Eroninja - Chapter 47

Chapter 47: Trouble in Sand and The Pack: Part I




Guren was having a hard time processing just how different she felt at the completion of her journey then she had at the start. It wasn’t that she had forgotten Yukimaru or his sacrifice for her, but it was rather hard to remain despondent when there was a vigorous young man who nightly would bring her to orgasm several times and then do so all over again in the morning. It wasn’t just the sex that Guren was finding rather addicting, but the cuddling afterwards. The former Sound kunoichi found she rather enjoyed falling asleep with an arm wrapped around her and pulling her close.

Guren watched Naruto sign in at the front gate of Konoha for both of them. Once he finished he gave her a nod and they brought the wagon back to the Great Tree Shipping Company. The blue-haired kunoichi watched as several workers took the wagon from the blond and then began to unload it. The dock came to a stop as a pair of workers pulled a chest from the back and surprised at how much it weighed, one of them dropped the side he held causing it to hit the ground. The chest cracked open spilling its contents to reveal thick gold bars which according to Sara were rather useless in the desert where water was the most valuable commodity.

The two men stared at the treasure that had been the payment given to Naruto and Guren for a job well done, but quickly began moving to clean it up as a voice called out, “Let’s not just stand around stupefied gentlemen. We don’t need to advertise to thieves now do we?”

“No ma’am,” one of the men replied as both of them set about cleaning up the mess.

Karin directed her attention to Naruto before with a smirk she said, “There seems to be more there than I remember negotiating.”

Naruto nodded as he replied, “There were some complications with the job. But we handled it.”

Karin smiled at the jinchuriki’s bravado which made her pussy moisten before turning her red eyed gaze to Guren. Her smile turned flirtatious as she said, “That’s doesn’t seem to be the only thing that was handled on the job.” The female Uzumaki resisted the urge to giggle at the woman’s embarrassment. Turning she said, “Let’s speak more in my office.”

Naruto followed behind as Karin led Guren and him into the company that she ran. He was impressed with the growth that he saw both in the company and her as she would pause in the march to her office to speak with employees that wished her input. Having visited several times before for a variety of reasons, it appeared that at least double the people were working there than before.

Karin entered her office first and came to a stop about midway from her desk. Once she heard the door close behind her the cool demeanor she had been displaying for her workers melted away to be replaced with a horny sexpot. Activating the privacy seals that prevented eavesdropping or spying, she spun on her heel and quickly closed the distance. Leaping the final few feet, she wrapped her legs around Naruto’s hips as her lips sought out his.

She kissed him heatedly and repeatedly as Naruto’s hands used her ass as handholds which he gripped firmly causing her to mew into his mouth.

Guren was shocked by the red-head’s sudden change and a little embarrassed by the make-out session she was witnessing as well as the effect it was having on her. Hoping to perhaps put an end to it before things got too carried away she said, “Don’t you wish for a report on what happened?”

Naruto began carrying Karin towards her desk as she broke the kiss to respond, “What’s there to hear? Complications arouse and were dealt with, and you learned what a stud Naruto is between a woman’s legs.”

The writhing female felt her desk behind her so reaching back pushed the papers and other items from it as Naruto set her down. She moaned loudly as he began to attack her collarbone while he unzipped her purple shirt. He slid her shirt open as he kissed his way down her body before arriving at her chest where he sucked on one of her pointy nipples. “Mmmm, yeah suck my tits!” she whispered lustfully as she rocked her hips against his groin and his growing bulge.

Guren watched a little self-conscious and while she had known Naruto was involved with others. Witnessing this truth was making her a little uncomfortable. She believed her discomfort was rooted in the fact that while she hadn’t been a virgin when Naruto had taken her, back then it had been more for stress relief or brought about by the adrenaline coursing through her after a battle. That coupled with the fact that she had never felt vulnerable like she had after Yukimaru’s death meant her sexual encounters had just been quick romps in which she would dismiss the man afterwards without giving them a second thought.

But with Naruto, not only did she feel vulnerable, but she found herself thinking about things that would never have even occurred to her before. Things like whether or not the jinchuriki was pleased with how she was performing. Now though watching Karin and him she found herself wondering things like, where did she stack up in his pantheon of lovers.

Yet at the same time, watching the two was having an effect on her own libido and she found herself wondering if it was due to the fox mark she now sported between her shoulder blades. Her reasoning was that she could feel Karin’s growing arousal and suspected her proximity was having an effect.

She began to squirm a little as she watched Naruto unbutton the tight shorts of his fellow Uzumaki. Karin lifted her ass up slightly as the blond began to pull them down her legs and then watched as she spread them in a V once they were pulled clear. Guren watched on slightly enviously as Naruto bent down and began to kiss and then enjoy Karin’s smoothly shaven snatch as she recalled how thoroughly Naruto had enjoyed hers.

Guren could feel her own pussy beginning to drool as she listened to Karin’s moans grow in volume and intensity as her legs began to move about due to her inability to sit still as a result of the pleasure coursing through her. She could tell Naruto was doing an incredible job as his fellow Uzumaki arched her back, before collapsing forward to grip his hair and pull him harder into her muff. “Oh gods, your tongue should be classified as an S-ranked weapon against kunoichi.”

Naruto pulled said weapon from his lover’s snatch to give her a kiss. As their tongues began to swirl around each other and she tasted herself, Naruto began to rub the outside of her pussy. Karin could feel Naruto’s clothed cock pressing against her mound, but wishing to taste him said, “Come around here and let me get a taste of you.”

Naruto grinned at the idea so pulled back as he ceased his actions. Freeing his manhood he divested himself of his pants as he came around the desk. Karin leaned her head back over the edge as Naruto stepped closer and swallowed about half his length. Naruto groaned as he pinched one of Karin’s nipples and shivered as she moaned around his cock.

Guren watched as Naruto reached down his lover’s body as she slurped on his cock to begin rubbing her quim once more. The blue-haired woman looked away though as Naruto met her gaze. “There’s nothing to be embarrassed about Guren.” He slipped a finger inside the red-head’s shaved pussy and began to work it back and forth as he added, “Why don’t you join us? I think Karin would appreciate if you gave her cute little pussy some attention.”

Naruto groaned as Karin hummed her agreement, before letting him slip from her mouth. Guren watched the bespectacled woman rub her face against it almost reverently as she would place kisses against his length. She licked the underside of his shaft before taking one of his testicles into her mouth which she then sucked on until moving onto the other.

Guren didn’t really have any intention of joining in, since she had never been with a woman before. But, watching Karin writhe on her desk as she sucked on the cock which had awakened the crystal user to a world of pleasure couldn’t deny she felt a pull like gravity towards the two. Guren watched Karin bring her hand up to pull his dick back between her lips and she realized that if Naruto’s tongue was to be classified as S-Class, then his dick should have carried a Flee on Sight order for Kunoichi. Because she now knew that it was something that no kunoichi could escape once they had experienced it.

A fact that was highlighted as Guren found herself suddenly in front of the desk. Coming back to her senses she looked confused about when she had moved, but before she had a chance to back up Naruto leaned across the desk to kiss her. The woman surrendered to the kiss as she felt the jinchuriki’s tongue enter her mought and engaged it in a fierce duel. As she made out with him, she heard Karin whimper in loss and as Naruto cupped her face realized the sweet scent filling her nostrils was emanating from the finger he had been using to please his lover.

He pulled back and then moved the finger coated in Karin’s essence to the blue-haired kunoichi’s lips. Guren hesitated for a moment before letting him slip it pass her lips, and she surprised herself as she moaned around the digit which he began sliding in a similar manner as he had when he had been finger fucking Karin. Guren worked her tongue around it like a miniature cock, and was disappointed once she could no longer taste Karin’s flavor.

Naruto seemed to read her mood as he withdrew the finger and then cupped the back of Guren’s head as he guided her face to the source. Guren paused a moment as she was brought before the red-head’s soaking cunt, but smelling more of the heavenly aroma and seeing the way her snatch glistened with the sweet nectar caused her to throw away her reservations as she dove into the tantalizing muff.

Karin mewed around Naruto’s cock as the newest member of his Harem began to lick her slickened folds. Karin buried one hand in Guren’s hair as the other fondled her petite breast. She ran her tongue around Naruto’s cockhead causing her lover to groan while he played with her other tit and nipple.

Guren watched the action going on in front of her as she began to pet herself through the thin material of the shorts that she wore beneath her robe. Her hand joined with Naruto’s in fondling Karin’s tit as she reached up the red-head’s body. Picking up on the way the kunoichi’s cries increased in volume she thought of an interesting way to quickly get the woman off and to gain access to the cock she was pleasing with her mouth. Pulling her hand from her self-pleasure she used her Kekkei Genkai to create a crystal phallus which she based off of the one currently sliding between Karin’s lips.

Karin moaned contently as she could taste more and more precum oozing from Naruto’s cock. Her eyes grew wide as she felt something penetrating her and which continued to spread her in a manner similar to when Naruto was fucking her. She let his cock slip from her lips with a pop to see what Guren had found to slide inside her. Seeing the end of the pink crystal phallus, she cooed, “Oh, what an amazing Kekkei Genkai,” before arching her back as the toy stimulated her pleasure buds as she returned to orally pleasuring Naruto’s dick.

Guren giggled lightly since while she knew many had coveted her abilities for the power she wielded, having them praised for such a reason amused her. Still as she hoped, Karin’s moans grew louder and her concentration on the blowjob she was giving seemed to wan as she neared her release. Yet, the moans she emitted into Naruto’s cock seemed to make up for her lack of concentration as he groaned and began ejaculating into Karin’s mouth. Her cheeks puffed out as she was unable to swallow the copious amount of semen, so Naruto pulled out and coated her face, chest, and stomach with the several bursts that followed.

Karin followed suit as she arched her back and came. She had a little difficulty giving voice to it as a result of the mouthful of Naruto’s cum that she had received so settled for whimpering as she tensed up. Coming down from her orgasmic high, she sat up as she felt Guren extract the crystal toy and grabbed the woman’s hand to pull it up to her lips. She licked her release from it and smirked as Guren did likewise unwilling to be denied the red-head’s nectar which coated it. Their lips met at the top, causing the two women to abandon the crystal phallus as they began to make out. The toy slipped from Guren’s fingers to hit the wood floor as she began to play with one of Karin’s tits.

The female Uzumaki busied her hands with undoing the rope which held Guren’s rob closed. Once she succeeded she pushed it down forcing the blue-haired woman to pull her arms away, and before she could return them to their previous occupation, she was forced to lift them in the air as Karin removed her maroon undershirt. The two women separated their lips only long enough for the article of clothing to be removed.

Naruto sat in Karin’s chair as he watched his two lovers reseal their lips to each other. He felt his dick begin to stir and began slowly fisting it in order to aid in its endeavor to rise once more to the occasion. It didn’t take much coxing on his part as Karin worked down Guren’s shorts, who quickly stepped out of them, before guiding the kunoichi up on the desk as well. Karin leaned back as she moved Guren so that her dripping snatch was over her face. The blue-haired woman moaned as she felt Karin’s tongue begin to caress the soft petals of her pussy.

Karin ended her oral ministrations to lean her head back and spread Guren’s pussy for Naruto’s visual benefit. She moaned softly as Guren’s tongue went to work on her own cunt as she said, “Naruto, let me get a bird’s eye view of you fucking this delicious snatch.”

Naruto stood from the chair seeing no reason to deny the invitation. Karin grabbed his man meat as he stepped up and guided his cock to its destination. The now connected lovers groaned as he bottomed out, causing Guren to pause in her actions to savor the feeling of being stuffed once more. She tried to return to her task of stimulating Karin’s quim, but found it difficult as Naruto began to move within her. Her ability to concentrate was further hampered by Karin’s teasing her nipples between her fingers. The red-head also found time to add to Naruto’s pleasure as she licked his shaft as he pulled out of the Guren and would then suck on his balls as he pushed himself back into the blue-haired kunoichi’s gripping pussy.

Karin was forced to sit back and watch once Naruto began slamming himself into Guren at a blistering pace. The increased friction caused Guren’s moans to increase in volume making the female Uzumaki glad the original privacy barriers that had been placed in the office had been replaced by those perfected by Mito. From the pitch of Guren’s cries she knew the woman was close, which was confirmed as a moment later she stiffened and despite her best efforts to muffle them let out a guttural cry, “AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, CUMMING!!!!!!!”

Karin knew Naruto was as well as she watched his testicles contract as they pumped his thick cream into the climaxing woman’s womb. Naruto pulled out causing some of his seed to leak from Guren’s abused nether lips, which Karin happily caught as it dripped into her mouth. Guren collapsed on top of her, before rolling onto her back as she caught her breath.

Karin sat up on the desk, before spinning around to face Naruto who had returned to her chair. Slipping off the piece of furniture she sat on his lap and impaled herself on his staff which refused to wilt. She held back the moan that she wanted to give voice to as she watched Guren regain some of her composure. Then in a business like voice said, “I take it you have decided to accept my proposition to work here.”

Guren gave a soft smile which turned into a smirk as the business like mask of Karin’s twisted into one of pleasure as Naruto pumped his hips once. Karin wasn’t able to stiffen her moan especially as Naruto began to lift her up and down his cock. She tried to stop him as she said, “N-naruto s-stop there’s a lot Guren and I need to discuss. Business before pleasure and all that... Mmm, fuck…”

Naruto chuckled before replying, “Sorry Karin it’s going to have to wait. My business is seeing to your pleasure, besides you’re the one moving now.”

Karin realized that Naruto was right and that he had stopped guiding her to let her work herself on his kunoichi impaler. Knowing she wouldn’t be able to stop now until she felt him explode inside her, she shelved what she wanted to talk to Guren about to get to the important task of cumming over his cock.

****

The room smelled of stale sweat and spilled beer. It was also currently being filled with the rhythmic sounds of flesh smacking against flesh as Tsume straddled a man. “Fuck yeah,” one of the men watching the display shouted into Kiba’s ear, “Look at that bitch go.”

Kiba looked over at the man before giving him a wide grin and slapping the man on the shoulder before turning back to watch as his mom hit the latest challenger to her position in the face several more times. The man managed to get a hand up and grab the front of Tsume’s vest before tossing her off of him. The Inuzuka clan leader landed in a crouched position on all fours and growled at the large muscular man as he got back to his feet.

Kiba shook his head in amusement at the display of Inuzuka politics that he was watching. The current challenge to his mother’s title arouse as a result of her stance on a new bill to end a trade embargo that existed between Kumo and Konoha. It was during the current gathering to discuss clan matters that the man presently fighting his mother, Koreshige Inuzuka, raised his objections to her stance of ending the embargo. Koreshige felt doing so would be a betrayal to the Inuzuka that had been lost during the past wars. Not to mention his recalling the attempt Kumo had made at using rabies to kill a canine the Inuzuka had been hoping to add to their breeder program.

His mom hadn’t been swayed, claiming, as she had countered, that Konoha had run plenty of its own plots against its rivals to the North in order to weaken them. Plots, that the Inuzuka as one of the clan’s best suited to scouting and infiltration had taken part in. Kiba had noticed that it was an argument that didn’t seem to have much sway with many of his clansmen. But in the Inuzuka, words held little value if they couldn’t be backed up by physical strength. Since the Inuzuka tended to fight in a near feral state, fists were more often used to communicate ideas than words. The reason for this was because words could be twisted in order to deceive, but it was the clan’s belief that liars and deceivers were less likely to back up false words with the conviction that was needed to win a fight.

While Kiba didn’t doubt that Koreshige’s disagreement was born from a general belief his opinion that Kumo should continue to be treated as an enemy was valid. He also believed that another reason for the man’s quarrel with his mother was because of the opinion that it was his birthright to rule the clan as the first male Clan Leader since the First Inuzuka had fallen in battle and one of his several wives had taken over the position. Since that time, it had been an uninterrupted line of females which had directed the politics of the clan.

Looking at Koreshige, Kiba could understand why the man thought he would be the one to end that particular tradition as he towered over his mother by almost two feet, and appeared to be almost pure muscle as the challenger stood over his crouching mother wearing only a pair of pants and his shinobi sandals. He roared in anger as he charged Tsume, who growled menacingly as the man barreled down on her. The man reared back a clawed hand that he intended to bury in Tsume’s back, but the kunoichi was more than ready for him as she flipped backwards lashing out with a foot which connected with the man’s chin snapping his head back. She landed on all four’s again before launching herself in a Fang over Fang that caught the still reeling man in the chest. The jutsu carried them both towards a wall forcing the spectators in the way to scatter as they smashed into it. Tsume ended the jutsu and pushed off of the man into a flip. She landed back in the circle of spectators on her feet and dropped down into a crouch. She held her hands out to the side as she waited to see if her opponent intended to continue the political discourse.

Kiba watched his mother’s opponent pull himself from the depression his impact with the wall had made. He felt his own hackles raise as the man eyed his mother with a great deal of anger and even some lust. Kiba wondered why his mom was giving her opponent a chance to recover, but guessed it was due in part to the rumors that were swirling around him and the recent challenges that Tsume had faced to her position over the past year. While the current fight might have been a result of the disagreement Tsume and Koreshige had over Konoha’s future relationship with Kumogakure. Kiba also believed that it was due to a scheme that Koreshige had been putting in place to take his mother’s position. A scheme that he had started by his bedding several of the strongest females in the Clan from his generation, and once those women had succumbed to their Inuzuka lusts and accepted him as their mate, he had turned them loose on his mother.

It wasn’t a great taboo for a man or even a woman to have multiple lovers or mates due in part to the First Inuzuka having had several. If anything his being able to bed several Inuzuka women, which was no small feat as Kiba’s father could attest having found Tsume to be too much of a handful, had led credence to his claims that he would be the first male leader of the clan in almost countless generations. If that had happened it would have left Kiba with conflicted feeling about the future of his clan. Not as a result of his mother’s losing, but in the way Koreshige would have claimed it. He had used his women as pawns to wear down Tsume by having them issue challenges on almost every decision she had made. It had been a relatively easy thing to pull off since Tsume had made some decisions that quite a few in the clan didn’t seem to understand. Her backing of the trade bill with Suna being but one of the largest to date, and despite her decision having resulted in the Inuzuka benefiting a great deal from the greater funds brought about due to the sales of the high class perfumes the clan sold, which most would likely consider a surprising export of the Inuzuka, but made sense considering their keen sense of smell, at the time Kiba was sure half the clan had wanted to challenge her. Only her reputation and the esteem of her fighting capabilities had silenced most of them.

