Birth of the Forest

Birth of the Forest 8.

"Kaa-san…" Naruto said sadly watching his mother face away from him. He could feel her turbulent emotions, anger, and overwhelming fear. Mito was also looking at his mother solemnly.

Kushina seemed to be releasing the shock and horror she had suppressed when Naruto had taken on an army of strong shinobi singlehandedly.

She turned to him.

"Naruto, do you…do you have any idea what I have gone through to keep you safe? You told me you were a father once…try, just try to put yourself in my current situation. How could you scare me like that, taking on an entire elite army alone? You know what it feels like for a parent to see their child facing what they think is an imminent death…"

Naruto moved to her and engulfed her in a hug, a poignant expression on his face. The loss of Hiruzen, the misery of his mother who had thought she would see him die and his wholesale slaughter of the Iwa shinobi were weighing upon his soul.

He was never this quick to anger as Senju Hashirama. His twin lives were merging slowly, creating someone entirely new.

He had to be wary of himself. There was no doubt that his actions today were necessary, but there was also no doubt that he had let his emotions overcome him. He had thought he was long past that, but it seemed he still had issues in that regard.

He had very few people whom he saw as family in this life, and losing one of them had made him let his power loose. He had to be calmer….

"Kaa-san, I understand … and I am so sorry. I had just lost my student Hiruzen, who was also the one man who was truly there for me during my darkest years. I am sorry…"

"You may be the great Shodai Hokage reborn, Naruto, but I still see you as the adorable little boy who cried for his stuffed fox at night…please, please do not do such things ever again without me. I have only you left whom I can call my own, my blood…my son. I will die if I lose you…"Kushina said into his shoulder in a small voice, her pain and anguish apparent.

Naruto's blood ran cold at the thought of his mother dying. "I promise…"

He could feel the intensity of his mother's emotions receding somewhat.

"Don't forget me, Kushina-chan. I will be there with my husband as a part of our family. We are the last of the Uzumaki…"

Kushina looked at Mito, as the three of them sat together on the sofa. Naruto gathered Mito in his arms, the great Kunoichi cuddling into her husband.

"Mito-sama, how are you so young again? If not for my familiarity with your chakra, I could never have recognized you…I never knew you to be so beautiful…"

Mito blushed faintly, and Naruto got stars in his eyes looking once more at his stunning wife. Even Madara had acknowledged her beauty, and his old friend had developed a large hatred for anything to do with the Senju by then.

"Thank you, Kushina-chan…As for your question, I think Orochimaru has understood the Edo Tensei in an unusual way, and used it to bring me back in my seventeen year old body. I was extremely strong as I am now…almost reaching my prime. My physical energy and chakra used to be and currently is almost as much as Hashirama has now…"

Kushina laughed sadly.

"I suppose we owe Orochimaru for this, don't we? He brought you back to us…back to my son. Naruto needs someone from his past to help him reconcile completely and support him like a lover. We should be grateful to Kami…"

Naruto nodded. Extreme sadness coursed through his mind as he remembered the Sandaime from both his lives.

"True, Kaa-san. We will need to attend Hiruzen's funeral tomorrow, though. Then we will have to answer to the village council…they will want to put me under their thumb after seeing Mokuton once more…"