral as a weapon. I hope the Hokage likes disappointment,' thought Mikoto calmly making a mental note to use the Hokage's method against him. "Well there are jutsu that can be useful, even if not used in battle. There's Fuinjutsu which has been in decline for decades, used correctly it could destroy even the strongest shinobi in a matter of seconds."
"Really?!" said Naruto amazed that there was something like that... but they never talked about it at the academy. "If it's so strong, why is it... in decline?" he asked curiously wondering why it would go away if it was so strong, it should be something others should be learning if it was so strong.
Mikoto smiled as she sat on the bed in the room and patted the spot next to her and Naruto sat next to her a moment later, "It's hard to learn Fuinjutsu, Naruto-kun. Most people can only learn a few bits of it to create standard seals, like the ones for an explosive note and well known seals like it. Very few have come to be a Fuinjutsu master, even though some claim to be... after..." She went silent unsure of whether or not to tell him what happened to Uzushiogakure... and his clan.
"After what?" questioned Naruto curiously as Mikoto looked slightly bothered as she went quiet.
Mikoto sighed, 'I won't hide it. Naruto-kun should know... and if I hide it and he learns about it, he'll be angry at me, and might not want to stay with me. I can't have that.' she thought not liking the idea of him leaving her. "After three of the five great hidden villages destroyed Uzushiogakure... and the Uzumaki clan," she stated seriously, closing her eyes and listening to silence.
"W-what?" questioned Naruto not sure if he heard her correctly. He... had a clan? But... they were all killed?
Mikoto opened her eyes, staring at the floor, not wanting to look at the likely shocked, maybe crestfallen Naruto and replied, "The Uzumaki clan lived in Uzushiogakure, they are... were considered the masters of Fuinjutsu, even today their seals on Uzu no Kuni are still powering their outer defenses, a large circle of whirlpools protecting Uzu no Kuni. They are the only ones who have been able to create the most seals. They were also excellent shinobi... which caused three of the five great hidden villages to fear them, and in the last shinobi war, they allied with each other, destroyed it and wiped the clan out."
"But I'm an Uzumaki... could there be others like me?" questioned Naruto wondering if his clan was still around or if he was the last one.
Mikoto shrugged as she didn't know if there were other Uzumaki alive, "I don't know Naruto-kun. If there are others, they're hiding and they don't want to be found," she said truthfully as that was what most clans did if they were attacked and nearly wiped out. They went into hiding for decades before considering to reappear again. "I have a couple things to do in the Uchiha district, Naruto-kun. You can consider this place your home for as long as you like, alright? I'll be back in a couple hours, but don't wait up if you don't want to. You need your rest," she said as she didn't want him risking his health over her in a trivial matter.
"Okay, Miko-chan... and... thank you for telling me I... had a clan," replied Naruto grateful to Mikoto for having told him about it, he wasn't simply a cast out orphan. He had a clan, a strong one that caused other shinobi to fear it. He was going to do his clan proud, he wanted to learn the ways of his clan and from what she said, he should probably start in Fuinjutsu since his clan was so skilled in it.
"You're welcome Naruto-kun, and it's only fair that you should know your own family," stated Mikoto really not wanting to leave to continue her plans, she wanted to hug him, kiss him and hold him as they fell asleep, but she had obstacles to remove and they wouldn't remove themselves. "But don't tell anyone you know about it, okay. I don't know why, but it's obvious no one wanted you to know."
"Right," replied Naruto agreeing with her in an instant. He didn't doubt her words, even the Hokage had lied to him about him having a clan or any kind of family, saying numerous times that he didn't know of Naruto's family and if the Hokage lied to him, then everyone else probably was lying to him as well... everyone but Mikoto. She was the only kind person who cared for him and liked him.
"Good, I'll be back in a bit, alright," she said and Naruto nodded and she left, returning to the Uchiha district.
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Uchiha District
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Mikoto yawned as she opened the door to her home, though she didn't consider it her home any longer given that she couldn't be with her Naruto here. She spent an hour spreading news around the district that she was pregnant and in a month she was going to hold a celebration, inviting the entire clan to it. Those who didn't go to it... well it wouldn't be a problem. Her pregnancy was a lie, of course. Naruto-kun was too young and she'd never allow Fugaku or another man to touch her, ever again.
She walked inside and headed toward the basement where all of the old clan things were stored at, most of which only she could access, as she never altered the seal to accommodate her husband or her children to the more older parts.
"We need to talk," came the voice of her husband causing Mikoto to turn around and see the usual glaring face of Fugaku. "Sasuke came home earlier today and said you punched him and threatened him, then you left with the demon brat... Do you think my warning this morning was a joke?"
'Kill him. Make him suffer and bleed,' seethed Mikoto mentally as she was a hair-trigger away from ripping the man apart. He dared to even think he could take her away from her little spiral?
The next moment Fugaku slapped Mikoto, causing a red mark on her cheek to appear, but she let him do it, she had wanted to see if he'd actually go through with it or stop part way. Now she knew what to do... with him, the clan, even her children. Mikoto laughed lifelessly as her hand reached up to feel her cheek, "You fool," stated Mikoto icily as she stared at Fugaku, "Just die," she added as she stabbed Fugaku in the heart with a kunai. As much as she wanted to torture and hear him scream out in pain, she had other things to do and an entire clan to eventually deal with... and she didn't feel like giving them any help.
"Y-you... b-bitch," growled Fugaku having grabbed a hold of Mikoto's hand, holding the kunai, despite arriving too late to stop it.
Mikoto scoffed at the insult, leave it to her now former husband to come up with the most bland of insults when dying. So, she decided to let him die with a little present and replied, "Bitch? I think you mean Uzumaki Mikoto, future wife to my wonderful little spiral. Don't worry though, the Uchiha clan will continue... as a slave clan to the Uzumaki." Before he could speak again, she slit his throat using a kunai in her other hand, showering her in blood and his face frozen in a shocked expression.
"Naruto-kun will be so happy when I tell him," muttered Mikoto staring in the dead eyes of her former husband. Now she'd take over the clan and have a much easier time fulfilling her plans. The Hokage couldn't even do anything to her. She was the legitimate head of the clan and she wouldn't allow him to interfere, end of story. If he tried, he loses his position afterward due to it being a law and if there was one thing that people liked, it was their position. Especially when he had no precedence to interfere given that the Hyuga Clan often killed their own members with their slave seal.
Mikoto let go of the kunai, letting the one in her hand, clang against the floor and the other, left in Fugaku. She wasn't even going to bother cleaning up the mess, she'd order someone to do it for her later. She had old scrolls and items to go through as she originally planned.
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A/N: Alright, it's a day later after it was finished. Things happened, I got a stomach virus, lost the ability to spell correctly 90% of the time. The ending of this chapter is something that neither myself nor my beta likes much, but we can't figure out what's missing or what to do to improve it. So, I'm posting it now and if we figure it out, I'll fix it and replace this with this chapter.
Also, I'd like to say thing to a bunch of people who pm'd and review suggesting idea's, being willing to help and such... and I'd put down your name, but thinking at the moment is... hard with a fever. I'll add you guys here as well once I've gotten better, unless you wish to not be in the spotlight.