Yet, it hadn’t silenced a challenge from one of Koreshige’s mates. Kiba had been present at the time and heard the murmur that it had raised among his clan. Primarily since it had been the sixth such challenge and as he would learn it was one coming from a woman mated to the imposing male Inuzuka. Kiba would admit to feeling a bit heartbroken as the woman stepped forward since she had been one that Kiba had harbored feelings for, Kagome Inuzuka. He remembered receiving a smug look from Koreshige as she left his side, and to Kiba’s shame he looked away. His shame was due to his conceding to Koreshige without even bearing his fangs which is ultimately why a woman like Kagome would choose the other male.

Watching his mother in the present though, Kiba wondered if he perhaps had more of his father in him then he might like. The man that had abandoned his family because he found his wife too hard to handle and thus found a woman he could dominate. It was a rather bitter pill to swallow, especially in light of the fact that he hadn’t been willing to put up a fight for Kagome.

Thinking back to his mother’s fight against Kagome, Kiba recalled how many in his clan had likely assumed that the title would change hands that night since it had been obvious that the several fights prior Tsume had barely hung on. However, to everyone’s surprise, she had easily trounced the challenger, and to many of the elder Inuzuka, including the women Tsume had claimed the mantle of clan head from, she had moved like she had in her prime.

Some had attributed his mother’s performance to her anger at Koreshige likely using his other mates to wear her down until Kagome could take her, and in turn would likely claim it from her. A few of the other women had attributed to Tsume’s overall change in attitude having noted that she was less sourly then she had been ever since her husband had left her. Of course, they attributed it to her finding a new man to satisfy her needs.

Kiba had doubted that since he hadn’t seen any man showing an interest in his mother. Not that he kept tabs on her, although he did think that it might be tied to the Konoha Woman’s Bathing Association since a lot of the changes he had noted in both his mom and sister had taken place after they had become members. He simply guessed there was something special in the water.

But whatever the case, his mother was proving that her resurgence wasn’t a one-time affair as she began to more easily handle Koreshige as he grew winded. Kiba winced sympathetically as the big man tried to swipe at his mother’s face with his sharp nails only for Tsume to duck and score two punches to the inside of both his thighs. The blows caused the man to wobble and fall to his knees as Tsume grabbed his head and slammed her knee into his face causing his nose to crunch as she broke it. Then as if to prove just how tough she was, she slammed her forehead into Koreshige’s not once but twice. She let go of his head and Kiba could see that nobody was home, a fact highlighted by his slumping to the floor.

Tsume howled in triumph which was mirrored by her clansmen, until they grew silent as she addressed them, “Now I expect to have your support on this matter of becoming trading partners with Kumo going forward.” Directing her gaze to the women that had backed Koreshige she said, “Get that man out of my sight.”

Many in the crowd nodded as Koreshige’s women dragged him away. Kiba watched his mother without another word, since her dominance of the clan was once more proven, turn on her heel and walk out of the Clan’s longhouse where it gathered to handle its political matters. The rest of the clan began to leave as well, but as he followed behind his mother’s predecessor he heard one of the older women walking with the elder say in an amused whisper, “Now where do you think she’s off to in such a hurry?”

The elder chuckled as she responded, “Well if she’s anything like how I used to be after a challenge, she‘s probably going to go burn off the excess adrenaline pumping through her veins. I can think of a few ways in which she plans to go about it.”

“You’re not one of those suggesting that she’s found a new mate,” another of the women suggested. “Considering how she ran off her husband, there aren’t many willing to take on such a willful woman.”

The elder shrugged as she responded, “It’s none of my concern how Tsume spends her nights. But something has reignited the fire in her belly. She’s not defending her position just out of tradition any longer and going through the motions. There’s a real passion behind her actions.”

The other women walking with the elder nodded until one said, “Still, to be willing to drop the embargo against…”

The elder silenced the woman as she harshly said, “If you wish to go against her decision then you know how to brooch the subject. But after the show she put on I doubt you’d last more than a handful of moments. I know many say she’s been performing much as she had in her prime…but those people haven’t squared off against her. I have and I can tell you that she’s even better. If there is a man behind her resurgence then he must be something truly special indeed to be able to handle a reinvigorated Tsume.”

Kiba broke off from the pack following behind the elders. He didn’t know how to take the conversation he had just heard. What confused him most was that if there was a new man in his mother’s life, then why was she keeping him a secret? He considered going to look for his mother in order to ask her about some of the rumors surrounding her. But, dropped the idea since he figured she deserved to celebrate her victory in whatever way she saw fight. There would be other times to find the answers he wanted.

*****

Naruto looked around his new apartment and felt a little guilty due to how lavish it looked. He had been allowed to move in early and would be helping several of his lovers do so as well the following morning. Kiyomi had given him a quick tour, but refused to stay as she would not reengage him in the discussion about the three Taki-nin. Not wishing to tarnish the night and her gift by starting another argument with her, he had reluctantly let her go.

His guilt had less to do with his argument with Kiyomi then it did with just how much his life had improved since opening the scroll that had started him on his journey to unite the Shinobi World. He knew it was perhaps a little silly for him to feel guilty about his life being so good, but he couldn’t help it as he looked around the large three bedroom apartment which was one of the four that took up the top floor of the building he now lived in. He guessed that his feelings stemmed from the fact that the entirety of his old apartment would fit in the combined kitchen, dining, and living room that comprised the main living area of his new one.

Naruto shook his head at himself for feeling such, but ultimately he believed his feelings stemmed from his personally benefiting from his ambition since he didn’t know what it would normally cost to rent such an apartment. He was about to take a bath to get over his concerns when a knock sounded against his door. Opening it, his eyes went wide as Tsume stood in his doorway. His surprise didn’t come so much at her visiting him, since that was supposed to be one of the benefits to living in the new building since the secret entrance to the Den was in the basement. But from her appearance, which was rather disheveled giving him the impression she had likely been in a fight.

Tsume smiled wildly at his surprise as she replied to his questioning gaze, “Don’t worry, just a little political disagreement.” Naruto stepped to the side as he let the woman enter. Tsume whistled in amazement as she took in the large apartment as she said, “It seems it pays to have a Harem of women with large reserves of disposable cash.” When Naruto didn’t respond Tsume queried, “Let me guess you were probably feeling guilty about accepting such a lavish gift?”

Naruto chuckled drily as he began to respond, “Perhaps a litt…”

“Don’t be an idiot,” Tsume said cutting him off, “this home was built as much for the other women that will be living here as for you. At least now most of us that live in the village won’t be drawing attention to the Den by constantly visiting an abandoned building. Hell, if it wouldn’t confirm half the rumors going around my clan that I’ve taken a lover I’d move here as well. It makes me a little envious of Ino since the Yamanaka clan is spread out all over the village so it doesn’t appear strange for her to be moving here.”

Naruto shook his head as his previous concerns about moving into the apartment faded due to Tsume’s words. His eyes reflected his gratitude to Tsume as he said, “I was just about to take a bath. Would you care to join me?”

Tsume nodded so Naruto led her to the changing and laundry room that was just before the large bathroom. The two quickly stripped out of their clothes, which Naruto stuffed into the washing machine before following the Inuzuka clan head into the bathroom. Tsume turned on the water to the large tub as Naruto grabbed some soap and a rag. Coming up behind the brown haired woman he said, “Here let me wash your back for you.”

Tsume allowed Naruto to guide her to a stool where he crouched behind her and after pouring a bucket of warm water over her skin began cleaning her body. Tsume sighed as her lover scrubbed away the sweat and dirt that had covered her from her fight. She winced slightly as he passed over a bruise that Koreshige had left her with when he scored a punch to her side. Naruto leaned forward to kiss it before asking, “Was she a tough opponent?”

“He was,” Tsume responded. A measure of disgust entered her voice as she added, “Koreshige didn’t have any more bitches to hide behind. He finally had to challenge me himself.”

“I imagine he came to regret it,” Naruto said confident of the outcome as he was able to sense the satisfaction Tsume was feeling.

Although her back was to him, he could easily picture the feral grin she was wearing as she replied, “Let’s just say I hope those bitches weren’t just enamored with his face. Plus, since most saw him as the next heir apparent, my kicking his ass means the rest of the clan will fall in line when we vote to drop the embargo. Of course I’m going to have a lot of egg on my face if we drop it and the Raikage stabs us in the back at some point.” Tsume felt Naruto stiffen behind her as a result of her words causing the Clan leader to feel some trepidation as she asked, “What is it?”

Naruto frowned as he said, “Well as you know this is the time of year when the Fire Daimyo tells us how much tribute he is going to give the village. It seems to be a practice the other Daimyo follow.”

“Okay, so what’s the problem?”

“The Fire Daimyo cut the amount he is giving us in half,” Naruto said with some dread. “It seems that the Wind Daimyo has followed suit according to Temari.”

Tsume could see where things were going so said, “Let me guess, the same thing happened in Kumogakure.”

“Yeah,” Naruto said with a fair amount of worry entering his tone. “Mabui let me know this morning when I visited her.”

“Do we have any idea as to why?” Tsume asked, “From what I heard I can’t imagine the Raikage took such news gracefully.”

Naruto frowned as he answered, “It appears that all three Daimyo had the same reasoning for their actions. They feel that since it appears Akatsuki has been dealt with there is no reason for them to send such a large tributes to the villages.”

“Those fucking shitheads,” Tsume growled angrily, “We might have given Tobi a black eye, but they had no way of knowing how badly his operation has been crippled. Not to mention…”

“Not to mention,” Naruto said as he knew what Tsume was about to say due to his having the same concerns, “by cutting the funding to the villages it may create a situation where tensions rise to the point where we end up attacking each other. Or since it is unlikely that Iwagakure has seen its tribute cut due to Earth Country Daimyo’s desire to expand his Western Border, it may invite them to attack Suna or even us.”

Tsume nodded as she added, “It’s almost like they want to stir shit up.”

Naruto chuckled as Tsunade had made a similar observation when she had heard the news. He felt some measure of hope that his ambition would avert the situation as he said, “It’s hard to say why the Daimyo have done what they have. It is hardly without precedence though since the previous Wind Daimyo acted in a similar manner after the Third Great Shinobi War.”

“Yeah, and because he kept cutting Suna’s tribute they eventually aligned with Orochimaru out of desperation.”

Naruto nodded as he began to wash Tsume’s front, but he doubted that history would repeat itself as he explained, “All too true, but this time things are going to be different. Despite the smaller tribute both Gaara and Tsunade are expecting to have a surplus when they develop their budgets for the year. The expanded trade routes between our villages are making up for the smaller revenue from the Daimyo.”

“And you expect it will be a similar story for Kumo,” Tsume said.

Naruto grinned as he said, “Absolutely. If anything the Daimyo’s actions may end up working out in our favor. I imagine that out of pride the Raikage may have rejected our offer before, but now he’s going to be hard pressed to since he’s no doubt receiving reports of how well Suna and Konoha are doing.”

Tsume smirked as she could imagine Mabui reading about some of the benefits that Suna and Konoha were reaping from their newest trade alliance. “Reports that are no doubt being delivered by a certain assistant, who is perhaps whispering in his ear that it may be wise for him to follow suit.”

She could hear the amusement in Naruto’s voice as he said, “Karin, and Koharu already have an appointment to meet with the Raikage.” His voice grew more serious as he added, “We just need to finalize a few of the details on our end, and find out what it will take for the Hyuuga not to act against the spirit of the bill.”

Despite the serious topic that they were discussing, feeling Naruto’s soapy hands moving over her front as he cleaned her reminded the Inuzuka head what had brought her to her lover’s apartment. Wanting to get her night heading back in the direction she had intended she said, “That’s interesting and all, but I didn’t come here for a status update.”

“Really,” Naruto said dropping the rag he had been using as his touch became more sensual. He caused the Inuzuka to moan as he gave her tit a squeeze while tweaking a nipple. He scooted closer pressing his hard cock against her back before pouring the bucket of water over them to wash away the soap as he asked, “And pray tell, why did you come over tonight then?”

Tsume moaned as Naruto’s other hand reached between her legs as he began to slowly rub her pussy. She looked over her shoulder with barely contained desire as she took in the young man she was bound to. “Your hands seem to have the right idea,” she replied breathlessly before pressing her lips to his.

The two made out passionately as Naruto’s hands continued their action. After several minutes, the kiss ended and the jinchuriki spun his lover around before effortless picking her up as he stood. Tsume tried to maneuver her vagina so that Naruto would penetrate her, but the blond had other ideas as he carried her to the tub where he set her down on the back edge so that she could sit against the wall. He shut off the water, before returning his attention to Tsume whom he kissed as he buried his hand between her legs once more.

Tsume pulled back and immediately moaned as Naruto clamped his lips to her neck. Her hands found their way to his ass in an attempt to pull him closer to her and ultimately his cock into her needful quim. In a plaintive tone she said, “N-naruto…don’t tease me…fuck me already.”

Naruto grinned hearing the need in Tsume’s voice as he pulled his lips free of her neck to stare into her eyes. Confident that he was the only man to hear the proud woman in such a state he answered her desire with his body as he slammed his hips forward to bury himself to the hilt in the Inuzuka kunoichi. Tsume howled as she found herself suddenly full of his man meat. She didn’t have any time to savor the sensation as Naruto began mercilessly pounding her with deep hard strokes.

But Tsume wouldn’t have had it any other way as she locked her ankles behind his driving hips. Her hands gripped his back and Naruto pulled her up so that he stood in the center of the tube as he gripped her ass and began to pull her up and down his cock. Tsume leaned her torso back and yelped as Naruto nipped his teeth against one of her nipples before running his tongue around her areola.

She pulled her body back close to his forcing Naruto away from her chest and bit down on his shoulder as she neared her release due to his cock’s continuous knocking against her womb. Naruto tensed and she could feel his manhood grow even larger as he attempted to stave off his release. But the sudden growth spurt caused Tsume’s inner muscles to spasm around him as they attempted to milk him of his essence. Something the woman herself encouraged as she tightened her legs grip behind Naruto’s ass to pull him as deep as he could go inside her. Naruto relented causing her to moan into his shoulder as he flooded her core with his seed.

Naruto sank into the tub causing his lover to moan contently as the warm water surrounded her in a similar sensation as the one she was feeling inside. As her body relaxed she pulled back to see the bite marks she had left and began to lick them even as they began to heal. Once the marks were gone she rested her head against his shoulder as he began to gentle stroke her back while still buried inside her.

They sat together in silence for several moments until Naruto groaned as Tsume began grip and release the cock inside her. Hearing the pleased moan, Tsume pulled herself free of Naruto and moaned in loss as he slipped from her velvet lips. Once on her feet she turned and, she placed her hands on the opposite side of the tub as she spread her legs. Naruto watched as some of his seed began to leak from her just fucked snatch. Tsume waved her ass invitingly and was quite pleased as she felt Naruto come up behind her and grip her hips. She moaned lowly as he slowly entered her this time around.

Naruto planned to take his time in pleasing Tsume a feat made rather difficult as she began to throw her ass back against him in time with his thrusts. Leaning forward, he reached around to grip her hanging breasts and began to lick and nibble on Tsume’s ear. As he continued his slow lovemaking, Naruto mentally thanked the Inuzuka for coming over as her presence had reminded him that while his surroundings had improved, it was the women in his life that were the true gifts.

***

Naruto turned off the shower, which shut off the three heads that resided in the stall. Stepping from behind the low wall that separated the shower from the rest of the bathroom, he grabbed his towel and began to dry himself while whistling happily. He let the tune die out as he entered the main bedroom of his apartment since he didn’t want to disturb his guest. He smiled as Tsume continued to sleep contently with only a sheet which stubbornly clung to her despite how she had spread herself out over the bed.

Moving to his closet he threw on a simple black shirt with the Uzumaki crest on the front and a pair of pants. Looking forward to the tasks before him since he would be helping quite a few of his lovers to move into their new home, he leaned down to kiss Tsume on the cheek. Stepping out of his apartment he locked the door behind him and took the first step in the next chapter of his many relationships which would be living under the same roof with most of them.

*****

Kurenai felt a great sense of depression and loss sweep over her as she stood in her ruined apartment. It was scheduled for demolition in a few days so she wanted to make sure that there was nothing of value left behind. Sadly, there were still plenty of valuable things, but they were only painful reminders of a life she wouldn’t be living. She was tempted to look in the room that she had set aside for the nursery, but felt doing so wouldn’t serve a purpose other than to make her feel worse.

She was pulled from her thoughts as a voice asked, “How are you holding up being back here?”

Kurenai looked over her shoulder to see her friend Yuugao leaning against the broken doorway of her apartment with her arms crossed. Her face showed her concern as well as that she was of the opinion that Kurenai’s returning to her apartment was not something the red-eyed kunoichi needed to do.

“I’m okay,” Kurenai replied which was a relative truth, considering where she had been emotionally before. “Thanks, for letting me come back one last time.”

Yuugao shrugged as she said, “I understood why you needed to. Is there anything here that you want to take?”

Kurenai looked around the apartment which was filled with reminders of a life that could have been, and shook her head no. Yuugao nodded and standing straight said, “Then let’s say we get going.”

She followed behind her friend who was dressed in her off-duty clothes which consisted of a tight black t-shirt and matching pants. Kurenai was dressed in her own civilian clothes which was the black dress that she favored.

As they made their way through the ruined apartment building she asked, “Are you sure about this? Until they clear me for active duty again I’m not going to be able to help out much with rent. I can stay at the hotel I was going to be assigned.”

Yuugao looked back at the kunoichi and aware that she might also be feeling like her friends wanted to keep an eye on her because of the attempt she had made on her life said, “Kurenai, we told you not to worry about it.”

“I-I know,” Kurenai responded quickly, “but with everything I can’t help but feel that perhaps you’re letting me stay with you rent free to keep an eye on me.”

Yuugao stopped and turned to face Kurenai. She seemed unsure of what to say, but then finally admitted, “I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a part of the reason.” The dark-haired woman looked like she wanted to protest, but the Anbu Captain quickly cut her off, “Look Kurenai, you tried to kill yourself. Don’t be surprised that we are worried about you.”

Kurenai nodded self-consciously recalling how Yuugao’s reaction to hearing of the kunoichi’s suicide attempt, while not as severe as Anko’s had been, had been no less emotional. What’s more the argument Kurenai had made to Anko about her not knowing what she was going through had no more effect on Yuugao then it did on the other kunoichi, but was especially ineffective due to the Anbu Captain’s having lost a lover as well. As a result she had only offered token protests when Yuugao had insisted that Kurenai would be staying with her until she was cleared for duty again.

Yuugao surprised her red-eyed friend as she stepped up to her and linked her arm with hers as they traveled the final distance to step outside. Almost sounding like a girl inviting a friend to a sleep over Yuugao said, “Besides, don’t you remember when we were kids and we said we’d one day move in together. Well now that day.”

Kurenai did smile softly and was rather surprised at her friend’s relatively upbeat attitude. Having not seen it since she had dated Hayate she commented, “I remember. But if I recall correctly we never did because you got all serious with your boyfriend and moved in with him.” Yuugao’s face saddened a moment as she recalled her first love causing Kurenai to say, “I’m sorry…I shouldn’t…”

“It’s fine,” Yuugao said giving her fellow kunoichi’s arm a reassuring squeeze. “I’ll always love and cherish my time with Hayate. It may have taken me a while, but I realized the best way to honor him is to keep moving forward.”

“You held it together better than I did,” Kurenai said in a tone that conveyed the disappointment that she felt towards herself.

“Do you think so?” Yuugao responded in a tone that suggested she believed Kurenai was wrong. She gave her friend a mysterious smile when she looked at her in confusion. Explaining herself, she said, “The truth is that I reacted no differently then you did, at least in spirit. I was running away from my pain and so threw myself into my work. I may have become the Head of the Anbu as a result, but I can’t really say I was alive. I attempted to live a life in which I wouldn’t feel anything ever again.”

“What changed?”

Yuugao gave her the same mysterious smile as before as they neared Yuugao’s single bedroom apartment and where Kurenai had been living since being dismissed from the hospital. She looked away and seemingly ignoring the question said, “Naruto.” She waved to the blond in question as he sat near the doorway of the building.

The blond gave a smile to the Anbu Captain as he stiid which turned sympathetic as he saw Kurenai. He brightened immediately as he said, “It’s good to see you again Kurenai-sensei.”

Kurenai smiled politely as she said, “It’s just Kurenai right now. I’ve temporarily been removed from active duty.”

Naruto nodded aware that it was related to the emotional distress she had suffered from losing her husband and child as well as the suicide attempt that had resulted from those losses. “It isn’t the position that you held that makes you worthy of the title sensei,” Naruto said definitively, “but the lessons that you imparted with to your students. I know for a fact Hinata has considered you to be a surrogate mother to her and misses you greatly.”

“R-really,” Kurenai said surprised as much by the admission as by the fact that Hinata had apparently become comfortable enough around Naruto to share as much. She had worried about how her student would take the news that Naruto had begun dating Ayame, especially after having enjoyed a date or two with him. To her surprise though, Hinata hadn’t appeared any the worse for wear when the news had spread. Hinata’s indifference to the news had made Kurenai wonder if they had realized there was no spark between them during the practice dates they had engaged in.

“Yeah,” Naruto replied before adding, “I’m sure Kiba and Shino can’t wait for you to come back as well.” Kurenai appeared pleased by Naruto’s words so the blond man changed the subject while they were on a high note to ask, “Are we ready to get some moving done?”

“Everything is marked and ready to be moved,” Yuugao said handing Naruto her keys. “I’ll settle with the landlord. I hope you don’t mind moving Kurenai’s things as well.”

“No I don’t mind,” Naruto said sincerely, “Both of you can always come to me if you need my services.”

Kurenai felt her cheeks color at the flirtatious tone Yuugao used as she replied, “I can think of a few services that I would like for you to perform.”

Kurenai didn’t know if the blond was just being clueless, but she had a hard time keeping a straight face as he asked straight-laced, “Would it require any heavy lifting?”

“Some,” Yuugao answered with a growing grin as she added, “But you’d be fine so long as you remembered to use your hips.”

Kurenai snorted but quickly composed herself as Naruto gave her a confused look. She turned away in embarrassment as she said, “U-um…let me just go check to make sure all my stuff is in order.” As she walked away she could swear that she almost felt an amused grin that passed between the two behind her.

*****

Miya Asama looked around at the devastating battlefield which had nearly defeated her, but thanks in part to some timely reinforcements; victory appeared to be within grasp. She just wished the battlefield had been strewn with corpses instead of pots and pans most of which were filled with substances that had started their existence as things that were edible. A classification that no longer applied to most of them.

Having been moved to the side, she watched the person that had saved her from the embarrassment of explaining to the new residents of the recently christened Hidden Eddy Inn would need to go elsewhere for their meals. She watched with a little envy as Naruto moved about the kitchen almost effortlessly as he made sure none of the dishes he cooked shared a similar fate as Miya’s had. He seemed to sense the woman’s eyes on him causing him to turn and give her a wide smile as he said, “Don’t fret about it. If you wind back the clock to before I started dating Ayame, you’d find that boiling water was the extent of my cooking skills. But a few nights helping her attend her stand really helps one appreciate just how much work goes into cooking for so many people.”

Naruto’s attention was pulled back to his cooking as he began to stir fry some vegetables and chicken that he intended to use with the rice he currently had boiling. Watching him work, she felt bad about her behavior towards him earlier in the day when they had crossed paths in a room which acted as a dojo.

Miya recalled the morning as an army of blonds descended on the building carrying boxes and furniture of the women that would be moving into the apartments that comprised the second, third, and fourth floor of the building. The only apartment on the first floor was Miya’s which was due to her holding the position of landlady for the building. The rest of the ground floor was a communal area where the occupants could mingle. Despite the fact that each of the apartments came with their own kitchens there was also a large one for preparing meals for all those that lived there. Miya hadn’t paid it much mind until she realized that it was expected of her to be the one preparing the food.

Still she had been confident she could easily handle the task, so had dedicated her morning to training. Naturally with so many clones performing the task of moving, most of the women had been finished unpacking shortly after lunch. Miya suspected that despite her wishes that the Hidden Eddy Inn not become a sex palace for the only male occupant, the fact that almost none of the women had emerged after the move was finished told her that she was likely fighting a losing battle.

The blond in question had been one of the few since it appeared he had personally helped Yuugao, Kurenai, and Anko move into the apartment they would be sharing. She would admit to being surprised upon learning that Naruto had no problem with the red-eyed Kunoichi moving in despite her being both unaware of the blond’s harem and unbound to him. She would have imagined that he would view the woman as a hindrance to what could otherwise be a house filled with unbridled lusts. But as the three women had left to have a light lunch she had not detected any such resentment coming off the young man as he had saw them off.

Although she guessed it could have been simply due to the fact that she doubted there was much restraint being practiced by the women in their apartments since Miya was quite aware that they were soundproofed. She figured she wouldn’t have a problem with it so long as they kept out of sight so she had headed to the first floor Dojo to practice some of her sword kata. However, despite a desire to be left alone she had soon found herself in the company of the jinchuriki.

She had tried to ignore his presence, but curiosity had gotten the best of her as she noticed him practicing using a pair of knuckle knives. Seeing that his stances were full of holes she had snidely commented, “I’m surprised you’ve survived this long.”

“Excuse me,” Naruto said a little heat entering his tone, “I think I’ve proven that I can handle myself.”

Miya scoffed as she responded, “Perhaps, but then again you’ve been born with a great degree of power. Having the Kyuubi sealed inside you practically guaranteed you’d be a successful shinobi. People like you don’t understand what it is to feel weak and helpless. As such you just go from powerful jutsu to powerful jutsu confident that by power alone you’ll triumph.”

Naruto had glared at her, but to her surprise he had quickly calmed before stating, “I suppose considering my recent improvements it’s easy to understand why you would think that. But don’t act like you know what it took for me to get here. I failed my genin examine three times before passing, and even then I was a mess of a shinobi. But luckily I had great teachers that were willing to work with me.”

Naruto looked at the knives he was holding as he said, “That’s why I’m glad that I was given these chakra blades as a gift. They remind me that I still have a long way to go.”

“How so?” Miya asked surprised by her genuine curiosity.

Naruto grew a little self-conscious as he often did when speaking about himself, outside of his usual boasting, as he explained, “Well. I was given these blades just before I confronted Sasuke. One of the reasons was because he had taken to using a sword he could channel his chakra into. It made normal blades rather useless against him.” A sad look had appeared on his face as he recalled the encounter which disappeared as he said, “I was kind of nervous about facing him again, especially if I would be relying on a weapon I’ve never used before. But to my surprise he could barely hold his own against me.”

“Just because a person holds a sword doesn’t make him a swordsman,” Miya had said stating an old saying of her sensei.

Naruto nodded at the truth of her statement before replying, “That’s very true I imagine. While I don’t doubt Sasuke trained hard with his blade. I also imagine that he came to rely on his Sharingan perhaps more than he should have. Therefore when I surprised him with my new speed and power it caught him off guard. But that I suppose is the truth of all the times I’ve fought Sasuke.” Naruto paused as he thought of the fight on the Hospital rooftop, the one at the Valley at the End, and their most recent. Miya could see in his eyes a sadness that he would likely never be able to consider the Uchiha as a friend again. He focused back on her as he said, “During all my fights with Sasuke it’s really almost always been a matter of who had unlocked what jutsu when. The fight at the Valley of the End really highlighted this. He unlocked his Sharingan, then I entered one-tail mode, and he responded by unlocking his Curse Mark level two. As a fight it was determined less by skill, but rather by a series of power-ups.” Looking down at the blades in his hands he said, “I was reminded of this by these blades since our last encounter was determined since I had the benefit of Sage Mode. With it I was faster and stronger so the fact that I wasn’t necessarily all that skilled with these didn’t seem to matter. If I’m not careful, the next time we meet it might go the opposite way if he’s managed to unlock some new means of strengthening himself.”

Miya could hear the concern in the blond man’s voice but asked, “What makes you think you’ll meet again. From what I heard if he is still alive his chakra network has likely been compromised.”

Naruto shrugged as he responded, “Sasuke’s life has been dominated by his various hatreds and I’ve given him a very big reason to focus that hatred on me. I don’t think he’ll let anything stand in the way of his getting revenge, even something like not having access to chakra. I have little doubt he’ll appear again at some point and in all likelihood stronger than before. If I’m going to protect everything precious to me then I can’t rely on the hope that there’s some power-up for me to achieve that will give me the edge. I’m going to have to make sure that those skills that I’ve already unlocked are honed to perfection.”

Miya felt a smile tug at her lips, but quickly killed it. She hefted her bamboo blade up and held it in front of her as she said, “Interesting, let me see if I can feel your determination in your blades.”

Naruto looked down at his weapons and eyeing her wooden sword asked, “Are you sure?”

“Just come at me,” Miya answered, “I assure you that without your chakra this stick is all I’ll need to handle you.”

Miya was pulled back to the present as Naruto put the finishing touches on the meal he prepared. She smirked at his back as she recalled that she had nearly been forced to eat her words, since while she had been the far superior swordswoman. His stamina had nearly been her undoing, since no matter how many times she sent him down to the floor; he would constantly get back up with the same bright smile. It had also forced her to realize that she still had a long way to go if she wished to settle her own grudge with a certain Seven Swordsman of the Mist.

The smirk melted into a more genuine smile as she also recalled how despite her original hostile attitude, the young man had quickly leapt into action to help her out when he had discovered her plight with making dinner. He had also in order to ease her pride offered to teach her how to cook provided that she continue to help him hone his skills with his chakra blades. A deal she had rather enthusiastically accepted.

****

Kurenai watched as Yuugao frowned at the back of Anko’s head as she asked, “Are you sure you don’t want to come down to dinner with us?”

“I’m fine,” Anko said dismissively with a wave.

A small growl emanated from the woman’s stomach, but Yuugao didn’t push the issue as she headed for the door. Kurenai followed the Anbu Captain out of the apartment and waited until she closed the door to ask, “What’s bothering Anko? She’s been rather standoffish all day.”

Yuugao shrugged as she replied, “She’s just in one of her moods. You know how she would sometimes enter them every now and then when she felt like people were judging her because of Orochimaru.”

Kurenai nodded although she didn’t think that was the case, since she had noticed how Naruto seemed to be uneasy around her. Kurenai was about to comment on this but her stomach growled as her nose picked up several delectable scents as they descended the stairs to the first floor. Kurenai followed Yuugao to the dining area and the large table that they would be kneeling around as they ate. Her eyes went wide at the number of people currently gathered around the table. Immediate focusing on Tsunade she asked, “What are you doing here, Lady Tsunade?”

The Hokage smiled at her as she said, “Not one, but all three of my apprentices have moved here. I figured it would be rude if I didn’t enjoy a good meal with them in their new home.”

Shizune smiled as she said teasingly, “I’m sure that’s not the only reason you came over.”

“Hey, can you blame me?” Tsunade asked with an amused tone, “You decided to move out all of the sudden and left me all alone in that big mansion. It’s going to take some getting used to being on my own again.”

“My door is always open to you Ts…Lady Tsunade,” Shizune said with a sweet smile.

“Careful Shizune,” Ino teased, “Or else you might find yourself with a permanent guest.”

Kurenai smiled at the banter as she took a seat next to Yuugao. She was a little surprised that Naruto hadn’t joined those around the table since she had imagined that he would be there first. Therefore, she was rather surprised when he stepped out of the kitchen holding several serving dishes followed by the landlady. He looked around the table as he set them down and Kurenai noticed a slight frown appear on his face as he looked at where Kurenai and Yuugao were sitting no doubt noticing Anko’s absence. It disappeared just as quickly as it appeared as he asked, “Is this everyone?”

“Hey hold up,” Tenten said as she and Hinata entered the dining room.

Kurenai was surprised by her student’s presence so quickly asked, “Hinata, what are you doing here? I can’t believe your clan would allow you to live away from the compound.”

Hinata smiled politely as she took a seat next to Naruto, which although she knew her student wasn’t as shy around the blond as she used to be it still surprised her. Giving a small shake of her head she said, “I don’t live her. But Tenten was kind enough to offer me the use of her spare bedroom from time to time.”

“I see,” Kurenai said, although truthfully she didn’t since she had no idea when Tenten and Hinata had become so close. But she theorized it may have been a byproduct of Hinata’s taking on some of Shizune’s duties as the Hokage’s personal assistant seeing as it may have resulted in the Hyuuga spending more time with Tsunade’s newest apprentice.

Sakura leaned forward as she to the landlady of the apartment building, “This smells delicious Miss.”

Kurenai noticed the landlady appeared conflicted for a moment before attempting to say, “I didn’t…”

“Cook it all by herself,” Naruto said giving the woman a quick smile. “Jeez Sakura, you did notice I was in the kitchen too, right?”

Sakura quickly countered, “I just assumed you were being a pest as you impatiently waited for the food to finish cooking.” She softened the blow of her words by sticking out her tongue playful as Naruto chuckled at her response.

He gave those sitting around the table a wide smile as he basked in their presence. Looking around he let his eyes drink in the presence of Fu, Guren, and Karin who all sat towards the end of the table. “Well I do think I’ve waited long enough then,” Naruto said grabbing some chopsticks from a cup in front of him. “Let’s say we start digging in.”

The others at the table quickly followed his example as they picked up their own eating utensils. Kurenai paused a moment longer than the rest as she watched those present break into various conversations. The scene filled her with a measure of happiness although she couldn’t exactly express why. But a part of her understood that it was because despite the feelings she had earlier that morning about having lost out on a chance to start a family. A new one was taking shape in front of her, one that she might someday fully join.

*****

Kiba watched his mom cook dinner. Not all that rare an occurrence, although Kiba would admit that listening to his mother hum to herself happily as she performed her task was a rather new occurrence. He wasn’t sure when she had returned home after her victory over Koreshige, but she had seemed in rather high spirits all day.

“Morning everyone,” Hana called as she entered the kitchen wearing a pair of black tight shorts along with a button down shirt which was open to reveal the grey sports bra that she wore.

Kiba was used to seeing his sister in such a state so didn’t pay it much mind, although he had gone through a period where he looked forward to such moments. But as time went on, he had decided that although his sister was a beautiful woman he didn’t harbor those kind of feelings for her. Giving her a teasing grin he said, “I think night would be a more fitting description for the time.”

Hana smirked as she stepped fully into the kitchen as she countered, “Morning is a state of mind, and considering I just woke up it applies.” Hana closed with their mother and said, “Mmmm, something smells good.” She then placed a kiss against her cheek.

Kiba watched as the two women remained close and to his surprise his mother even seemed to lean into Hana a bit. A perverted part of Kiba began to imagine his mother and sister suddenly making out, but he was pulled back to reality as the two women separated. For a moment he wondered where such a thought had come from, since for most of his life he would have described his mother and sister’s relationship as strained. He had always attributed it to the fact that Hana had chosen a path that likely wouldn’t lead to her becoming Clan Head. And while none in the clan would speak against the profession she had chosen, he could imagine how his mother had likely hoped Hana would show the drive needed to succeed her.

It was something Kiba had been rather glad about his coming from a Clan with a strong matriarchal tradition. In that he didn’t have the same pressures placed on his shoulders that his mother had put on Hana’s. But ever since the last Inuzuka Dog Show the strain in the mother and daughter’s relationship had slowly vanished. At first he had just chalked it up to his mother recognizing that Hana performed a vital function to the Clan. But recently he had begun to wonder if it was related to the other changes that had come over the women and kunoichi he knew.

He recalled the mission that had resulted in the capture of Karin, as his sister took a seat next to him at the table. He still had a hard time believing that the red-head had gone from captive to head of a shipping company in the span of a few weeks. Not to mention she had been out of prison with a deal before the ink had dried on the report that Kakashi had needed to file. Plus there had been how strange he had found the way Sakura and Hinata had acted as they had almost switched personalities in regards to Naruto. Hinata had been confident and not stuttered around the blond, while Sakura had been unsure of herself and had often sent furtive glances his way.

Sakura’s normal personality had returned shortly after the mission though and she had even gone on what many had assumed was an actual date with him, until he had begun dating Ayame that was.

A move he figured that would have devastated Hinata. Yet, strangely enough the Hyuuga had barely batted an eye at the change in Naruto’s relationship status. Not to mention, her confidence seemed to have grown substantially since his return.

“Hey, earth to Kiba,” Hana said attracting his attention by waving her hand in front of his face.

“W-what,” Kiba asked as he came back to the present.

“I asked what you were thinking about,” Hana said, before teasingly adding, “I could smell the smoke pouring from between your ears.”

“Hardy har-har,” Kiba said less than amused.

“Leave him be Hana,” Tsume said as she placed the plates she had prepared in front of her children. Joining her children at the table after grabbing her own she asked, “So what do you have planned for your night since you wasted most of the day?”

Hana shrugged as she replied, “It couldn’t be helped. Tsunade was all hot to trot about my team returning so she could get samples of the liquids we found in one of the collapsed labs that we had been combing at the Akatsuki Hideout in the Mountain Graveyard. I didn’t get back till this morning after running all day and night.”

Tsume nodded as she said, “She’s probably hoping to see if any of them were the Synthetic Hero’s Water she’s taken an interest in.”

Hana nodded as she confirmed Tsume’s theory, “She said as much when I dropped off the samples this morning.”

Tsume began to cut into her meal as she asked, “Will you be returning to the Mountain’s Graveyard again?”

Hana paused in the midst of eating her meal to say, “No. Ibiki’s taken over the task of shifting through the base. I doubt he’ll find anything, except for a few of the rooms that collapsed from the attack the enemy was quite thorough in grabbing everything of value as well as covering their tracks.”

Kiba added his own thoughts on the matter as he asked, “Why aren’t we dedicating any resources into looking into the people that attacked Akatsuki? If they could make them abandon what appears to be a major base of theirs, you’d think there would be more concern over this new group.”

Hana shrugged as she said, “Not my concern. I think considering the fact that Tobi was proving to be a pain in all the villages sides the powers that be are just glad somebody stepped in to handle him. But, that isn’t too say nobody is looking into the attackers. They are just being quiet about it. Keep in mind that the only villages with jinchuriki are now Konoha and Kumo. I’m sure the other villages are trying to determine just who has the remaining Bijuu now. It’s possible that Tobi still has them, but so too could these new players.”

“Which is why you’d think there would be more of a scramble to learn what happened to them,” Kiba replied around the piece of meat he was chewing.

Tsume never one for table manners ignored the infraction as she replied, “Give the matter some proper thought, Kiba.”

Kiba paused to swallow his food as he wasn’t bothered by his mother’s blunt way of speaking. Something may have made her less bitter and angry over the past year, but she was still Tsume Inuzuka and didn’t have much use for flowery words. Yet after several moments he shrugged as he said, “If the Bijuu are such powerhouses then I really don’t get why it seems nobody cares where they are or who has them.”

Tsume frowned at her son, but said, “Because it would send the wrong message. Remember what started the Third Shinobi War. The Third Kazekage went missing and in their panic to locate him Suna gave the impression that they were weak which invited Iwa into attacking them. It isn’t that nobody is interested, it’s just that they are looking discreetly. It’s one of the reasons I imagine Tsunade is sending Ibiki to the Mountain’s Graveyard.”

Hana agreeing with her mother added, “True, plus my team noticed quite a few Mist and Stone shinobi poking around the base. I think it is one of the reasons Tsunade pulled us back. One, to prevent some ambitious commander from working up the nerve to attack us in order to uncover what we may have discovered.”

Kiba snapped his fingers as he cut in, “And also to give them a chance to access the base.”

Hana nodded as Tsume said, “Very good pup. I’m sure all the villages save Suna would have poured over the base by the time Ibiki’s team gets there.”

“Okay, but why give the other villages a chance?”

“Simple,” Hana said answering for her mother, “We might learn something from what the other villages uncover after their own walk through. For example some of the samples I brought back might not mean anything to us, but they might mean something to the other villages. The first thing Ibiki will likely do when he arrives is see where any people searching through the base spent most of their time. And if say someone removes something that was in my notes we’ll have an idea that it was more important than we may have thought.”

“Well if there is something to find from the other villages interest in the base I’m sure Ibiki will uncover it,” Tsume said as she neared the end of her meal.

Hana placed her utensils down as she finished hers and without being told, picked the plate up and began the task of cleaning the kitchen. Tsume finished hers and stepped up behind her daughter as she placed her plate into the sink. Kiba again noticed the contact as she pressed against Hana’s back. “Now that you are back do you have any plans,” Tsume asked as she stepped away.

Hana paused in her task of washing the dishes before answering, “I figured I’d head to the hotsprings tonight. It’s a full moon you never know who might decide to take a late night dip.”

Despite his sister’s words Kiba had the distinct feeling she knew who would be out that night. He didn’t really think anything of it at first until he realized that the Konoha Women’s Bathing Association was a common link among all the women whose behavior he currently found strange. His interest grew stronger as his mom said, “That sounds like a great idea. You wouldn’t mind if I join you.”

“Not at all,” Hana said with a smirk before heading up to her room with a noticeable sway to her hips. Kiba turned his eyes away as he realized he was staring at his sister’s ass, but as he did noticed he wasn’t the only one.

*****

Naruto couldn’t help smiling as he made his way from Kiyomi’s mansion where he had appeared using the seal located in her basement. The reason for his cheer was due to the dinner he had enjoyed in his new home. Primarily because it was the first time he had enjoyed a dinner in such an environment, where he was surrounded by friends and loved ones. Before it had always been at a restaurant when he’d eat with his friends and lovers in a group, today though it had felt just like a family gathering around a table. Granted, they had needed to keep up appearances of just being friends and tenants living together in front of Kurenai, but considering Miya’s decree that she better not catch him or his lovers letting their passions get the better of them outside of their apartments the black-haired woman’s presence at dinner had been added insurance that they would behave.

After dinner had ended, Naruto had retired to his own apartment and had found a note inviting him to the hot springs. It had been signed only with an H which told him that Hana was feeling rather frisky. Reaching the hot springs he frowned at not seeing the woman that had left the note for him waiting. He closed his eyes to search for her via her fox mark, but couldn’t locate her. He shook his head guessing that Konan had taught her technique on how she made her presence disappear from his network of lovers to the Inuzuka.

Naruto only had a split second of warning as some bushes rustled before Hana leapt from them. Naruto could have easily avoided the woman, but as she was stark naked saw little reason to. His Inuzuka lover tackled him and began to kiss him as she rubbed her groin against his. Naruto grabbed Hana’s ass as she licked his neck and cheek before bringing her lips to his in a sloppy kiss.

Hana moaned as the pressure against her mound increased as Naruto’s dick began to awaken. He began to sit up pushing her back so that she sat on his tented package firmer causing her to break the kiss as the pleasure coursed through her and her head lulled back. Bringing her gaze to his, she smiled and resisting the urge to elongate her nails to slice his shirt open instead grabbed the hem of the black shirt that he wore. Tossing it away once he was clear of it she uttered the first words of the encountered as she eyed his muscular chest, “Gods, it’s been too long.”

Naruto chuckled as she closed her eyes and sighed while he began to gently fondle her breast as he responded, “So it would seem. When you left your note I was of the impression we’d take a nice bath together to stare up at the moon while having a nice conversation.”

Hana smiled as she began to rock her hips against the bulge rising from the shorts he was wearing, “They’ll be plenty of time for talking later. Right now I need to feel you in me.” Naruto raised his hips as she gripped his shorts to pull them down. She inhaled deeply as his cock sprang free finding the manly scent that greeted her nose caused her pussy to grow even wetter. Quickly mounting him she looked over her shoulder as she stated, “I’ll be going first mom.”

“Of course pup,” Tsume said just as naked as her daughter, “He gave me a good pounding last night. Take all the time you need.”

Hana nodded as she began to slide down Naruto’s thick shaft and sighed happily as she hit bottom. Feeling him pressed against her uterus she began to grind her pelvic bone into his causing both of them to moan in pleasure. Naruto laid down in the grass as Hana rocked her hips in circles. He squeezed her breasts causing the Inuzuka woman to moan as he enjoyed her bosoms. Hana placed her hands on his as she stopped swaying her hips to begin rising and lowering herself on his cock.

Tsume watched as her daughter’s moans grew in intensity as Naruto’s hips began to meet her Hana’s downward thrusts. The older Inuzuka recalling the pleasure she had experienced the night before couldn’t refrain herself from rubbing her slit. Tsume whimpered in pleasure as she watched her daughter get fucked by the man that they shared.

Tsume dropped down to her haunches as she brought both hands to her quim in order to tease it. She moaned as she watched her daughter’s own pussy get speared over and over again by Naruto. Tsume pulled her hands from their task and licked the evidence of her arousal from her fingers before crawling on all fours to the rutting pair. Upon reaching them she lowered her face to where they were connected and used her tongue to tease the two.

After several minutes she leaned back as her daughter began to shift on her partner. She spun while still impaled on the thick cock buried inside her. Tsume watched as her daughter got to her feet and leaned back as she placed her hands on her lover’s chest so that she could impale herself on Naruto, while presenting her pussy to her mother. The elder Inuzuka licked her lips before clamping her mouth to her daughter’s cunt and began to swirl her tongue around the younger woman’s clit.

Naruto began to piston his hips as he felt Hana’s tight twat tighten around him. He groaned as Tsume helped him along by fondling his nuts as he pleased her daughter. Suddenly Hana stiffened as she howled in pleasure due to her mother lightly nipping her pleasure bud with her teeth. Naruto gave in to the desire that her milking muscles instilled in him and flooded her love passage with his seed. Hana collapsed on top of him as she moaned softly from her mother’s continued licking of her satisfied pussy.

Hana sat up after coming down from her climax. She cupped her mother’s face as she pulled it from her groin and seeing it glistening with her release pulled Tsume into a kiss. She moaned as she tasted Naruto and hers combined fluids which coated her mother’s lips and tongues. She felt Naruto’s cock begin to twitch inside her as the sight of the mother and daughter kissing caused it to discover new vigor. She slowly began riding his dick once more as she felt her own desires grow as a result of the intoxicating smell of her mother’s arousal.

*****

Kiba stared at the large stone fence that surrounded the property that belonged to the owner of the Great Tree Shipping Company. It also contained the Hot Springs that was the favored spot of the Konoha Women’s Bathing Association. A group of which both his mother and sister were member of. A group, which also bolstered some rather impressive female members from what he had heard from the various people interested in such matters.

Kiba had sought out one of the shinobi that saw themselves as Jiraiya’s spiritual successor, at least in the art of peeking on bathing women. The man had informed Kiba, who he had thought was a man trying to break into the peeking lifestyle, that certain hot springs had levels of hardness and that the one on the Lady Kiyomi’s property was considered an unattainable quest, which was why the women of the K.W.B.A used it.

According to his source only two peekers had ever penetrated the property deep enough to actually lay eyes on the hot springs. The first was surprisingly a kunoichi that would occasionally pick the brains of the men hoping to catch a glimpse of heaven about the angles of approach they had used. To Kiba it sounded like the young woman was using the peekers similar to how he was in order to find a means to bypass the detection barrier that he suspected surrounded the property.

Watching the property now, he felt his desire to learn what was going on within the fenced off area waning. The first reason was due to the story that his source had told him about the second peeker to make it to the hot springs. According to the man, the peeker that had seen the hot springs couldn’t even describe what it was he saw. Not only that, but every time he did try, he’d be bombarded by the sights of hard bodied men in green leotards posing seductively. Aware that Yakumo was a member he suspected that the peeker got an eyeful of the wrong kunoichi minus her clothes.

Naturally, he felt some of his trepidation about sneaking onto the property was because he didn’t want to be bombarded by what he suspected were sights of Gai or his small clone every time he tried to recall what it was he would see. But the other reason was because of the two women that he knew were currently on the property. He had little doubt that if his mother caught him it would be the last thing he ever did. But on the other hand the desire to learn just what made the area so special, and why it seemed to have such an effect on the women he knew was almost too tempting to resist.

Nevertheless, he was about to head home since he was fairly certain a life without knowledge would be better than potentially learning the truth, but running into his nude mother who would likely then kill him. He turned away, but looked back as he heard the sound of a person being chased. A moment later a figure dressed in black leapt over the fence, and although her lower face was covered by a thin black cloth, her lithe form made Kiba believe it was the female peeker.

She looked back and leapt away just before another figure landed where she had been standing. Kiba saw the purple-haired kunoichi, Yoruichi, searching for her quarry before spotting her leaping across the rooftops. Shaking her fist at the retreating woman, she shouted, “Give it up, girl. I know it’s you Soifon. If I knew saving you would make you such an annoyance I’d have let those Summons eat you.”

Kiba seeing an opportunity and suspecting the barrier would need a few moments to register the recent activity quickly darted from where he had been watching the property. He leapt the fence and went in search of the answers he sought.

*****

Kiyomi stared out the window in the direction that she could feel Naruto was in. She frowned as she could feel the pleasure that was rolling off of Tsume and Hana, and although desiring to join the action knew that at present her presence would only lead to another argument. She once more felt regret at having taken the Taki kunoichi, but only so far as the strain it had put on her relationship with Naruto. She found it ironic that she rather enjoyed her lover’s newfound sternness with her in the matter since it showed he was taking his responsibilities as head of the Harem seriously. Yet her pride refused to let her back down in this case, especially as she harbored such resentment towards the women in question.

Her focus was pulled from the matter for a moment as Yoruichi called out to her mentally, “Hey, it looks like someone else has snuck onto the property.”

Kiyomi sighed in annoyance as she thought, “Another one. Is there a convention of perverts in town?”

“Hardly,” Yoruichi replied, “The first was that Soifon girl that keeps sneaking in. I don’t know why she keeps trying. She didn’t strike me as a pervert.”

Kiyomi smirked as she mentally replied, “Have you given thought to the idea that perhaps she is trying to force you to reevaluate your decision on training her?”

“I have, but what does that have to do with her sneaking into the hot springs,” Yoruichi asked.

“Considering the number of barriers surrounding the hot springs and the fact that you so often patrol the grounds I imagine she is trying to impress you. She did almost make it to the mansion without being detected,” Kiyomi said her mental tone conveying the respect she was affording the girl for her accomplishment.

“I told you and her. I’m not interested in teaching her,” Yoruichi replied. “Crap!”

“What is it?”

“Our bogey is Tsume’s brat,” Yoruichi said recognizing the young man she was following. “I’ll appear in front of him and scare him away.”

“No,” Kiyomi said quickly as a thought on how to solve her problem popped into her head. “Let him proceed.”

“Are you nuts?” Yoruichi quickly replied, “He’s going to get an eyeful alright. I’m pretty sure he’s not going to react well to what he sees.”

“Perhaps,” Kiyomi mentally said as she turned from the window, “But it’s obvious that he already suspects something is going on here. Just scaring him off won’t end his curiosity.”

“No, but how do you intend to keep him quiet?”

“By offering him a bribe,” Kiyomi replied as she went to gather what she intended to offer the Inuzuka.

*****

Kiba was rather surprised at his good fortune as he could hear the sound of a small waterfall telling him he was close to his destination. Landing in a tree, he was shocked as from his vantage point he could see that there appeared to be several different environments surrounding a domed grotto. Spotting a small bathhouse that led to the first hot spring which was made to look like it could be found in a mountainous area he wondered where his mother and sister were at.

He couldn’t spot anything strange or out of place, but decided to give the area a quick once over as he couldn’t be sure he’d ever get the chance again. Heading to the bathhouse he listened for sounds of people inside and not hearing any stepped inside. He frowned as he saw that two of the baskets were in use and he quickly recognized them as the clothes his sister and mother had been wearing. He wondered why they weren’t near the water if they were still on the grounds and felt a sense of concern for their wellbeing. He was about to step out of the building to search for them, but paused as something in his mother’s basket caught his eye.

Pulling it out, he frowned as he saw it was a perfume bottle with several strands of hair inside of it. Having never noticed his mother using perfume before he sprayed some into the air and frowned as he didn’t pick up any scent. Looking at the bottle again he realized that what he was holding was the Inuzuka’s means of erasing scents of a particular person. It was something the Inuzuka advertised in the perfumes they sold since they knew there was a market for people that didn’t wish their sex lives or secrets to be discerned by the keen noses of the clan. Naturally, the Inuzuka weren’t going to put out a product that if separated from the perfume would render enemy shinobi invisible to their noses, thus the commercial formula held a secret scent that only an Inuzuka could detect.

There was however a secret formula that removed this scent since it at some point it might become necessary to hunt down a rogue Inuzuka. Kiba suspected that was in fact what he was holding and that realization shocked him as it meant his mom was likely seeing someone. Staring at the hairs in the bottle he knew they belonged to the person she was seeing and where what activated the formula to tell it which scents to erase.

Placing the bottle back he tried to think of any blond haired men in his mother’s life. He smirked as he thought that it might not be a man as he realized Tsunade was blonde. Wondering if perhaps his mother and Hokage were meeting at the hot-springs to carry out their relationship he decided to head back before he pressed his luck too far and was discovered. He paused though as he stepped out of the bathhouse as he had the strange thought that the only clothes he had seen had been his mother and sister’s. Wondering why his mom would bring a bottle meant to cover up her lover’s scent if he or she wasn’t present, he prepared to investigate further. But he stopped as he heard a low moan coming from nearby.

He wondered if he should ignore the sound, but hearing it repeat again decided a quick peek was called for. He leapt to the trees as he slowly approached the sound and wished he had turned away as he came upon the sight of his naked mother bent over at the waist as she gripped the tree in front of her. Standing behind his mother and pumping into her was who he realized the blond hairs in the bottle he had found belonged to. Furthermore, to his shock an equally naked Hana was pressed against Naruto’s back as she licked along his body while rubbing her hands over the jinchuriki’s chest.

He realized the moans were coming from his mother, a soft sound that Kiba up until that very moment could never imagine her making. He continued to watch without actually seeing as his brain shut down to reset so that he could attempt to process what he was witnessing. He watched as Naruto reached down and lifted one of his mother’s legs into the air and noted the way her voice grew in intensity indicating the blond was doing something right.

It was a sound that Hana obviously recognized as she suddenly began saying in a voice Kiba could barely recognize as belonging to his sister. “She’s so close Naruto. Give it to her. Make her cum with that fat bitch taming cock.” Naruto was spurred on by Hana’s words as he looked over his shoulder and the two kissed sloppily. Naruto’s hips began pistoning into Tsume’s backside even harder causing the Inuzuka female’s nails to claw deep fissures into the tree as she was raised up to her tiptoes from the thrusts. Suddenly Tsume threw her head back and howled in release as Naruto buried himself to the hilt so he could deliver his seed directly into Tsume’s waiting womb.

Tsume dropped to her knees as she gripped the tree in front of her to prevent from completely collapsing to the ground. Kiba’s brain reset as he watched Hana move to stand in front of the blond man. He watched in disbelief as his sister dropped to her knees and began to use her mouth to clean the jinchuriki’s cock which had just been inside their mother.

Kiba’s disbelief gave way to anger as he realized that if Naruto was the link that connected all the women that were a part of the Konoha Women’s Bathing Association then that meant he was in similar relationships with all of them. Now understanding why Hinata hadn’t seemed upset by Naruto’s choosing Ayame, or why Sakura and Ino didn’t seem all that bothered by Sasuke going completely bat-shit crazy, he began to piece all the small clues he had seen together.

His anger grew as he saw the way his sister stared up adoringly at the blond as she continued to lick his cock clean. Unable to stop himself he shouted, “You fucking bastard,” as he leapt from his perch.

Under different circumstances Kiba might have found the way Naruto’s face went from completely satisfied to confused, rather amusing. Those circumstances were currently nowhere to be found, but Naruto reacted quickly as he grabbed ahold of Tsume and Hana and disappeared in a red flash. Kiba’s trajectory carried him right through where the blond had been standing and having intended to tackle Naruto simply tucked into a ball in order to roll to his feet.

He searched around him for Naruto and found the blond near his pile of clothes. Guessing the jinchuriki had teleported to the tri-prong kunai he kept on him at all times, Kiba turned to face him charged even as the blond said, “Look Kiba, I can understand you are upset, but fighting isn’t going to settle anything.”

Kiba was about to disagree, but ended up coming to a complete stop. But it wasn’t because of Naruto’s words but due to a pair of deep and threatening growls which told the young Inuzuka that taking another step forward would be very detrimental to his health. Kiba paused as he saw his mother and sister crouched down on all fours and uncaring that they were still naked as they prepared to attack the person threatening their mate.

The display was enough to cause Kiba to relent, but his anger only grew hotter as Naruto held out a hand towards his lovers which caused the women to calm. Naruto stepped forward still completely naked as he said, “Let’s all just calm down and discuss…”

“Fuck you!” Kiba shouted, “How are you going to act like I didn’t just catch you in the middle of fucking my sister and mom?”

“I’m not acting like you didn’t,” Naruto said infuriatingly Kiba even further with how calm he was about the situation. “But why are you getting so bent out of shape about it?”

“W-what?” Kiba said surprised by the question, but even more so by the fact that he didn’t really have an answer. “B-because…” Kiba trailed off growing upset that he couldn’t think of a response that didn’t come off as overly emotional or even childish since he figured in Naruto’s eyes he must look like a mama’s boy being introduced to a new stepfather or something to that effect. He racked his brain trying to come up with some justification for his anger, but as nothing came to mind he said, “What’s to keep me from telling everyone how you’re fucking half the village?”

“Kiba,” Hana said sounding disappointed in her brother. The young male heard a snarl that he figured was his mother giving voice to her own disproval.

However his gaze remained steadily focused on Naruto who met it calmly before saying, “What makes you think…”

“Save it,” Kiba snapped, “I saw the bottle of scent erasing formula among my mom’s stuff which is how you are able to be with the others without your scent giving you away. This entire goddamn hot spring was probably built just so you could…” Able to see in Naruto’s face that his off-hand remark had been dead on he said, “It’s obvious you want to keep what’s going on a secret, so then the question is what are you going to give me to be quiet?”

Kiba would admit to feeling a little disgusted with himself at his statement. But due to the inferiority he had been feeling lately especially around Naruto, it just proved too tempting to resist using the current situation against him. Which made it all the more infuriating when Naruto calmly said, “Nothing.”

“What?!”

“I said I will not be giving you anything to be quiet.” Naruto shook his head in a disproving manner as he said, “You’re just angry right now. But you aren’t the type of person that would…”

“Who the fuck are you to tell me the type of person I am?” Kiba asked angrily at Naruto’s dismissing his threat. “I think it’s pretty clear that we might not know as much about each other as we thought. I can certainly say I’m surprised to find you’re fucking half the village.”

“Come off it Kiba,” Naruto said for the first time losing some of his cool, “You’re being melodramatic. I’m hardly with thousands of people.”

“Kiba, what me and your sister do is none of your damn business,” Tsume said addressing her son for the first time.

“Shut up bitch,” Kiba snapped and quickly regretted it as he suddenly found himself folded around a punch delivered by Naruto.

Kiba gasped as Naruto pulled his fist from the young man’s stomach as he said sternly, “Don’t talk to her like that in my presence again.”

“Fuck off man! You aren’t my dad,” Kiba said as he tried to recover his breath.

“I never claimed to be,” Naruto said.

He felt his own spine shiver though as he heard Tsume said, “Then where do you get off hitting my son.”

Feeling a cold sweat Naruto turned towards his lover to say, “S-sorry, I just didn’t like him talking to you like that.”

“Are you saying I can’t defend myself,” Tsume asked hardly pacified by his response.

“N-no of course not,” Naruto said quickly.

“My, my it seems tempers are running hot here,” a new voice said from the darkness.

Kiba turned to see a beautiful red-head step from the shadows followed by three women dressed in provocative dresses. Kiba guessed she was another of Naruto’s lovers as he asked, “Kiyomi, what are you doing here?”

Naruto frowned at Kiyomi as he began to suspect that Kiba’s stumbling onto the scene was no accident. Deciding to confront her he asked, “Are you behind Kiba’s appearance here tonight?”

“I would wager his appearance tonight would be due to his noticing the changes that had overcome your lovers,” the Bijuu answered while at the same time avoiding the question.

“Fine, then how did he get passed the barrier without you noticing in time to warn us,” Naruto said more directly.

Kiyomi smirked as she said, “Obviously because I let him through. Which I did because even if I had let Yoruichi chase him off or warned you so you could make yourself scarce it wouldn’t solve the underlining problem.”

“Perhaps, but it would have let us handle it in a way where feelings wouldn’t be so raw,” Naruto countered.

Kiyomi shrugged as she said, “I find that by letting difficult situations unfurl it forces all parties to deal with them immediately instead of letting them fester.” Kiyomi smiled smugly as Naruto winced at his picking up on her dig at his own recent inabilities in dealing with his issues with both her and Anko. “After all, if this had been settled by you all gathering around a table to announce your relationships with his sister and mother, we might not have learned that it seems his issue is less to do with you being with his mom as it does with an underling sense of inferiority in regards to you.”

Kiyomi walked towards Kiba as she said, “It’s not hard to imagine why considering all you have achieved recently. Why learning you were banging his mother must have just cemented your status as Alpha dog to him. Probably a difficult thing to accept considering that he probably was secure in his superiority to you up until a few years ago.” Kiyomi smiled playfully as she stepped in front of Kiba and asked, “How about if in exchange for your silence I let you experience the same thrill as Naruto in having several women willing to give you all that you desire.”

“Kiyomi, no,” Naruto said guessing why she had brought the Taki-nin with her, “you can’t.”

“Really, you’ve made no claim to them,” Kiyomi snapped. “They’re mine to do with as I please.” She gave Kiba a lecherous smile as she added, “Or should I say as you please, Kiba?”

“W-who are they?”

Kiyomi shrugged as she said, “Just some dolls that I’ve grown bored with. They are very obedient and will do whatever you ask of them.”

“Kiba don’t listen to her,” Naruto said. “They are…”

“I accept,” Kiba said cutting Naruto off as visions of what tasks he would give the women ran through both his heads.

“No, I refuse to let this…”

“Excellent,” Kiyomi said pleased. Hearing Naruto’s protest as he closed with them to put a stop to their transaction she added, “Let’s go somewhere a little quieter to work out the final details.” Grabbing ahold of Kiba and forming three chakra tails to grab the women she teleported away leaving Naruto and his Inuzuka lovers.

“Dammit,” Naruto said preparing to Hirashin after Kiyomi.

He stopped as Tsume called out, “Where do you think you’re going?”

“I’m not about to let Kiyomi trade away those women just so she can be done with them,” Naruto said. “I’ll put a stop to it.”

“That’s all well and good,” Tsume said calmly. “I would recommend putting on some pants before chasing off after them.” Naruto cursed as he realized he was still nude so quickly ran towards his clothes to pull them on. He stopped though as the Inuzuka matriarch said, “You know as well as I do Kiyomi has likely insured you can’t just snatch the women from Kiba.”

Naruto sighed as he asked, “I figured she was too well prepared. It feels like she teleported them to the middle of the entertainment district.” Tsume nodded confirming the location she felt Kiyomi had reappeared at. She frowned as Naruto asked, “What would you have me do? I can’t just let Kiyomi turn those women over to Kiba to be used as sexual playthings. Whatever our history with those women, they don’t deserve to be treated as such.”

Tsume readily agreed as she said, “Then put that bitch in her place. I’ll handle Kiba. I think he just needs some time to realize what he’s doing. I didn’t raise him to be some lothario willing to take advantage of women that can’t refuse him. He’ll see the light or he’ll quickly regret it.”

Naruto stared at Tsume and thought back to the academy and all the times Kiba and Shikamaru had described their mothers as fearsome beasts that only appeared human. Seeing the seething look in Tsume’s eyes it was the first time that he felt their description might not have been all that inaccurate.

*****

Kiyomi reappeared in her darkened room after delivering Kiba to the roof of a building in the center of the Entertainment district. She felt good about her passing the Taki-nin onto the young man. She had even given Kiba quite the tidy sum of money to take the women out and show them off in order that Naruto wouldn’t be able to simply reclaim them without making a scene. Still, she knew there were one or two matters that would need attending before she could truly say that it was finished. The first of which made his presence know as he said, “I’ve been racking my brain for what I would say when you made your appearance. Unfortunately, nothing has sprung to mind.”

Kiyomi although she knew Naruto was present in her home was still a little shocked at his being not only in her room, but was sitting in the dark. Turning on a nearby lamp she said, “You can say thank you if you wish.”

Naruto gave a dismissive scoff as he stood from the chair he had been sitting in while he had stared out the window waiting for Kiyomi to return. “That was most certainly not one of them.” Kiyomi hearing Naruto’s tone feared she had perhaps gone too far, a fear only slightly lessened as he continued, “Truthfully, the one I feel I should be most mad at is me. I let you do as you wish with those three for so long it should come as no surprise that you figured you could just dump them off and wash your hands of them.”

Kiyomi tried to calm her former host down as she said, “Naruto, you’re getting worked up over nothing. They were…”

Her words had the opposite effect as he snapped, “Were what Kiyomi? What possible excuse could you give to justify giving them away like property? Granted, they were our prisoners, and you may have tampered with them so that they were prisoners of their own bodies. But to give them away to be used for gods knows what. How can you possibly justify that?”

“Kiba was a problem…”

“One that you created,” Naruto cut in angrily as he closed the distance with her. “Yoruichi told me while you were away that she could have scared him off. You wanted him to find out so you could get rid of the Taki-nin in such a way that I would have no choice but to accept it.”

“Kiba was poking around on his own,” Kiyomi said heatedly close to losing her temper at being talked to in such a way. “True, Yoruichi could have made it so that he retreated. But, it wouldn’t have solved the underlining problem, now would it? This way Kiba will keep his mouth shut and…”

“And you can what? Say you’ve done the greater good,” Naruto said. “What about the women you used to…?”

“What about them,” Kiyomi shouted angrily. “Honestly, have you forgotten what those women nearly did to both of us? They would have killed you if Iruka and Kakashi hadn’t stepped in and I would be doomed to what… a life as an amnesiatic shell of my former self.”

“Perhaps that would have been for the best,” Naruto said calming slightly. Seeing the look of confusion and anger on his Bijuu lover’s face he explained, “We both certainly have a justifiable reason to be upset with them. But honestly Kiyomi, when do we stop being the victims and start becoming the perpetrators? In my opinion you’ve crossed that line.”

Kiyomi gasped, as she felt tears begin to appear at the corner of her eyes. Not willing to let him have the satisfaction of letting him see how much his words had hurt her, she said, “This conversation is over.” She disappeared in a flash of flame to appear in the study of her mansion.

She cursed the fact that she didn’t have anywhere else she could really go to escape him as he appeared in front of her. Kiyomi prepared to teleport again but Naruto grabbed her arm as he said, “Dammit Kiyomi this is why things have reached such a point. How can we have a resolution when we both avoid discussing the matter?”

“What is there to discuss?” Kiyomi replied angrily. “It is rather apparent that you would rather side with those who have stood against you then me. Perhaps it was foolish of me to think you could ever truly forgive me for my past transgressions.”

“Listen to yourself, Kiyomi,” Naruto said wearily. “If you did you’d see that our own relationship started out just as cantankerously as…”

“Do not try to lump me in with those women,” Kiyomi said angrily. “I was a prisoner for over a hundred years and had my first taste of freedom when I attacked this village. Those women would have killed you over a scrap of paper. I…”

“Kiyomi sit down and be silent,” Naruto said angrily seeing they were about to argue in circles. He knew the method he was about to use to get Kiyomi to see his reasoning would be heavy handed, but saw no alternative.

Kiyomi’s eyes widened in surprise at Naruto’s tone, and she was about to lay into him about how he had just spoken to her. Yet to her surprise no words escaped from her lips and instead she found herself sitting in a nearby chair. She tried to speak as Naruto moved to stand in front of her, but she found that no matter how she railed against him in her head none of the words reached him. She felt a sense of shock come over her as she realized that he had used the control over her body that he had achieved via the Binding. The Bijuu couldn’t believe that it had never occurred to her that she might be as susceptible to the same means of control that Naruto gained when he slept with a woman and fully bound her to him. She supposed it was rather foolish of her not to consider it, but since Naruto rarely ever used it she felt there had been no point in finding out.

Naruto crouched in front of her and had calmed noticeably as he placed a hand on her knee as he said, “Kiyomi, I’m sorry for using such drastic means to get my point across. But I want you to sit here and think about what you’ve done. When you understand why I’m upset, and disappointed then you’ll be able to move again.” With that, Naruto stood and walked out of the room leaving a fuming Bijuu behind as the last thing on her mind was contemplating her actions.

*****

Kiba felt like a king as he walked through the village with the three women that were now his to do with as he liked and who were currently hanging off of his arms garnering him quite a few second glances. He still was having a hard time processing all that he had been told by Kiyomi, who had revealed not only that she was a Bijuu, but that Naruto had built himself a harem of woman, of which his mother and sister were a part, and had done so with the goal to bring all the shinobi villages closer. The revelation gave Kiba the insight needed to understand why Hinata had seemed to get over her shyness, and was now an actual contender for leading the Hyuuga, despite the fact that it was apparent her father would prefer her sister Hanabi take over for him.

Yet despite learning that ever since coming back to the village Naruto had slowly been building his influence in Konoha, and was currently doing so in both Suna and Kumo, Kiba would admit his mind was on more immediate concerns. The most pressing being what he should do upon reaching his home. He would admit that he had found it fun playing the big shot for the evening as the women would do whatever he asked of them. Therefore after entering one of the busier nightclubs, he had ordered Tifa and Yuffie to dance together while Aeris and he had watched from a booth. Aeris had simply hugged herself to him as Kiba basked in the jealous looks the other guys sent his way. Eventually, the other two women had joined him making it quite clear that they were with him as well.

Kiba had noticed that as the night had gone on some of the looks he had received particularly from the women of the club had gone from appraising and questioning what made him special enough for the three women to cling to him so suggestively, had morphed into more understanding ones. He didn’t understand it and had found them a little uncomfortable since they had made him feel like the people believed he was doing the women a favor as opposed to taking advantage of their being condition to obey him. As a result he had decided to leave the club, and as he and his “dates” stepped out onto the street he caught a whiff of several scents that he recognized as Sakura, Tenten, and Ino’s. The Inuzuka wondered if perhaps Naruto had sent several of the women he suspected were involved with the blond to collect his “dates”. But he guessed it wasn’t the case as the scent trail seemed to be leaving the club.

Kiba had briefly wondered why he had not spotted them inside, but put it out of his mind as Aeris shivered. Taking in her features as well as Yuffie and Tifa’s he frowned at seeing the obvious signs that they were cold in their thin black matching dresses, such as the goose bumps on their arms and quivering lips. He quickly got them moving, and although it did make him feel like a king a part of the reason he had the women clutching him was so they could keep the cool night air at bay.

Reaching his home filled Kiba with a certain amount of dread, since he would be out of the public eye, and could only imagine how his mother was going to react to the bargain he had agreed to. He could easily picture his face on the back of a milk carton depending on how badly she reacted. But he was confident enough his mother wouldn’t do anything too unpleasant which would result in a spotlight being shined on her and thus potentially reveal the secret life she had made for herself.

Taking a deep breath, he entered his home and was surprised to find it still empty. He was a little wary as he moved through the house after directing the Taki-nin to follow him. He paused at the stairs leading up to his room as he spotted the door that almost every Inuzuka home had and was built for when the females of the clan entered their Inuzuka Lust state. He felt some vestiges of anger raise in him as he realized that it was very likely that Naruto had been down there when he himself had not. He considered taking the women down there, but was concerned that it would be the thing that sent his mother over the edge. He had little doubt she would have found him if she wanted to and the fact that she hadn’t, nor waited for him to come home gave Kiba the confidence that while she may not approve. She wasn’t going to interfere.

Looking back at the women he began to picture the various acts he wanted to perform with them. Giving what he felt was a dashing smile he said, “Ladies, let’s adjourn in my room.”

“Yes, Kiba,” they said in unison.

Kiba felt a frown threaten to appear at the response since it was given so dispassionately. But he pushed pass it as he waved the women after him. Reaching his room, he opened his door and let them enter first, but after stepping in behind them felt a little awkward. Primarily since he had three beautiful women in his room, but they were just standing around doing nothing. He knew Kiyomi had said things would start off as such since they would need to learn how he expected them to behave. But he would admit to feeling a little disappointed at the lack of passion or build-up. Moving to sit on his bed, he tried to ignore the feeling as he ordered, “Aeris, come give me a kiss.”

“Yes Kiba,” Aeris said in the same voice she had used after every order he had given. The Inuzuka frowned, but still admitted to feeling a thrill as the brunette leaned down to give him a kiss. The kiss didn’t evolve or deepen as she just pressed her lips to his as she waited for him to give some sign to stop or told her to.

Kiba pulled back feeling frustrated as the woman showed no signs of arousal while he could not say the same for himself. Figuring he’d work on making her kisses more passionate in the future and guessing she wouldn’t need the same coaching for a less innocent activity he said, “Now give me a blowjob.”

“Yes Kiba,” was the same monotone response that had been her reply to all his commands.

Kiba felt a sense of excitement as she dropped to her knees obediently and without hesitation pulled down his fly to pull out his dick. Her hand slipped into his boxers causing him to jump a little as she fished out his semi-flaccid cock. Time seemed to slow down as she pulled it out and lowered her mouth to his phallus. He looked at the other two women in the room and who had remained exactly where they had stood since entering his room. They watched the display with eyes that seemed to take in everything and nothing at the same time. For a moment he wondered what they would be thinking if they had complete control of their actions. The thought caused him to look back down at Aeris, whose face held the same blank look.

He then, despite his desire to do otherwise, recalled the faces of his mother and sister as they had copulated with Naruto. But instead of recalling the actual act what he focused on was the looks of happiness, desire and passion that had adorned his mother and sister’s faces as they mated with Naruto. Focusing on, Aeris’s face and seeing just a blank canvas which conveyed nothing of what she was feeling caused him to push back on her shoulders before she could take him into her mouth as he said, “Stop!”

Despite his own racing heart and frazzled emotions, Aeris simply replied, “Yes Kiba,” as she stood up again. Kiba watched the woman for a moment and then awkwardly tucked himself back into his pants. Standing, he said, “You three sleep in here.”

The women immediately followed his command and Kiba watched them for a moment. Feeling like he had nearly done something horrible, he threw a blanket over the women before grabbing one himself. Heading outside, he found his partner Akamaru sleeping outside in the woods where most of the other nin-dogs of his family stayed. His partner opened his eyes for a moment as Kiba laid his head against the large dog’s ribs which whimpered a question causing him to reply, “Beds occupied partner. Hope you don’t mind me using you as a pillow.” The dog closed its eyes leaving Kiba to stare up at the sky as he made plans to return the women back to Kiyomi, but he figured that would only be after a rather awkward conversation with his mother.

****

Kiyomi lost track of how long she had remained motionless in the chair. After all, the first several hours she had spent cursing Naruto. It did highlight for her though that although Naruto seemed to have gained control of her body, her mind remained uniquely her own, since she figured that his command had been for her to think about why he was upset, but thus far she had dedicated very little time to that pursuit.

Several of her sisters had come and gone from the study, but had provided her with no assistance. Yoruichi, had likely come in to find out how the argument between Naruto and her had gone, but she had begun busting up laughing at seeing Kiyomi stuck to the chair like a statue. She had then promptly left only to be replaced by an inebriated Rangiku, who had not noticed her sister’s plight as she had talked her ear off before leaving. Recently, Kiyomi had heard the door open but had no idea who was currently observing her. She had hoped it was Naruto to release her, but after almost half an hour she had noticed a pair of hazel eyes peeking at her from behind a small end table. Recognizing them, along with the plaster skull the woman now wore almost all the time, she sighed in defeat as she doubted Nel would be of much help to her.

However, her eyes widened as Nel came from behind the table with a mischievous smile. Kiyomi’s then noticed the marker in the diminutive Bijuu’s hand. She tried to tell her sister to not even think about it, but no words came forth and Nel likely sensing her sister’s struggles, charged forward to leap on her lap where she began to doodle on Kiyomi’s face.

Kiyomi felt humiliated for being at her sister’s mercy as she drew whisker marks on her cheeks and whatever other inspirations came to her child-like mind. Eventually though she heard Yoruichi calling for Nel who quickly scampered off her lap to find out what the dark-skinned Bijuu wanted as well as to not be caught in the act of her current mischief.

Once more left alone Kiyomi felt like crying at her current helplessness, and then suddenly gasped as she realized that was exactly what Naruto wanted her to feel. Like a damn that burst she realized he had used her own argument that the Taki-nin were still just prisoners, except locked in their own bodies instead of a building of mortar, steel, and stone, against her. Having spent over a century being locked up, she knew there was a difference now, especially when one’s own body was still being used against their will.

With her understanding came a sudden wave of disgust at herself since she had turned those bodies over to Kiba to be used as he pleased. She also came to the understanding that through her actions she had perhaps set Kiba along a path that in time and if he didn’t reverse course might turn him into a man much like Kanji had been. Knowing that she might have already been too late but wishing to correct her actions she quickly stood. She paused as she realized that she could once more move, but before she could head to the Inuzuka home, she also came to the realization that she desperately needed to pee after being stuck for several hours. Quickly heading towards the door she threw it open and nearly ran over the people she had intended to go searching for.

****

Kiba entered his home, and heard the sounds of movement in the kitchen. He swallowed heavily, but decided to face the music as opposed to running like his instincts were telling him to do. Kiba slowly made his way to the kitchen where he saw his mom was just placing a plate of sausage, bacon, and eggs on the table. She spotted him and said, “Come in and eat before it gets cold.”

Kiba was surprised at the greeting, but nevertheless didn’t decide to question it as he followed his mother’s instructions. He took a seat and watched as she spooned out a plate for herself before sitting across from him and looked like she wished to say something, but couldn’t find the words. It was probably the first time Kiba had seen his mother struggle to speak what was on her mind so he decided to get things started by saying, “Mom, I’m sorry about last night. I shouldn’t have said what I did to you, and it was stupid of me to accept Kiyomi’s offer.”

Tsume nodded as she replied, “Good, I’m glad you recognize that.” She paused for several moments before adding, “Also, I owe you an apology as well. You shouldn’t have found out about your sister, and my relationship with Naruto like that. We should have told you.”

“No, it wasn’t any of my business,” Kiba said quickly. “I just wanted some answers about why the hot-springs seemed to be affecting the women I knew so positively. I’m guessing it isn’t the springs though?”

Tsume smirked as she answered, “No, it isn’t. The springs were just a way for us to meet without raising people’s suspicions.”

“Why all the secrecy?”

“Because, if we are going to fulfill Naruto’s ambition then we can’t let people know what we are up to. This includes our relationships with him.”

Kiba was about to ask why, but quickly realized that his mother’s recent push to end the trade embargo against Kumogakure was likely tied to Naruto’s ambition. The young man guessed this was due to Naruto having lovers in the village who were pushing for their village to better relations with the Leaf. He imagined if it was learned that the reason for Konoha’s recent efforts could all be traced back to the women with Naruto, it wouldn’t take much of a stretch of an imagination for the Raikage to realize the kunoichi of his village might also be tied to him.

“I suppose I can understand why you all would be hesitant to let other people know,” Kiba said before he began to eat his breakfast. Finding the food to be as good as always he commented, “Still, you seem to be taking my accepting Kiyomi’s deal in stride. I’d thought you’d be pissed.”

“I can say the same thing about you seeing your mother and sister in such a state,” Tsume said causing her son to blush as he recalled the memories she was referring to. Sitting back she said, “I know that recently you’ve been feeling intimidated by Naruto. I suppose it’s just that I understand that upon learning he’s been shacking up with so many of the women around you it would be rather difficult to pass up being given three of your own.” Kiba nodded, but felt his spine stiffen as his mother’s tone turned dangerous as she added, “But, if you had done anything to those women this conversation would be going remarkably different. You’d also have awoken to find yourself neutered.”

Kiba gulped heavily as he knew his mother wasn’t in the habit of making meaningless threats. “I guess I’ll bring them back to Kiyomi’s then.”

“I’m afraid it isn’t that simple,” Tsume replied. “Thanks in part to your taking those women out, and showing them around town we needed to take certain steps to explain the situation.”

Kiba recalled how the looks he had received from the patrons of the club had changed and also recalling the scents he had picked up outside asked, “What kind of steps?”

“Well it seems that those three were fired from their jobs as maids at Kiyomi’s mansion last night. A few valuable items went missing while she was out of the village searching for those women you ran into outside the weapon shop,” Tsume explained with a smirk. “Well after being kicked out of their home, they ran into you who nobly decided to take them in till they can get back on their feet. Last night was a way for them to forget about their troubles.” Kiba felt like groaning as he imagined Ino, Sakura, and Tenten were the ones that spread the rumor.

“What should I do then?”

Tsume shrugged as she stood collecting her son’s plate along with hers. Taking them to the sink she said, “You should have considered that before letting your dick do your thinking for you. I doubt Kiyomi is going to accept them back, but it would be a place to start.”

*****

“Which is what brought us here,” Kiba explained to the red-headed Bijuu who had returned from the bathroom after handling her business and washing her face.

Kiyomi sighed as she said, “Ino certainly is quite as adept at spreading gossip as well as collecting it.” Looking out the window she said, “I’m afraid your mother was right though. I do not wish for them to return here.”

“What am I supposed to do with them?” Kiba said with a hint of exasperation. “It’s like having to take care of a trio of puppies.”

“Just be grateful they are potty trained,” Kiyomi said absentmindedly recalling that it wasn’t always the case. Focusing back on Kiba she said, “For the time being let’s just let the situation settle down. I do not wish them here because Naruto still hasn’t returned and I…I’m afraid he’s…”

Kiba sighed as he heard the Bijuu tone which differed so radically from the confident woman she had been the night before. Guessing she feared her actions had permanently damaged her relationship with the blond Kiba relented as he said, “Fine, they can stay at my place. At least until you work things out with Naruto. I suppose it would also make the rumors more believable if there wasn’t a quick resolution to the thievery.”

Kiyomi nodded feeling grateful. Standing she said, “Once I patch things up with Naruto, I’ll take them off your hands under the pretense something else has gone missing.”

Kiba sighed guessing it was for the best and stood to leave. But seeing the three women weren’t following said, “Is there a way to make them normal again? It’s getting annoying having to tell them to do everything.”

“I could return them to normal, but they are not necessarily going to be pleased. Not to mention I cannot take the chance that they’ll try to escape.”

“I guess not,” Kiba said. He was about to order the women to follow but had an idea causing him to ask, “What about if they could be themselves only during certain conditions?”

Kiyomi was about to dismiss Kiba’s idea but recalling how Naruto had pretty much done the same thing to Koharu at first said, “I suppose such a thing would be possible. But they would only be allowed to regain their original personalities around you and those of us bearing Naruto’s marks.”

Kiba looked at the women wearing the blank looks and responded, “I think they’d agree that is better than nothing.”

“Perhaps,” Kiyomi agreed, “But I wouldn’t expect any gratitude from them.”

****

Naruto entered Kiyomi’s study and found her staring out the window as the sun set. He was pleased to see her standing which he figured meant she had at the very least figured out why he had been so upset with her. But he knew that didn’t necessarily mean she had come around to his way of thinking on the matter. He watched as Kiyomi turned her head towards him and for a moment she appeared both happy and afraid, before letting a mask of calmness slip into place.

She turned to fully face him as Naruto stepped before her, and both of them struggled to find the words to break the ice. Finally at the same time they both blurted, “I’m sorry.”

Small smiles appeared on their faces at their saying the same thing, but Kiyomi asked slightly confused, “Why are you apologizing? You were right; my treatment of them was horrible.”

“I glad you can see that now,” Naruto said, “But it was wrong of me to use my control over you to…”

Kiyomi stepped forward and placed her finger over Naruto’s lips as she said, “Shh, I can be rather stubborn. I’m ashamed to say it took me all night and a great deal of the morning to see what you were doing by using the Binding to lock me in a prison of my own flesh.” Naruto seemed relieved that Kiyomi wasn’t upset at him for what he had done. It morphed into confusion as she added, “Plus it helped to remind me of a truth of my new life.”

“What’s that?” Naruto asked tilting his head in puzzlement.

“That I don’t need to understand why you ask me to do something,” Kiyomi replied. Bringing her face closer to his she continued, “I should know that if you tell me to do something I should do it.”

Kiyomi brought her lips to his where she kissed him hungrily. Naruto accepted the kiss but after a few moments pulled back to say, “I don’t want you to think that you can’t have a mind of your own.”

“I know,” Kiyomi said placing several kisses along his neck. “But you are the one this family is based around and as such must make the final decisions. Something my pride at times prevents me from remembering. When you told me to restore those women and I failed to persuade you otherwise. I should have done as you asked. I should have been willing to listen to the head of my family.”

Naruto groaned pleasantly as Kiyomi sucked gently on his neck as she brought her hand to the front of his pants. Rubbing his crotch she whispered, “Please let me make up for the frustration that I caused you.”

Kiyomi dropped to her knees where she pulled down his fly and cooed happily as his dick sprang out. Kissing the head, she then began licking the head before running her tongue up and down his length. Naruto moaned as his Bijuu lover’s tongue came back around to tickle the sensitive underside of his cockhead.

Kiyomi began to swallow Naruto’s length causing the blond to bury a hand in her hair to set the pace. Kiyomi moaned around his shaft as she slipped one hand into her kimono to rub her pussy and the other to fondle her breast. Naruto began working his hips as he slid his cock into Kiyomi’s eager mouth. He felt his nuts beginning to prepare to deliver its thick cream so he pulled his dick free with a pop.

Lowering his face to hers he kissed her deeply, before lifting her up in his arms and carrying her to a nearby desk where she did some of her studying. Setting her down on it, Naruto pulled her kimono from her shoulders to expose her breasts and latched his mouth onto one of her tits.

Kiyomi threw her head back as she felt Naruto’s tongue trace around her hardened nub. “Please Naruto, suck on my other one to.”

Naruto quickly complied as he moved to her left tit causing her to moan as he squeezed her breast and then sucked on her nub. Kiyomi’s legs wrapped around Naruto’s hips, as she tried to pull him towards her waiting quim, but Naruto held back so that he could divest himself of his pants. Once free of them and his boxers he walked forward right into his lover’s welcoming cunt.

The two groaned as one as Naruto completed his journey and was fully buried in Kiyomi’s tight and gripping snatch. They remained still except for their heads which they moved about as they kissed heatedly. Kiyomi broke the kiss to give voice to a moan when Naruto began to withdraw from her velvet grip. Just before his tip slipped free, he slammed his hips forward causing the Bijuu to yell out in pleasure.

The room filled with the sounds of their hips meeting as Kiyomi’s legs slid up and down Naruto’s back and hips as he drove his shaft in and out of her slick folds. Kiyomi’s arms were wrapped underneath his shoulders as she gripped him needfully. Kiyomi marveled at the feeling coursing through her since the sex felt less forced then it had ever since the Taki-nin had entered into the mansion. She suspected that it was because for the first time, Kiyomi had admitted that her treatment of the Taki-nin had been wrong and in a sense had completely given herself to Naruto by admitting that she needed to accept his decisions as final. That or she figured the things she heard about make up sex were true. In either case, she felt herself reaching the point of release and feeling her lover swell within her knew he was close as well.

Pulling his head so that she could nibble on his ear, she whispered, “Fill me with your seed Naruto. Please give me it.” A moment later he answered her request burying his cock fully in her as he released his cum directly into her womb causing the Bijuu to shout in ecstasy, “Hot stuff is pouring inside me. Ahhhhhhhh!!!!!!”

Kiyomi collapsed back on the desk as she shook in orgasmic pleasure. Naruto collapsed on top of her breathing heavily before kissing her gently on the lips. Picking her up in his arms he carried her to the chair he had command she sit in the night before and stared out the window with her cuddled in his lap. Kiyomi felt sleep overcome her, but would find herself in the same position in the morning as the sun peeking through the windows awakened her. She would be greeted to the sight of an awake Naruto who had watched her sleep throughout the night and upon noticing her green eyes watching him smiled lovingly with none of the reservedness that she had appeared with the presence of the Taki-nin in her home as he said, “Good morning.”

Kiyomi beamed from the smile as she responded, “It is a good morning, isn’t it?” Naruto nodded and she joined him in staring out the window to greet the new day.

*****

“Hey Pervert, what the hell are we doing out here.”

Kiba didn’t respond with the annoyance he felt at Yuffie’s question as he led them to Training Ground S. It had been several days since he had requested Kiyomi to restore the Taki-nin’s true personalities. An action that at times he had regretted, particularly due to Yuffie, who had made it a point to not let him forget what he had nearly done to Aeris. Keeping cool, he activated the privacy barrier that shinobi would use to keep jutsu they were developing under wraps before turning to say, “We got off to a bad start.”

Yuffie crossed her arms as she said, “I suppose that’s what a Konoha shinobi would call taking advantage of women that couldn’t control themselves.”

“Yuffie, he apologized and it’s only because of him that we are finally able to be ourselves,” Aeris said with a hint of gratitude.

“But only when we’re around him or those females that have submitted to the jinchuriki,” Tifa said having adapted a similar defensive stance as Yuffie. “Otherwise we’re back to being obedient slaves.”

“Look, I know it’s not a perfect arrangement but it’s the best I was able to do,” Kiba replied. “I think you’re all just lucky Naruto acted the way he did when Kiyomi handed you over to me. It appears to me that she harbors some sort of resentment towards you three. Not to mention I’m of the opinion you three aren’t Naruto’s favorite people either considering that he didn’t step in sooner. Therefore, I’m the best hope you have of achieving a normal life someday.”

“Why should we believe that you’re going to help us pervert?” Yuffie asked skeptically.

“Because it’s the only way I’m going to get a normal life back also,” Kiba answered. “Do you really think I want to keep pretending I have three beautiful women living with me who adore me in public, but can’t stand me when we’re alone?”

Yuffie’s face softened for a moment as she considered the current arrangement was probably a pain for the young man. But it disappeared a moment later, as Aeris asked, “Why did you bring us here?”

Kiba shrugged as he answered, “I figured it’s been a while since you three had a chance to stretch your legs.” The three kunoichi looked at each other before directing their gazes back to Kiba as he dropped into a basic academy stance, “Come on. I’ll be your opponent.”

For several heartbeats nothing happened until with a sudden yell Yuffie charged the Inuzuka. Kiba blocked the kick she tried to deliver to the side of his head, but she yanked it back before he could grab it and leapt back. Kiba was about to pursue but was forced back as Tifa charged forward to deliver several wild throws. Kiba avoided most of them, but Yuffie circled around and kicked him from behind which pushed him right into one of Tifa’s punches.

Kiba bounced along the ground in mild shock at how strong the blow had been. Recovering, he shook his head to clear it but was forced to roll out of the way as Tifa tried to follow up with an axe kick. Her blow missed, but as Kiba got to his feet he was forced on the defensive by Yuffie as she landed in front of him and attacked wildly throwing several punches. Again Kiba managed to block most of them, but then Tifa struck at an opening his blocking Yuffie left open. Her fist hit his right side causing Kiba to gasp in pain as he felt something crack. The pain caused him to miss one of Yuffie’s blows causing his head to snap around as her punch caught him in the cheek. Tifa connected next causing his head to fly the opposite way, before both women began to unleash their fury on him.

A kick to the chest from Yuffie sent him tumbling back as he hit the ground. He watched as the two women charged to continue their punishment but they were blocked by Aeris who stepped between him and the kunoichi. Holding her arms out she said, “That’s enough. Are you trying to kill him? What do you think is going to happen to us then?”

Both women relaxed after a moment with Yuffie saying, “Fine, let’s go. Thanks for the practice pervert.”

“Any time,” Kiba groaned out as he tried to sit up, but quickly gave up.

He heard Tifa ask, “What are you waiting for Aeris let’s go?”

“I’ll catch up,” Aeris said, “I want to make sure he’s not going to die thanks to you two.” Tifa shrugged, before turning to quickly pass through the village so she would remain in control of herself.

Kiba managed to sit up in part thanks to the kunoichi, who had taken to wearing a pink combat dress. Aeris smiled almost apologetically as she said, “I’m afraid my healing abilities aren’t as good as what you’re probably used to.” Her hands began to glow as she pressed them to where he suspected his rib had cracked and Kiba sighed in relief as the pain in his side lessened soon after. Several minutes into the healing she said, “It was kind of you to let them take out their frustrations on you like that.”

“What makes you think they didn’t just kick my ass?” Kiba asked surprised.

Aeris smiled as she answered, “I’ve never known an Inuzuka that would enter into battle without first using the Beast Mimicry Technique. Entering a fight without it seems to be like tying one arm behind your back.”

Kiba would have chuckled if he didn’t think doing so would hurt so much. Instead, he replied, “Well considering that for so long you three were powerless I figured it would do some good for you all to take your frustrations out on someone.”

Aeris paused in her healing as she asked, “What would you have done if they had killed you?”

Kiba shrugged which elicited a wince from him as he responded, “I guess I didn’t consider that as a possibility. Thanks for stepping in, but aren’t you just as angry as them. Why didn’t you jump in?”

Aeris looked away as she answered, “Because truthfully, I kind of felt like we deserved what happened to us.”

Kiba was surprised by her response but Aeris didn’t appear willing to go into detail as she threw his arm over her shoulder to help him to his feet. Being helped to his home Kiba wondered why it was Aeris felt she and the others had deserved to become mindless slaves, but dropped it in favor of basking in her flowery scent which he found rather soothing.

****

Kiba wasn’t sure what to make of his home situation any more. It seemed that his stunt at the training ground had somewhat lessened the hostility that Tifa and Yuffie displayed towards him. He supposed that they had also realized that the previous trip had been for them to release some of their frustrations and that he had been holding back after they had another session and he had managed to hold his own due to his using his full arsenal of jutsu as well as his taking Akamaru with him. While it didn’t get them to trust him anymore, it did at least show the women that he was trying to make their situation better.

The Inuzuka though wasn’t sure what to make of Aeris however since she almost seemed to have completely gotten over her being controlled. He suspected that it was due to her feeling like she had deserved what had happened to her, but in the several weeks since she had stated as such, she had remained guarded about what she had meant.

At the moment though, Kiba wasn’t trying to figure out that particular mystery primarily as he was busy feeling inferior to a certain blond jinchuriki. The reason was due to the rather spectacular defeat he had suffered at Naruto’s hands.

While Kiba had come to grips with his mother and sister being involved with the jinchuriki, primarily since his mother’s mood had never been so pleasant. He was still reeling from just how powerful Naruto had become in a physical sense. He hated to admit it but at times he wanted to act in a similar manner as Akamaru had when they had first encountered Gaara during the Chunin Exams. A fact that bothered him especially since he doubted Naruto was even aware of the power rolling off of him in waves at times. His popularity with women was just the latest category where he found he was being outpaced by the former dead last of the Academy.

Therefore after answering a summons by Kakashi to meet at the training grounds and finding that both Team Kurenai and Team Asuma were there along with the masked jounin’s, Kiba had felt his competiveness with Naruto go into overdrive. It turned out that Kakashi was going to temporarily step in to fill the voids left by Asuma’s death and Kurenai being placed on temporary leave. But he felt that in order to do so he needed to have them face off against a team whose capabilities he knew best, his own.

Kiba would admit that facing off against two jinchuriki in Naruto and Fu as well as the apprentice of Tsunade would under normal circumstances be a rather daunting task. Still Kiba had felt his team would perform admirably, and it did to a certain extent. But Kiba had felt a growing sense of being coddled primarily by Naruto since the blond was using none of the abilities he had displayed during the attack on the village by Pain. His pride was further provoked when Hinata had actually managed to knock Naruto out of one of the matches by scoring a direct hit to his chest that if she had been using chakra would have exploded his heart and while he knew the Hyuuga had improved by leaps and bounds, in part due to her relationship with Naruto. It still stung though, since if he had been asked who was the strongest member of his team had been, his answer would not have been Hinata.

Yet to his amazement he would need to rethink that as he could tell that while Naruto was not exactly going full out. He was holding back far less against the women he was involved with. All in all it left Kiba with a bad taste in his mouth and as a result he had challenged the jinchuriki to a one on one match. Furthermore he had demand the blond not hold anything back. Naruto had hesitantly agreed. The last thing Kiba remembered was hearing Kakashi giving the signal to go and watching Naruto disappear before being hit harder than he had ever been in his entire life. Which considering his mother wasn’t known for pulling her punches when they trained was definitely saying something.

The sound of humming pulled Kiba from his embarrassing loss back to the present. He focused on the source, who happened to be cooking, but as opposed to it being his mom he found that Aeris had finished chopping the ingredients she had gathered and was now sautéing them. She sensed his eyes on her causing her to look back with a gentle smile as she said, “I hope you’re done brooding. Dinner is almost ready and I don’t feel like eating in silence.”

Kiba smiled as he got out of his chair to ask, “Is there anything I can help with?”

“You can get the plates and utensils,” Aeris said as she turned back to her task.

Kiba did as she asked and again was confused by his current home life since at times Aeris almost seemed to act like he imagined a girlfriend would as she took over certain tasks around the house, such as the cooking of meals. Furthermore, he tended to feel that she valued his company especially as he would often offer to help.

Heading to the cabinet that stored the plates he asked, “Who’ll be attending?”

“Just us,” Aeris answered. “Yuffie and Tifa are being stubborn still.”

Kiba nodded since while Aeris appeared to be trying to make the best of the new arrangement. The other two were still trying to find a way to circumnavigate the controls Kiyomi had placed on them. He chuckled as he recalled being called to the Anbu headquarters to collect the two women as they had been arrested for making a scene. He had believed they had tried to shout out how they were shinobi of Taki that were being kept against their will, but instead the two had ended up acting like a pair of drunks as their motor controls became sluggish and they started slurring their words as they spoke gibberish. As a result, they had been arrested where Yuugao had told him to keep a better eye on them. Fearing another meeting with the disproving Anbu Captain he asked, “What do you think they are doing?”

“Likely trying to test how far they can get from the village before collapsing due to it feeling like the gravity around them is increasing,” Aeris replied smiling in amusement. “Considering some of the prisons we’ve been in you’d think they’d feel this one was a step up.”

“I suppose,” Kiba replied as he grabbed two plates, “But then again a cage is a cage.”

Approaching Aeris, he held them out so she could fill them and then began to take them to the table. Aeris stopped him as she asked, “D-do you think it would be okay if we ate outside?”

Kiba nodded as he changed course and heading outside set the plates down near a bonfire pit that his family occasionally sat around. Finding it already set up, he lit the kindling at the base and watched for a moment as the small fire grew into a blaze. Sitting in a chair next to the Taki-nin he watched the fire as he began to dig into his meal. Despite it being different from what his mother normally prepared since most of Tsume’s meals tended to be meat based, Kiba found he was quickly coming around to the more vegetable based meals Aeris cooked.

The two watched the fire in silence until Aeris asked, “So what were you thinking about earlier?”

“Nothing really,” Kiba answered.

Aeris smiled knowingly before saying, “For it being nothing you seemed rather occupied by your thoughts. Please tell me.”

Kiba had a hard time turning the woman down so after a moment said, “I guess I was just caught up in feeling like I’m becoming a nobody.”

“You’re the son of a Clan leader, Kiba. I doubt it’s a sentiment others share.”

Kiba gave her a small smile in thanks for her trying to cheer him up, but responded, “The Inuzuka aren’t like other clans. It doesn’t matter that I was born to probably one of the longest serving Clan Leaders it’s ever known. Unless I can earn the position myself the title will pass to whoever defeats her. Truthfully though considering there hasn’t been a male clan leader since the very first Inuzuka it’s not something I’ve ever been bothered by.” Kiba sighed as he recalled his defeat earlier at Naruto’s hands, before also remembering another during the Chunin Exams. Setting his plate down, he stared into the fire as he said, “No, I guess you could say I feel like this because of a classmate of mine.”

“Naruto…”

Kiba nodded as he explained, “I mean he’s become someone the entire village looks up too. But if you could have seen him during the academy you’d think he’d be lucky if he didn’t end up accidently killing himself.” Recalling the many failures of Naruto during the academy he added, “Being paired against him during practice was almost like a gift since you knew you’d be the one coming out on top. But then the Chunin Exams happened, and everything changed. First he beat me in the prelims. Then during the final round I ended up getting put to sleep by a genjutsu like an amateur and awoke to find out he had saved the whole damn village by standing up against Gaara. I mean I couldn’t believe it, when I ran into Gaara during the Chunin Exams it had been all I could do not too wet myself with fear, but Naruto ended up beating him. Now look at everything he’s accomplished. He’s saved the village dozens of times, has a bridge named after him, not to mention a harem of women willing to help him accomplish all his goals. Yet in comparison all I can really claim is to have fought off one of Orochimaru’s elite bodyguards long enough to be saved by a Sand-nin. Pretty pathetic when you think about it.”

Aeris remained silent before asking, “Have you ever considered why he’s grown so much while you feel you’ve remained relatively the same?” She could see that Kiba hadn’t so explained, “You’re getting caught up in everything he has accomplished but forget why he is doing it.”

“To unite the shinobi villages,” Kiba said. “That’s a relatively new goal. Growing up he was always going on about how he wanted to be Hokage.”

“Those goals aren’t as dissimilar as you are making them sound,” Aeris said as she stared away from the fire towards the young man. “A Kage’s greatest wish should be the safety and wellbeing of the people he has been tasked with protecting. You could say that by taking lovers from other villages Naruto has expanded the number of people he would feel the desire to protect. After all, a threat to Kumo must worry him to the same extent as a threat to Konoha. He has people he needs to protect in both places and along with that desire to protect other comes the knowledge that he needs to be strong enough to do so. Therefore, every bit of training he does is to gather the strength needed to face those threats. His eyes are always on the horizon which is why he pushes himself so hard.”

“I train hard,” Kiba said a little defensively.

Aeris smiled as she said, “I’m sure you do. I also imagine that you have begun to push yourself even harder since these feelings of inferiority have begun to afflict you.” She giggled slightly as Kiba blushed as her guess proved accurate. Shaking her head she warned, “Kiba, you’re never going to catch up and overtake him if your eyes are only affixed to his back in the hopes of catching up. If that is your motivation you’ll only find yourself retracing places he’s already been.”

Kiba took her words to heart and feeling a sense of gratitude towards her asked, “How is it you can possibly feel like you deserve how you were treated?”

Aeris looked away as she quickly stood and said, “I-I think we should call it a night.

She tried to walk passed him, but Kiba grabbed her wrist as he asked, “Please tell me.”

“Kiba, I’ve done horrible things in my life. I’ve…”

Kiba pulled her down into his lap, and stared into her eyes as he said, “I don’t know what it is you’ve done and truthfully don’t care. But I can tell you are regretful of it. You’re also one of the most gentle and caring people I know. Try to forget the past and find happiness in the present.”

Kiba then pressed his lips to hers and for a moment it felt like she would melt into his arms. But then she pressed her hands against his chest pushing him back and quickly said, “I…I need to go.” She darted off into the dark leaving Kiba to wonder if the spark he had felt as their lips touched had been one sided.

*****

“Give it up Yuffie,” Tifa said as she collapsed onto her back from what felt like an insurmountable pull of gravity. The pressure let up as soon as she stopped struggling to move forward but she knew it would return with a vengeance the second she tried again.

“Never,” Yuffie shouted defiantly, “It has to be some sort of mental trick. I’m going to beat that red-head yet.” However despite her words a moment later she collapsed and then sighed as the effects seemed to disappear.

Tifa tried to look at her teammate and felt a small smile as her chest made the feat impossible. In truth, Tifa didn’t understand why Yuffie was so determined to return to Taki since it was obvious their village had disowned them. Not to mention except for being trapped as an observer in her own body for a time, she found the changes that had been made to it rather satisfactory. Back before there run in with the Kyuubi, Tifa knew she and her teammates had been gathered in part due to their rather plain looks. She found being given a face and figure that most women would kill for had been a rather fair trade for the inconvenience of losing control of her body, especially since she had realized that the blond man that the Bijuu had once been a part of was the same one they had tried to kill over a decade ago.

A part of her was afraid that even if they did manage to escape the village whatever magic the Bijuu had performed on her would disappear. She had tried to make Yuffie understand where she was coming from, but for whatever reason the deaged leader of their team was hell bent on returning home.

Tired of groveling in the dirt, Tifa decided to head back to the village. Finding that she could stand, she paused as Yuffie asked, “Where are you going?”

“I’m going back,” Tifa answered, “Let’s try to make the best of it for the time being like Aeris is doing.”

“Aeris is probably just infatuated with that bastard,” Yuffie said angrily. “He likely reminds her of that Mist Shinobi she fell for.”

Tifa shrugged, before saying, “They do have similar personalities. She never forgave herself for what…”

“Who cares,” Yuffie snapped, “Is that a reason to turn her back on trying to return home? Or the team? We tried to extract him as we promised, but the op went bad. It happens.”

“You don’t need to tell me that,” Tifa said angrily. “We spent the better part of a decade in prison because things went bad. I’m tired of living for a village that let us waste away for a decade. Maybe it’s time we try to find our own paths.”

“Do what you will,” Yuffie snapped angrily and with some effort as she began trying to crawl away from her teammate. “Some of us apparently value loyalty more than others.”

Tifa watched the woman struggle and felt it was rather like a metaphor since it seemed her decision had left her shoulders feeling lighter than they had been before.

*****

Temari knelt off to the side, along with her fellow councilors, in the large audience chamber that was serving as the courtroom for Joseki’s trial. Although not a lawyer, she was fairly confident in the case against the former elder. However, from her vantage point she would admit to feeling a little worried by the lack of concern being reflected in Joseki’s face as he knelt in the center of the room.

A feeling she apparently had in common with one of her fellow councilors. “He’s too calm,” Pakura said watching the man carefully. “It isn’t an act. He confident that he’ll escape justice today.”

“Hey, let’s try to remain a little upbeat. The magistrate hasn’t even taken his position yet.” Temari frowned though, despite her words, as she had a hard time disagreeing with Pakura. She directed her gaze to her younger brother who was kneeling next to the prosecutor, who knelt to the left of the small dais where the magistrate would sit. Despite her concerns she took some comfort in Gaara’s stoic expression. She knew her brother had his shinobi working diligently in uncovering Joseki’s many crimes. She also knew they would be able to prove he had worked with Danzou to undermine the current Hokage in part thanks to the testimony of Komachi. Furthermore, they had uncovered a plot he had engaged in to secure a hidden gold mine by eliminating not only the town leader and her son, but the man that had hired him to do it.

The one weakness in the case though was the lack of human testimony outside of Komachi. In the several months that had passed since the elder’s arrest Gaara had released and followed the birds that Joseki had used to contact his agents. Unfortunately in most cases the birds had headed into Iwa and the Tschuikage had refused to allow any Suna shinobi to pursue them, and if they had activated any agents in his lands he had refused to reveal it. Also, there turned out to be relatively few in both Kumogakure and Konohagakure. The reason for Kumo was due to his activating all his assets to deal with Rin when she had been activated by Danzou to assassinate Killer Bee. All of whom were Shinobi of Kumo, but due to its distance from Suna the elder had almost no plots active in the region. They had also mostly been genin and chunin making Temari believe he had been planning long term and hoping they’d achieve high ranking positions in Kumo’s power structure before activating them.

Unfortunately the Raikage was loathe to admit that some of his shinobi had been compromised so had refused to let Suna follow the birds to their targets. Furthermore, the only reason she and Gaara had any idea that they had activated agents was because of Mabui.

That had left Konoha and Kiri as the only two villages that could have supplied a witness to Joseki’s brainwashing. However, Mist had remained silent on the matter and outside of Rin, whose memories of her time as the Suna Elder’s agent had been removed; Joseki had been unable to turn any of Konoha’s shinobi in a similar manner in part due to Danzou constantly being on the lookout for his rival’s agents.

There had been some discussion about having Rin come forward, but in the end it was decided against doing so. Primarily since it was felt that without direct access to her memories she could likely be a liability upon cross-examination. Also, explaining where she had been since Joseki’s arrest would be problematic for the Harem, considering she had snuck into Earth Country recently.

The light murmur grew quiet as the magistrate from the capital stepped into the room. Taking a seat upon a pillow at the head of the room the man who appeared to be around the same age as the elder on trial said, “Greetings, this court is now in session.” He leveled a stern gaze on everyone in the room and let it remain on the defendant a few moments longer than the others. He cleared his throat and then said, “I’ve poured over the evidence that was sent to the capital. There is only one word I can think of to describe what I saw, travesty.”

Temari felt a smile threaten to appear on her face at the magistrate’s words as her previous concerns began to fade. However, like a trap door opening beneath her feet she felt her hopes fall into a pit of despair as the man continued, “As in it’s a travesty to see a man of Joseki’s stature brought low by what I can only call unfounded accusations.”

“Milord,” the prosecutor said confused at how the magistrate could draw such a conclusion, “we are talking about a man that used Forbidden techniques on the shinobi of his own village as well as those of…”

“Be silent councilor,” the Magistrate shouted causing the prosecutor to cease his objection.

“According to your own notes councilor, you point out that all the Suna shinobi that were found to have had these false personas volunteered for the procedure. They did so because they lacked the skill and concentration on their own and would have likely washed out of the shinobi program without his aid. No one can prove that any of those shinobi did anything other than preform admirably in the service of Suna. I find it is also worth mentioning that is a fate that may befall quite a few of these shinobi now that the jutsu has been canceled.”

The prosecutor frowned at having his own notes on the case used against him, but undeterred argued, “Milord, but what about the evidence that he has made agents out of foreign shinobi. Actions he undertook without the Kazekage’s permission.”

“What does it matter what he does to shinobi from other countries? Do we have any of them here to testify against him?” The councilor frowned but shook his head no in response to the Magistrate’s question causing the man to continue with disdain, “Then why should I pass judgment on him if the other villages couldn’t be bothered to even send their poor supposedly victimized shinobi to testify on their own behalf?”

“You should care because it is your obvious lack of concern to seeing that justice is done that the other Kage didn’t bother to send anyone.”

Despite Gaara delivering his rebuke in his typical calm manner the Magistrate’s face grew beat red. He began to shake as he said angrily, “Know your place whelp. You may be Kazekage, but in my station as Magistrate I represent the Lord of the Land of Wind. Remember that boy.”

“Then one would think there would be more concern over the crimes Lord Joseki committed which could have resulted in the chaos of war erupting in the Daimyo’s lands,” Gaara said diplomatically hoping to calm the man while at the same time making his point. “One can only imagine how the other Kage would have reacted if it had been them that uncovered these crimes instead of us. By alerting the other villages of his actions we have at the very least assured them they were those of a lone agent rather than the entire village.”

Temari noted that it was a tactic that appeared to work since the man had likely come to the conclusion that despite Gaara’s youth he would be able to bully the former jinchuriki into dropping the case. Furthermore, she believed he realized that continuing to let his emotions get the better of him would make him appear less stately especially when compared to the unflappable Gaara’s demeanor.

The crowd bristled a little as the Magistrate said, “I wish your words didn’t sound so naïve to my ears, Lord Gaara. You see the world in a light that reality has proven time and time does not exist. All your actions have done is strengthened those who would threaten the peace and stability of our homeland. You may wish that your opposite numbers in the other villages have the same desires for peace as you, but history has proven time and time again that they do not. Even the current stability with the Leaf pales in comparison to the many years of open hostility that has existed between Suna and Konoha.”

“Perhaps,” Gaara replied, “but the friendship and companionship that exists between us now would never have happened if we let what had happened in the past dictate our current actions. All it took for our new close ties with the Leaf to flourish was for…”

“Yes, yes,” the Magistrate said in a bored tone as he waved his hand dismissively, “I’m sure we can have quite the spirited debate on inter-village relations, but forgive me for finding no fault in Joseki possibly taking actions to ensure that Suna is not caught unaware by hostile actions from other villages.”

“What are you talking about?” the prosecutor asked speaking up. “If you are suggesting that you believe the defendants claims that those he turned into agents were deep cover ones that he converted then I’d say that is wishful thinking at best.”

“Yet you cannot disprove those claims can you?” the Magistrate asked barely hiding a smirk when the prosecutor faltered in countering his statement.

The prosecutor was forced to acknowledge the point as he said, “No, I cannot especially in light of the fact that those in Suna did appear to be volunteers. However, be that as it may, it can hardly be said that he held noble purposes in his actions of accepting a contract to kill a Wind Country Village leader and her young son.”

The Magistrate focused a steely gaze on Joseki before replying, “No it does not. Yet, what I couldn’t help but notice is that while the evidence does appear to be quite damning. It is never mentioned how one learned of this plot.” He held up his hand as the councilor prepared to object, guessing what the man was about to say the Magistrate said, “Yes, I’m aware that an informant supposedly stepped forward with key information that pointed investigators in the right direction. Yet does this not lend itself to the possibility that the reason the evidence against Joseki is so damning is because it was made to appear so.”

“Sir, with all due respect after Joseki betrayed his client, by having him murdered, he arranged for the land to be purchased by an alias of his that he has been using for years. We know this for a fact and…”

“And when people were asked to describe the man that went by this alias that they’ve dealt with over the years your own investigators received fifty different descriptions,” the Magistrate said quickly as he spoke over the prosecutor.

“That’s because he used the people that he turned into his agents to meet with these witnesses,” the man said nearing exasperation.

“That is merely conjecture,” the official countered, “Need I remind you that none of these so-called agents that he had in Suna matched the descriptions of the people that used this alias. Considering that all of the activities for this persona that you traced back to Elder Joseki took place in Suna it seems rather suspect he wouldn’t use the closest agents available.”

“Unless he was counting on the lack of trust between villages to offer some cover for his activities so knew it would be best to use those not easily traced back to him,” Temari shouted from where the current Suna Councilors were kneeling. “Are you trying to be obtuse?”

“I am trying to ensure that justice is carried out,” the Magistrate roared angrily as he shot to his feet. “Not allow some sort of witch hunt for a man that has dedicated his entire life to protecting his home. And you young lady should remember who it is you are addressing. I am a personally appointed Magistrate for our Lord Daimyo. My judgments are the law, and I find your case against Elder Joseki to at the very least be a potential plot to discredit him by those who would hope to take advantage of the gullibility of a Kazekage that believes that if we all just think happy thoughts the hostility between countries will just disappear. At worse an internal plot to remove a voice obstructing some of the Kazekage’s recent initiatives.”

“Now who’s throwing around baseless accusations,” Temari said unintimidated by the man or his position. “Do not forget we also have a witness who is here to testify that she witnessed Joseki plotting with Danzou of the Leaf on several occasions to drive a wedge between our two villages.”

“I have not forgotten that, Lady Temari.” The Magistrate said leveling a dismissive gaze towards Komachi. “In fact, I find it truly worrisome that you would offer up her testimony as evidence. If even a fraction of the rumors surrounding Danzou are true, then I have very little trouble believing he would still try to strike at his enemies even from the grave. For all I know she is still working for him and hopes to discredit one of his former rivals,”

“That’s preposterous,” Temrai responded heatedly, “She was instrumental in the Leaf’s dismantling of Danzou’s Root organization. She also helped bring down not only Danzou, but another respected elder Homura as well. You can’t honestly sit there and expect us to swallow the garbage that she did all this so she could badmouth Joseki.”

The Magistrate glowered as he said threateningly, “You are dangerously close to insubordination, Lady Temari.” He shrugged as he calmly said, “Believe what you will but my word is law. This case is dismissed.”

“What!” Temari shouted angrily as she quickly got to her feet, but was prevented from moving towards the smirking man by Pakura who clamped her hand over her fellow Harem member’s wrist.

The blonde seethed as the Magistrate stepped down from the dais he had passed his judgment from and bypassing Gaara shook a greatly amused Joseki’s hand. She watched tempted to cut the Elder down as he stood before her youngest brother to smugly to say, “It appears that you should have finished me off in that old musty basement, Lord Gaara.”

Gaara didn’t let his emotions show but a slight tone of anger entered his voice as he said, “Do not tempt me Joseki into rectifying that mistake.”

Joseki laughed amused as he turned away to call back, “Well you know where to find me should you decide to.”

Temari seethed as she glared at the exonerated elder’s back as he spoke with several supporters while he made his way out the room. Hoping to support her brother she said, “Don’t worry Gaara despite this setback his days as an influence peddler in the village are done. Most of the shinobi support you; he won’t be able to stand in the way.”

Gaara didn’t respond at first making Temari think that he hadn’t heard her. But just as she was about to repeat herself he said, “The threat he poses to our hopes of better relations with our fellow shinobi villages might be lessened, but so long as he remains free he won’t just retire quietly. Sooner or later he’ll need to be dealt with.”

***

Sari entered Gaara’s office a little demurely as she was aware that he was likely still upset about Joseki’s going free, although only a handful of people knew him well enough to tell. Sari was extremely grateful that she was one of them. She found him staring out the window with his back turned towards her. She spent several moments watching him quite aware that despite appearances he knew she was there.

“Did Temari send you to check up on me?”

Sari frowned at the question and would admit to being a little jealous of the blonde he was referring to. Therefore although her tone sounded playful, there was a hint of the issue that had grown between them in her reply of, “Can’t the Kazekage’s girlfriend check on her boyfriend without it being a directive from someone else?”

Gaara turned from the window giving her no indication he had noticed. His face remained impassive as he said, “Of course, forgive me for making it sound otherwise.”

Sari fought back a frown since his tone almost made it sound like she was a diplomat that he may have offended instead of a woman he was involved with. She instead gave him a smile not wishing to start another fight with him over the state of their relationship or about how distant he acted with her. “It’s fine. How are you doing? That bastard was rather snide with you. Is that the type of reception you get when you go to the capital?”

Gaara shrugged as he replied, “I’ve grown accustomed to people seeing my youth as an excuse to discount what I say or believe. I like to believe that in time people will come to understand the folly of clinging to old grudges.”

Sari gave her boyfriend a teasing smile as she said, “Well it’ll be helped along hopefully as old geezers like Joseki and that magistrate kick the bucket.” She noticed a small frown threaten to appear on Gaara’s face causing her to ask, “What is it?”

“You may be closer to the truth then you think,” Gaara replied moving to sit behind his desk. He sighed sounding a little defeated in a rare display of emotion before saying, “In turns out that the Magistrate that the Daimyo sent is old friends with Joseki. I’ve had people watching Joseki ever since he was let go and even as we speak he is entertaining several of his closest supporters.” Gaara paused before adding, “Including the man that let him go free.”

“What!” Sari said sounding betrayed for her Kazekage, “How could the Daimyo send a magistrate with such close ties to the man on trial who he was supposed to judge?”

“That is the question,” the former jinchhuriki replied. Sitting back in his chair he said, “There are two possibilities that I can see. The first is that the Daimyo was truly unaware of the ties between Joseki and his representative. A possibility since we only managed to uncover a fraction of the dealings he has had over the years. It might just be possible that he lucked out and drew a magistrate that owed him some favors. We certainly had no idea of what we were in store for today.” Gaara tried to give a small smile but the effort didn’t last. “The second possibility is that he knew full well, and sent the man here to send me a message.”

“What kind of message would that be?” Sari asked in disbelief. “Let murdering psychopaths go who dress their crimes up as patriotism.”

“That very well may be it,” Gaara said causing Sari to give him a confused look as she had meant her statement half in jest. Explaining what he believed he said, “It is possible that our current close ties with Konoha is not something that the Capital is particularly glad to see. Therefore, where we see people like Joseki as a hindrance to the peace we hope to build. The Daimyo and the Capital see him as a necessity to maintaining the status quo. With people like him in place it makes it harder for us to drop our guards with the other shinobi villages.”

“Why would they want that though?” Sari asked after giving her boyfriend’s words some thought.

“I don’t know,” Gaara admitted. “But, take the chain of events that led to my father making the decision to invade Konoha with Orochimaru. For years after our signing the alliance with them the previous Daimyo continued to cut the funding to the village. He even began to farm out jobs to the Leaf. Yet, now we are being told to be wary of becoming to close with Konoha and the other villages, which is almost a complete reversal in policy.”

Sari nodded but said, “True, but the current Daimyo was a cousin of the previous one. He might just be more wary of outsiders, plus my parents were of the opinion the old Daimyo’s diverting funds from the village was so he could live a hedonistic lifestyle.”

“An opinion that Baki shared,” Gaara replied as he rubbed at his eyes tiredly.

Sari moved towards him and stepping behind his chair began to knead his shoulders. She frowned as he tensed at first, but was pleased as he began to relax from her caress. Leaning forward she whispered into his ear, “Gaara you need to stop thinking about it. This is still a win for you. It seems Maki and Pakura are strong supporters, and regardless of his escaping justice. Joseki’s reputation is still tainted with the people that matter. Your shinobi.”

The remaining tension seemed to leave Gaara’s body as a result of her words. Sari decided to use the moment to her advantage in order to advance her relationship with the Kazekage further by pressing her lips to his neck. She felt some of the tension return causing her to frown, but she pressed on by nibbling and then sucking on his earlobe. She felt him shiver in response, but he attempted to turn to face her and from past experiences she knew it was likely to put an end to things before they even started. However, Sari sealed her lips to his and felt a glimmer of hope as he didn’t pull back.

Coming around the chair, she straddled his lap as she deepened the kiss by sliding her tongue passed his lips. Hoping to finally get him to succumb to her advances she reached to the front of his pants and began to rub his hardening cock through them. Gaara groaned pleasantly so she gripped his shaft through his pants and began to tug it. “Sari…w-we should…” Gaara moaned as his girlfriend jerked him.

Sari interrupted him as she said, “Shh, Gaara just let me make you feel good.”

But despite her words Gaara’s hand gripped her wrist. He gained control over himself as he said, “Sari, now isn’t the…”

“Time,” Sari snapped in frustration as she interrupted him. “Then when exactly will it be the time Gaara. We’ve been dating for over a year, but we’ve yet to move beyond making out or light petting. I’m ready to move forward with our relationship. Why aren’t you?”

Gaara had difficulty putting his feelings into words so hoping to calm Sari down said, “I just need more time…please try to understand.”

Sari sighed as she said, “I’m trying. But it’s getting hard to be patient. If it was just a matter of you wanting to wait until marriage I could understand…but something tells me even then we’d be having this conversation.” Sari turned as she began to leave the Kazekage’s office, she paused as she reached the door and without looking back said, “What’s worse is you refuse to talk to me about it. If you can’t even talk with me about what is bothering you, then maybe we should think about seeing other people.”

“Sari, I...” Gaara trailed off though as the woman he had come to love left his office without looking back. He considered chasing after her, but aware that even if he caught up to her his words would do little to improve the situation let her go. A decision he would come to regret later.

****

“Ah did you see that brat’s face when I announced that you were to be set free,” Joseki’s old friend the Magistrate said cheerfully as he downed a glass of fine wine.

Several of Joseki’s closest allies chuckled in response even as the former elder said, “I again thank you for your help old friend. I hope your helping me hasn’t put you in an awkward situation back in the capital.”

The Magistrate waved his friend’s concern off as he responded, “I do not forget my friends and I’ll forever be in your debt for making that little problem of mine disappear.”

Joseki smirked as he recalled the problem in question was a mistress of the man, who had gotten too big for her britches and when she realized that he never intended to leave his wife had threatened to go public. A threat she never got to carry out as she know occupied a shallow grave deep in the desert in thanks to one of Joseki’s agents. “Still I was rather well paid for that,” Joseki replied, “How may I repay this debt I find myself with?”

The Magistrate waved off the concern again as he said, “Honestly Joseki don’t worry about it. Although he didn’t exactly come out and say it, the Daimyo made it quite clear he didn’t want to see things go Gaara’s way. Who am I to go against the will of the Daimyo?” He laughed boisterously as he added; “Besides someone needs to remind that damn Kazekage that he serves at the discretion of the Daimyo and his court not the other way around. And I was just pleased as punch to be the one chosen to do so.” The man tipped back his glass and finding it empty held it up as he said, “Although if you have another bottle of this and would be willing to part with it I suppose I wouldn’t stop you.”

“Of course,” Joseki said pleasantly, “I believe I have another bottle in the cellar.”

Joseki headed down to his basement finding he missed all the stuffed birds that had been collected as evidence. Making a mental note to get them back he headed towards a door in the back where his wine was stored. Quickly finding the rack which held the stuff he was serving his guests he headed back upstairs and found that the others had lapsed into silence. A little inebriated himself he called out, “Don’t tell me you louts couldn’t carry on an intelligent conversation without me present.”

Joseki stepped into the dining room and paused in shock as he came upon the sight of all of his guests murdered. From the marks around their necks it looked like they had been strangled. He sensed the killer behind him and reacting quickly smashed the bottle against the wall and spun to face the uninvited guest. He stabbed out with the make-shift weapon and to his shock a wall of sand sprung between him and the cloaked individual. The sand quickly wrapped around his arm before crushing it causing the disgraced elder to scream in pain. He was silenced as more sand wrapped around his mouth before doing the same to the rest of his body.

Joseki stared at the cloaked individual as the sand finished surrounding his body. His last though was, “Have you finally learned what must be done to insure the safety of the village, Gaara?” As a moment later the sand crushed him covering the entire room in red except for a human shape outline on one of the walls.

Next Chapter: Trouble in Sand and The Pack: Part II

Author’s note: First let me thank all those that have taken the time to read and review not to mention show their support on my DA account. They really do provide the fuel for me to keep writing.

Now it’s probably rather apparent that Kiba is going to be the one that ends with the second Harem in this story. I have a few reasons, the first being that in all honestly of the Konoha characters in this story he’s the only one that I can see being brash enough to attempt it. By this I mean, Shikamaru is too lazy, Chouji at this point lacks confidence in himself, Neji I think lacks the drive for romance as well as the social position, and finally Lee is well Lee. The other reason I felt Kiba was best is in my own personal opinion, Kiba is the character Naruto would be with a few more points of intelligence, at least in the Manga, and without the sudden increases in skill. I also feel that Kiba could be the friend that Sasuke was in that they would be competitive with each other, although without the homicidal tendencies Sasuke displays. I suppose only time will tell if I pull off what I believe would be an interesting dynamic to the story since Naruto can now discuss some of the situations in his life with a male peer and vice versa.

In any case please enjoy and until next time take care. Sincerely, The Lemon Sage